Catch 22

Kobashi (at Sushi Aozora, Union Square)

RESTAURANTS • Kodawari

Welcome back to Kodawari, in which we profile sushi counters practicing that very art — the uncompromising, relentless pursuit of perfection.

The Skinny: Chef Gang Lin has spent the last five years as the right hand to Tadashi Yoshida at Yoshino, one of FOUND’s top-two sushi counters in the city. Now, he’s stepping out on his own with Kobashi, an eight-seat sushi counter, debuting next month on 7th Ave. in Chelsea, incorporating elements from his Chinese heritage. Before opening day, he’s previewing the restaurant with a pop-up at the six-seat cocktail bar inside Sushi Aozora in Union Square (the former 15 East space). The menu — both at the pop-up and eventually at Kobashi — is strikingly (relatively) affordable: