Shalom Japan

Shalom Japan occupies a warm, brick-walled corner space in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and has been delighting diners since 2013 with its genuinely inventive merging of Jewish and Japanese food cultures. The restaurant was founded and is run by married chefs Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi, whose Jewish and Japanese backgrounds respectively inform a menu they describe as ‘authentically inauthentic.’ The food is never gimmicky, despite the novelty of the concept. Dishes like the matzoh ball ramen, featuring a light chicken broth with scallions, nori, mandels, and a soy-marinated egg, exemplify how the kitchen finds resonance rather than dissonance between the two culinary traditions. Toro tartare arrives over house-baked sake kasu challah spread with scallion cream cheese and topped with everything seasoning. The lox bowl, a weekend brunch staple, layers smoked salmon over sushi rice with Japanese pickles, capers, cucumber, and avocado. A Wagyu pastrami sandwich on house-made caraway shokupan with house-crafted mustard is another standout, showcasing the kitchen’s commitment to producing its own core ingredients. The wine list is concise and thoughtful, with sake playing a prominent supporting role. Shalom Japan has received recognition from the Michelin Guide and has been featured in major national publications. The chefs also co-authored a James Beard Award-winning cookbook celebrating the restaurant’s unique culinary vision.