In 1998, on Bond Street in New York City, a swanky eatery aptly named BondST opened. Its owner, Jonathan Morr, began the restaurant’s journey by creating renowned interpretations of Japanese-inspired cuisine. In the quarter decade since, dishes that combine fresh ingredients, contemporary innovation, and tried-and-true tradition have garnered acclaim and become menu staples—from classic sushi and sashimi to BondSt’s iconic Big Eye Tuna Tarts.
In September 2023, BondST opened a second location in Hudson Yards, designed by Jeffrey Beers International. Comprising a contemporary Japanese dining experience, the space features a dining room, lounge seating, and an indoor-outdoor patio adorned with bamboo plants and modern lanterns.
Courtesy of Jeffery Beers and BondST
The flavorful menu at BondST in NoHo was created by its partner and Executive Chef, Marc Spitzer, alongside Executive Sushi Chef, Shigeru Mikami, while in Hudson Yards, Executive Chef, Brett Singer, leads the kitchen.
Whitewall spoke with Spitzer about BondST’s everlasting success and what you must order as a first-time diner.
Courtesy of BondST
Inside BondST’s Legacy with Marc Spitzer
Whitewall: Can you tell us a bit about your background leading up to working at BondSt?
Marc Spitzer: I grew up in the restaurant industry. My mother is a chef, as well, so cooking has been a part of my life since I could remember. After graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, I worked at Le Cirque 2000 at the Palace Hotel and was on the opening team when the Russian Tea Room reopened in 1999. I also staged at many places before starting with BondST in 2002.
WW: BondST recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its first location in NoHo. What would you attribute its longstanding success to?
MS: BondST’s success really comes down to two things that go hand in hand. Consistency has been the key as well as our staff and trying to get better every day. We have customers that have been coming once a week for 27 years, which means everything to us. Ultimately, the consistency comes down to the staff. A good portion of our staff have been with us for 15 to 20 years including much of the kitchen staff and front of house management. There is nothing like hearing from a customer who hasn’t been to the restaurant in a while that it’s just like they remember or better. We take care of the staff and they take care of the clients.
Executive Chef Marc Spitzer, courtesy of BondST
New Dishes at BondSt Hudson Yards
WW: For the opening of its Hudson Yards location, new dishes graced the menu. What are those?
MS: We wanted to have many of the signature dishes go over to Hudson Yards, but also wanted to add some new items as well as bring some of the old dishes back from the past. A couple of the many new dishes were a tuna filet au poive with a dashi mustard sauce and a Japanese kakiage made with Japanese sweet potatoes. We also knew that there would be a lot of corporate meetings, so we have a great grilled wagyu tomahawk steak with roasted ginger sunchokes and a charred scallion chimi churi sauce. We also brought back the grilled lamb rack with yuzu potato grating that we used to have on the menu downtown.
Courtesy of BondST
WW: In the kitchen, you work with both typical Japanese ingredients and nuanced techniques for a contemporary experience. What’s your overall approach to creating impactful dishes for diners from around the globe?
MS: Whenever we create dishes, we always like to use the word “crave.” We try to make the dishes unique and fun but ultimately you want them craving more of that dish. We have so many dishes that people just come back time and time again and it’s always nice when they try something new and get the same feeling. We are by no means a traditional Japanese restaurant so it gives us some creative freedom on using ingredients and techniques you might not usually see at those small traditional restaurants but ultimately for me it’s all about the balance of umami and acidity. We try not to make dishes too sweet and really let the amazing product speak for itself.
Must-Try Dishes at BondST
WW: What’s your favorite dish on the menu? Any other must-try items for first-timers?
MS: One Of my favorites is the Madai carpaccio. It’s a really clean dish that lets the fish speak for itself, but when paired with the chili tosazu and myoga, it really brightens up the whole dish. It’s a great way to start. Of course, you need to get the Big Eye Tuna Tarts, as well as the crispy rice, but also the sesame-crusted shrimp that has been there since day one. The menu has grown so large because it is hard for us to take dishes off that it is basically filled with the best of dishes from over the years.
WW: The Big Eye Tuna Tarts dish has been on the menu since the restaurant’s early days. What do you think makes this dish so memorable?
Courtesy of BondST
MS: I think besides it being a light dish, it’s a great gateway to fish for people that usually don’t love fish or are just beginning to get into sushi. The gyoza crisp helps with the texture and the creamy ponzu adds that umami acidity that brings it all together. That’s a great dish to show for the craveability we want from dishes.
WW: For those coming to BondST this summer, what’s a perfect order—including a wine, sake, or cocktail pairing?
MS: I would say start with a glass of sparkling sake, like the Masumi Arabashiri, paired with the Big Eye Tuna Tart and the king salmon sashimi with shishito pepper salsa—and maybe some oysters. Then, move on to a cocktail, like our spicy yuzu martini, and grilled octopus with yuzu kosho and red miso and shortrib and foie gras gyoza. I think a nice light sake, like our BondST exclusive Yumeakari, would go well with the sushi-sashimi omakase and a sesame crusted shrimp roll. For an entrée, get our broiled miso Seabass, which has been on the menu since day one, and our aged New York strip steak. To finishl, get the summer berries, which are amazing right now, and have a sake sabayon and yamamomo berry granita, as well as our Suntory whisky bread pudding.
Courtesy of BondST
What’s Next for BondST
WW: What are you working on next?
MS: We are always working on new things, as well as trying to keep new items very seasonal. Right now, soft shell crabs are great so we are using them crispy for a steamed bun dish. I also just got some amazing smoked eel from one of our terrific suppliers, so I’m trying to work that into a new dish.
Creme, Courtesy of BondST
