Yumika Parsley Opened a Harlem Restaurant for ‘Survival’

It draws a loyal crowd for Japanese homestyle cooking

All photos: Johnny Fogg

For Harlemites in need of respite after 30-minute train delays and bumping shoulders with the masses during their commute, Chopped Parsley, an intimate Japanese restaurant that seats just 17, is a sanctuary.

Chopped Parsley offers hearty dishes like chicken udon soup with dashi made from scratch, wakame seaweed, and scallions, a recipe the restaurant’s owner, Yumika Parsley, learned from her mother.

On any given night, you might hear Lupe Fiasco, Lauryn Hill, Billie Holiday, and Sade playing in the background. Yumika’s zeal for music is obvious: She customizes the playlist based on the vibe she’s getting from patrons. The restaurant’s inviting mint green and dark blue walls are decorated with framed Spike Lee movie posters and album covers. Diners watch from wooden tables and a corner window couch as Yumika prepares meals behind a counter.

Yumika opened Chopped Parsley after years of waiting tables at restaurants all over New York City. In the ’80s, before her career in hospitality, Yumika was making music with a…