YŪGIN: A Minimalist Omakase 37 Floors Above Central Park

YŪGIN, a new omakase restaurant designed by Juan Santa Cruz, opened in September 2025 on the 37th floor of the General Motors Building in New York. The space, part of the Coco's at Colette private members' club, features a 200-year-old hinoki cypress counter flown from Japan, with design elements including washi, black lacquer, and ivory ultrasuede. Chef Eugeniu Zubco, a Masa veteran, serves a 12-seat counter with hand-drawn menus and ceramics he makes in a Brooklyn studio. The restaurant's name references the Noh concept of yūgen and Zubco's nickname. The design contrasts with Santa Cruz's usual maximalism, emphasizing intimacy and restraint. The GM Building, designed by Edward Durell Stone, houses the space in a joint venture with Boston Properties and the Safra family. Membership at Colette costs $125,000, capped at 300 members.