stefanopm

Tiny izakaya, very Japanese, extensive menu. Had too many things to list but everything very good. When I went there last it was empty, which is unusual, most of the time I have to wait or squeeze in. It was 9:30, so maybe that’s after the normal dinner crowd but before the late night crowd.

Have been here quite a few times for dessert, but this time wanted to try the food. Went in the evening, apparently they have a more extensive lunch menu. We ordered a cheese plate, was good, mainly because of some tasty gorgonzola dolce, but also had a creamy goat cheese and aged gouda that were good. We also had tofu made at our table, was really good, could really taste the soybeans. And we drank, as we tend to do. Akane started with a nigori sake flight, and I tried a shochu flight. The shochu flight had one sweet potato shochu, one wasabi, and one white sesame. The wasabi was quite strange, not bad, but really vegetal. The other two had a lot of the flavor of what it was distilled from. An interesting experience but not likely to repeat it. Grain, rice, and sweet potato are the standard foods that shochu is distilled from. We had three nigori sakes, the ohyama which i’ve had before, yaegaki nigori “samurai”, and hitori musume “only daughter” nigori. The samurai was very thick, fruity (strong pineapple) and sweet, the other two were smooth. We then had two more flight, a chef’s choice flight which wasn’t on the menu and a Masumi brewery flight. The Masumi’s were the aribashiri 2007 (nama), yamahai ginjo (winter yamahai), and okuden junmai (mirror of truth). I believe I’ve had the latter before, nice round flavor. The other two had sharper flavors, but also quite good, all fairly dry. We’re not sure what the sakes on the chef’s choice flight were, will try to find out and update as the were really good.

Completely authentic delicious place for yakitori and other Japanese foods. Particularly love the tako wasa, tsukune yakitori, shishito peppers with tsukune, the natto in yuba yakitori, and the chicken meat balls with rice. Great salads, good selection of sakes.

Great inventive sushi, amazingly fresh raw fish, but with non-standard sauces. The omakase is a must, a bit pricy but definitely worth it. Amazing uni, they have a sushi of it without nori which is wonderful.

By far the best izakaya in NYC, a little more expensive but really exceptional, have not been disappointed with any dish (although can’t say I care for firefly squid). Amazing deserts, kuru zenzai and black sesame creme brulee are favorites. Akane loves the mackerel onigiri. Good raw fish as well as cooked meats, vegetables. Great sake selections, we’ve done sake tastings there that are truly amazing.

Best Malaysian place I’ve tried. Very authentic, the cheng-lai stingray is amazing (meat like the best white fish). The kueh teow noodles were also amazing. Also had a striped bass in ginger sauce that was very yummy. The stir-friend kankung was completely authentic.