The former Tokyo Bay space on Duane and Greenwich has been resurrected as a sushi restaurant — Ajisai on Duane — at the same refreshing price point as Billy Liu Tribeca staple, and it is such a welcome surprise.

I had originally thought Ajisai was connected to two Japanese fusion restaurants in midtown with the same name, but it seems this is an independent Ajisai and comes minus the fusion.

I forgot to grab a picture of the menu, but you can see it online here. We went first for the lunch special: $16 for two rolls plus a salad, or $18 for the poke bowl plus soup. A la carte, a salmon avocado roll is $10. Special rolls, like the Ajisai roll (shrimp tempura, avocado top with lobster salad and black flying fish roe) are $18-20.

For the most part the menu is straight-up sushi, though there’s a donburi (rice bowl) menu that includes two poke bowl options and several hot bowls. The Ajisai bowl was excellent — a well proportioned combo of spicy tuna, avocado, salmon, seaweed, kani (crab sticks), cucumber, mango, edamame and topped with the dried fish and seaweed seasoning furikaki. We ordered again this week for dinner and once again, the rolls were buttery and fresh. If you like tofu — I love it — get the agedashi tofu appetizer — lightly deep fried with scallions and dried fish flakes. (That’s chef Leo Lai below.)

For now the restaurant has a beer and wine license only — an expedited one to get them through the delay at the SLA.

This is a great addition to the neighborhood.

Ajisai on Duane
183 Duane | Greenwich & Staple
646-422-7828
Monday to Saturday, 11:30a to 10p
Closed Monday