Suzume Opening Tonight in Williamsburg

Michael Briones and Sam Barron are opening a humble restaurant on the corner of Devoe and Lorimer. Suzume, which means sparrow in Japanese, is bringing sushi and ramen to Williamsburg via 30 seats set in a cozy room rife with Eastern influence. Barron is a carpenter with two other Brooklyn projects to his name in Maggie Brown and The Emerson. Briones honed his ramen skills in the kitchen at Momofuku Noodle Bar and learned his way around fish filets during his time at Bond St. In addition to sushi and ramen, Briones' menu at Suzume is one of izakaya-inspired small plates and everything on it shares a focus on sourcing the freshest ingredients possible. The restaurant opens tonight at 6pm.

We were lucky enough to get invited to a soft opening earlier this week. Here's a look at what to expect from Suzume.

California roll with avocado puree and spicy mayo.

Fried potatoes with spicy mayo.

Suzume's wings are a noteworthy addition to those on offer in the city. They're brined and fried to order. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, they're dressed with a chili butter and served with ginger yogurt. Don't eat at Suzume without getting the wings.

Cold ramen with apple, brussel sprouts, pickled carrots, nori, and fried tofu. The sprouts were warm and they offered a playful contrast to the rest of the cold counterparts. Bright, fresh flavors.

Suzume is big on quality and sustainability and it shows in the freshness of the line-caught, Canadian salmon in this spicy miso ramen built on dashi.

This tonkotsu ramen is accompanied by fried tofu, sesame, green onion, and nori. The pork broth is incredibly rich and full of flavor, with a texture not unlike a fine gravy. In each of the ramen at Suzume, the locally sourced noodles are cooked perfectly and, with the exception of the cold noodle dish, served at the perfect temperature that makes for immediately enjoyable and fragrant ramen.

We didn't get a chance to see the menu, but expect competitive prices. A rep for Suzume laid out the restaurant's mission for us, "The mission of the joint is to serve food that is as well made as we can make it; to treat guests as well as we can and never over charge."

Suzume | 545 Lorimer Street | 718-486-0200 | www

Tuesday - Sunday, 6pm to Midnight