New York - September 18, 2003

Dream a Little Dream

Sumile Restaurant Opens

What to do when you’re young, talented, and already a global music sensation?

Take on a real challenge: New York’s restaurant scene.

We’re told that pop stars Dreams Come True are as big in Japan as the Beatles were back when. So what are they doing opening Sumile on one of the West Village’s best restaurant blocks?

With results like these, who cares. The dining room, with its green glass walls, pendant lighting, and suede sofas, is a minimalist jewel box: the ideal backdrop for chef Josh DeChellis’s innovative cuisine. DeChellis sharpened his skills in prestigious kitchens like Union Pacific (New York), L’Arpege (France), and Postrio (San Francisco). He mastered the art of Japanese flavors during a recent stint in Kyoto, yielding pretty, delish plates like gulf shrimp in horseradish consomme, heirloom tomatoes with giant-clam salad, Atlantic halibut with scallion fondue and field caviar, and sirloin roasted on pine needles. The Gianduya pot de creme is the dessert to beat, but adventurous palates should try the black-sesame dice. (Yes, dice.)

Looks like a surefire hit.

In an already impressive string of them.

Sumile, 154 West 13th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues (212-989-7699).