I never would have expected my favorite new restaurant to be inside a grocery store, but here we are. The supermarket chain Wegman's has been a mainstay on the East Coast for decades, but it wasn't until earlier this month that its Manhattan outpost welcomed a full-blown restaurant. Following the success of its Rochester restaurant upstate, the grocery store chain decided to test the waters in the most discerning culinary city in the world.

When I first learned that Wegman's opened a restaurant, aptly named Next Door at Wegman's, since, you know, it sits right next door to the grocery store in Astor Place, I didn't think much about it. However, after a quick glance at the menu, I found myself intrigued. Boasting sophisticated offerings like golden osetra caviar and A5 striploin wagyu from Japan, the restaurant aims to give diners a fresh take on contemporary Japanese cuisine.

Of course, it's still a grocery store restaurant so I expected it to be decent but nothing special—maybe a place to stop in quickly if I don't want to shop for food on an empty stomach. But once I stepped inside the high-ceiling, gold-accented room next to the store's seafood department, I completely forgot I was inside a grocery store at all. In fact, the design and decor alone made me feel like I was walking into a Michelin-starred dining room.

The menu comprises sushi offerings and Japanese robata-grilled specialties, with an emphasis on shareable dishes. It also features a curated wine selection and specialty cocktails that highlight fresh produce and ingredients from the store, like shiso, plum, and wasabi. While everything I sampled (and trust me, I tried a lot) got two thumbs up, there were a few dishes that really stood out.

Here's what you absolutely must try on your inevitable visit.

This innovative app had me coming back for seconds. The restaurant really knows how to think outside the box, both in terms of presentation and flavor. I've never seen an iteration of tartare quite like this before—served on a bed of ice and topped with truffle dashi and osetra caviar. Diners are instructed to spoon some of it into a miso bun along with a shiso leaf for a flavorful burst of buttery, umami flavor, and it totally delivered.

One of the three specialty nigiri offerings at Next Door, this seared beef with truffle mushroom butter nigiri is otherworldly. If you pay close attention to the masters at work behind the sushi counter, you'll likely spot them with a blowtorch in hand to create that perfect sear.

Thank heaven for my table's server, who recommended we order this unassuming side dish—it was a sleeper hit. Prepared tableside, this creative concoction is made up of two completely different preparations of the Japanese sweet potato—mashed with black garlic-ponzu butter and lime, to be spooned over a crunchy sweet potato chip. The meshing of textures here is the stuff of dreams. Could I envision myself housing these on a cozy couch on a rainy night in? You bet.

Out of all the crustaceans in the world, crab is admittedly not at the top of my favorites list. However, one bite of this cleverly plated crab leg doused in Japanese citrus butter, and I was rethinking everything I thought I knew. The marriage of briny sea flavor with citrus provided a bright, bold bite, and there was a hint of crunch on top to keep the restaurant's play on texture coming through.

Ultimately, it shouldn't come as a shock that Next Door's seafood dishes were so mouthwatering. All of the restaurant's maki, nigiri, and sashimi are sourced by Wegman's directly from Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market. Add to that the all gluten-free dessert options (the Chocolate Sensation is chef's kiss) and the global wine selection (the 2020 Beaune Les Marconnett paired beautifully with all our mains) and you've got one hit of a restaurant on your hands.

Best of all, if you really like what they're putting down, you can walk straight out into the grocery store, pick up some ingredients, and try to recreate the magic at home.