Virtual dining fires up real appetites

On a brilliant, sunny day, I float through a beautiful Japanese garden, a bright vermillion torii gate to my left and workers to my right. As I enter the sake house in this virtual world, I move my glowing white hands, pick up a piece of sushi, and place it into my mouth.

For a split second, it feel like I am in an Edo-period ryokan, or traditional inn -- except I am in New York, sitting at the white oak countertop at Icca, wearing a chunky headset.