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| - My husband and I love it here. We used to frequent Tamari and were sad when it closed, but it was great to find out Roger Li had opened this place and it was somehow even better. It has always been an amazing experience. Just walking up to the place on the third floor is an experience--paper lanterns, large art coating the walls, the din of people enjoying themselves before you get to the top. It's a great atmosphere that feels exclusive. Dim, trendy, intimate. The kitchen is wide open and you can watch it all unfold from almost any seat except the bar and private room.
The karaage is a necessity--Japanese fried chicken with an amazing rich gravy dipping sauce. It's generally on the happy hour menu as well. The handrolls are also very good and arrive with little pipettes of soy sauce. My favorite item from our last trip was the chirashi, a sashimi rice bowl. The robatayaki--a street food staple with skewered food grilled over hot coals--is also fantastic and something you won't see often anywhere else. Our favorites are the whole squid (grilled and cut into strips that end up being just like larger calamari rings, so don't be too scared to order it!), chicken skin, and the shishito peppers when they have them. Shishitos are generally not very spicy, but it's possible to get a really hot one every so often.
It's easy to find yourself spending more than you were expecting to here, as the menu generally encourages you to order the items a la carte and it can be a bit pricey if you start to get excited by all the options. There are some dishes that can be ordered as a solo meal, such as a couple larger ramen bowls, but mainly you're ordering things piecemeal here. It's a great place to go once in awhile for a trendier happy hour or a fun night on the town. They also have one private room with two larger tables, which can be reserved for parties and is a nice experience. Keep in mind you'll want to check for reservations in general on the weekends--it is often packed!
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