Tokyo Meets Flatiron

To celebrate the conclusion of my dreaded calculus class, I met my best friend H for dinner at a local Japanese restaurant, "Ootoya."

My uncle in Tokyo actually told me about this restauraunt. I believe that "Ootoya" originated in Tokyo and somehow my uncle got wind that they opened a branch in Manhattan. He is a fan of the one in Tokyo so he urged me to try the Manhattan one. Man am I glad that he told me about this place. It was totally delicious!

This very trendy restaurant is really elegant and simple. The ambiance is casual and inviting. It also mixes classic Japanese materials and textures like shoji, but presents them in a modern way. Very very nice, in my opinion. Also, very nice flow.

For a starter, H and I shared "Maguro Kimchee." Kind of interesting, no? I thought so. Essentially, it's bits of blue fin tuna chopped up and mixed with kim chee, okra, and natto (fermented soy bean). You are suppose to eat it with the lettuce. I thought the dish had potential, but failed to deliver. It was a bit bland to me. Either more heat or a bit more salt methinks. 

Even though the starter was a bit underwhelming, my dinner was great! I ordered the "hanabi don." Essentially love sashimi, served on a bed of rice with avocado, tororo (grated yam), picked, okra, and a softly cooked egg. It was accompanied with miso soup, pickles, and chawanmushi (egg custard.) This was fantastic! I loved the textures of the donburi. I know slimy is not a texture that Westerners would consider appetizing, but in Japan, this is common. The runny egg on top really made the dish. Dipping the sashimi in the soy sauce and then the egg....mouth watering delight! Yum Yum Yum!!!!! I was sad when I finished eating.

I cannot wait to go back to Ootoya. The prices are very reasonable and frankly, the menu is so extensive, even choosing this dinner was a challenge. I could list probably another 8 or so dishes that I want to try. Looking forward to my next visit!