Look past the velvet rope and bouncers and you might notice that Akoya is trying to making a name for itself in the shadow of it’s nightclub sibling Peal upstairs. David Snyder has the results thus far.

[T]here’s plenty to like about this retooled spot in terms of food. I loved the fact that the menu assembled by chef Greg Garbacz ([orignal chef, Ari] Weiswasser’s former sous chef) is loose and flexible, one of the more intuitive and navigable small-plates menus around. Geeks could call it open-source dining — the noodle and hot dish sections provide guests with the comfort of the conventional three-course route, yet the snacks, small plates and yakitori categories provide a wide berth to play and share. This is all at reasonable prices.

Pearl Vision [City Paper]
Akoya [Official Site]