In Japan, small restaurants of counter seating only where homestyle comfort food is served is known as "obanzaiya." The chef/owner serves each customer dish by dish, customizing the meal based on the individual's preferences and insights drawn from the conversations of the evening. Obanzaiya originated in Kyoto and are oftentimes run by women.

Bessou chef Elena Yamamoto and founder Maiko Kyogoku invite you to experience a little bit of omotenashi--Japanese hospitality-- in NYC through their new series, The Counter. Each meal will focus on a Japanese homecooking staple, along with smaller accompanying dishes. We hope you will join us for this little escape from NYC, right at our counter.

Want to collaborate with us? Send us a message at hello@bessou.nyc

Past Events

  • Cherry Blossom Dinner at Brooklyn Kura

    03.16-17

    The warmer weather has us dreaming about the arrival of Spring, picnics under cherry blossom trees, and being transported to far away places.

    We want to share our idea of a Tokyo Dinner in Spring, Bessou-style: Japanese Mediterranean spreads, fluke and duck tsukune wraps and more.

    🌸 Join us at Industry City with our friends at Brooklyn Kura on 3.15 and 3.16 for our first Counter series popup on the road! Tap the link in our bio to see the full menu for our Cherry Blossom Dinner.

  • Chako Nabe Sumo Stew

    12.14-16 from 7PM

    Come be transported to a night in Tokyo! Nothing says Japanese holiday party like a nabe party (in Japanese: /na‧bé‧pa/). These are dinners where friends and family gather around to enjoy hotpot meals - that bubbly cauldron of broth filled with anything from delicious meats, fishes, noodles to veggies.

    We're ready to say bye bye to this year with a big hotpot feast - and we thought, why not celebrate with the ultimate hotpot: CHANKO NABE? Chanko nabe is also known as Sumo Stew because sumo wrestlers love eating this dish to get big and strong. It's a kitchen sink hotpot that typically contains mochi, sausages, fish cakes and more.

    Small dishes, dessert and optional (but really not optional) sake pairing are offered with the meal.

  • Feast of the Seven Fishes

    12.21-23 from 7PM

    Seafood lovers, rejoice! Celebrate the holidays with an Italian Japanese Feast of the Seven Fishes. In our take on this Christmas Eve tradition, we've put together 7 courses of different decadent seafood from sea bream sashimi, salted cod arancini, dorayaki bilini with caviar, to mentaiko pasta and more.

    Bessou chef Elena Yamamoto has family roots in both Italy and Japan so this feast is a special one for her. Come gather around the Counter and let us help you celebrate the holidays with this special meal!

  • Holiday Brunch

    12.28-30 11AM & 12:45PM

    There's still time to gather with your friends and family! We're serving a special Japanese American holiday breakfast/brunch for the final days of the year. On the menu: among others, there will be a choice of miso roasted salmon, chicken tsukune croque madame, and veggie loaded end-of-the-year soba noodles (fun fact: it's an auspicious Japanese tradition to slurp longevity noodles on New Year's Eve.) Each dish will be part of a set with onsen egg and other side dishes, plus a coffee/tea service by our friends at Bird and Branch!

    And don't sleep on the optional kabocha french toast for dessert. It's almost the end of the year and it's time to celebrate one last time. :)