Sushi By The Pound Spot Opening On Upper East Side

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A fast-casual sushi restaurant where sushi is sold by weight, not roll, is opening in Carnegie Hill this month.

Ricee Sushi Express will open May 15 on East 86th Street between Third and Lexington avenues, with a focus on affordable, quality sushi, owner Leo Chen told Patch.

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With Ricee, Chen said he wanted to solve what he sees as two big problems with traditional sushi restaurants: slow service and overwhelming menus.

Instead of ordering from a long list of rolls and specials, customers at Ricee will walk in, grab a tray and select pre-made sushi displayed along a long countertop.

Staff then weigh the sushi at the register, and customers can take it to go or sit down in the dining area, Chen said.

"Sushi restaurants are not fast enough, and the menu is always too big," Chen, who has worked in several Japanese restaurants throughout his career, said. "If you go to a sushi restaurant, usually you can see like 50 different rolls and like 20 special rolls and different nigiri, that's too hard for the customer. Ricee Sushi Express solves the problem."

The menu will be capped at about 35 types of sushi, including favorites like bluefin tuna with truffle-oil sauteed mushrooms, otoro with roe, yellowtail with chives and more.

The minimalist selection keeps labor costs down, allowing Chen to charge around $23.99 per pound, with a full box typically running $18–$19, while maintaining the same quality and freshness as a traditional sit-down spot.

"You still can get otoro, you still can get wagyu. You still can get this good stuff, it's just more affordable," Chen told Patch.

Chen said opening his concept first on the Upper East Side was a business decision because of its high foot traffic.

Sushi will be left on the counter for only 30 minutes before it’s replaced, ensuring its freshness, making the neighborhood's regularly bustling sidewalks essential to its model.

But, above all, it's a labor of love, the owner said.

"I just love sushi," Chen said.

Ricee Sushi Express will be located at 182 East 86th St.

Know of a business opening or closing in Manhattan? Email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.