West U Gets a New Secret Bar and Hand Roll Haven From Houston Sushi Favorites — Norigami Goes From Pop-Up to Permanent

What do you get when you cross nori, that crisp, dried edible seaweed, with the Japanese tradition of artful paper folding, otherwise known as origami? The new Houston restaurant dubbed Norigami. Once a popular pop-up, which launched in 2021, Norigami has now found a permanent home — and at 24 seats we can call it a cozy home too — in West University.

It is brought to you by Tuan and Thy Tran owners of The Hidden Group who own two other Houston “hidden” sushi restaurants — Hidden Omakase and Sushi by Hidden. Hidden Omakase, with just 18 seats and two seatings nightly, provides a rather lengthy, elaborate, not to mention, pricey omakase experience ($175 per person). All “hidden” behind a faux retail façade that appears to be a comic bookstore. By contrast, Sushi by Hidden in Rice Village is a quick ($60 per person) 12-bite omakase (also served in a room concealed from prying eyes) that is timed to take just 30 minutes to consume from start to finish.

As is these restaurateurs’ signature, Norigami, features a concealed component too. In this case, it’s a dimly lit speakeasy, situated on the other side of a fluted wood paneled wall in the main dining room.

Yes, you can sneak into Hidden Bar where bartender Hao Ma is mixing up drinks like the signature paper crane ($16) a blend of bourbon, rum, Aperol, pineapple and coconut juices served in a crane-shaped cocktail glass. There is also a spicy Thai chili and ginger-laced margarita ($15). My favorite is “side the sun rises” a butterfly pea gin drink that lends this elixir made with yuzu a glowing violet-hue.

You can nurse your cocktail, beer, wine, or champagne in a neon-lit bar where dozens of multi-color paper cranes fly overhead. The top of the banquette that runs the length of the space is adorned with a faux grove of flowering blossoms. Stay here and order one of six light bites available in the bar or head next door to perch atop a stool and watch sushi chef Jimmy Kieu and his team at work making each of them and more.

In the main dining room of Norigami, the contemporary space is built with a large oval sushi bar taking center stage. The space is enclosed with gray cement walls where a neon-lit art piece depicts step-by-step how to fold an origami paper crane. (Apparently, cranes are a mystical animal in Japanese lore, and legend has it if you fold 1,000 paper cranes healing, love and your heartfelt wishes will come true.)

Designed by Handsome Studios, the interiors are meant to evoke the essence of a Tokyo night crawl.

Start with a crudo — either salmon or hamachi ($13 each). Or perhaps try my favorite light bite steak and eggs ($23). Norigami’s version of steak tartar created with minced raw Wagyu beef combined with diced pickled red onions and Dijon mustard with a diminutive quail egg broken open and perched atop. It comes along with a dollop of caviar adorned with a touch of edible gold leaf. Spread the delectable concoction on the toast points served beside it and you can’t do better.

Unlike the other Hidden restaurants, you actually won’t find sushi rolls at Norigami, Instead, you can eat your way through 11 different varieties of hand rolls. The tightly edited menu offers la carte options, as well as three pre-selects. These include a “3 some” ($22), “4 some” ($31) and the “Norigasm” ($41) with five different kinds of rolls.

Made to order, the sushi chef pulls warmed nori wrappings from the stainless steel box in front of his station and prepares each handroll to order, advising you to eat it quickly so the nori stays crisp. I strongly advise you do as he suggests and devour each in two bites (albeit big bites).

Each hand roll is about three to four inches long, and the selection includes a spicy scallop ($10) made with sea scallops dressed with cucumber, chili, garlic aioli and yuzu tobiko with avocado, and a toro hand roll ($10) adorned with crisp fried leeks and jicama and bluefin ($6) with micro greens, shiso herb and jicama. Francophiles can even try the foie gras hand roll ($15) assembled with sour cherries and drops of balsamic ($15), while the menage of foie gras ($26) includes a rich combination of uni, toro, Wagyu, foie gras and caviar cradles in that nori wrap and decorated with bits of gold leaf.

Norigami can be found at 2715 Bissonnet Street. It is open from 5 pm to 10 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 5 pm to 11 pm Fridays, 3 pm to 11 pm Saturdays and 3 pm to 9 pm Sundays.