In many ways, Kyoto represents the heart of Japanese cuisine. This city, located 500 kilometers southeast of Tokyo in the Tamba highlands, was the country's capital for a millennium ending in 1868. So when I heard of a restaurant serving Kyoto-style specialties in an obscure corner of Cobble Hill, I was there in a flash. Located opposite Long Island College Hospital on Henry Street, the three-year-old eatery is something of a sleeper—popular among foodies and stroller-pushing families that live in the neighborhood, but little known outside of it. Painted a subdued shade of orange, with soft lighting provided by a series of hanging white globes in perfect alignment, Hibino is so appealing in its austerity that one guest gasped with pleasure as we entered.
The focus of the high-ceilinged room is the sushi bar, with its line of ceremonially garbed itamaes—but conventional sushi is the most forgettable part of a fascinating menu. There are virtually no assortments offered, making a standard sushi and sashimi meal a relatively expensive proposition that requires extra thought to assemble. More interesting is an ancient sushi variation called hako sushi. Developed in nearby Osaka, but still popular in Kyoto, hako sushi predates the nigiri sushi ("finger" sushi) and maki sushi (roll sushi) that form the basis of contemporary sushi meals.
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