Recently, my very best friend from hometown Honolulu had the sort of cozy meal that I miss most since swapping coasts...luckily, she thought of me and sent piccies. (Thank you!!)
(L,R): Oyako Don (Marinated
Chicken with Egg and Onion over Rice),
Teishoku with Grilled Shioyaki Salmon, Teriyaki Beef, and Tonkatsu,
from Toraya, Honolulu, HI.
Sigh... **sniffle**
But no worries, Alli! Chances of finding decent poke, malasadas, and squid luau are slim to none, but finding homey Japanese food in NYC hasn't been difficult. I have to give it to the Japanese and the Koreans--in big cities, the relative quality control of their respective cuisines is an astounding conspiracy in which we eaters are winners.
(GET ON BOARD, CHINESE FOOD!!!)
Some of these are cheap eats, and others reeeally not-so-much, but all of them help me feel a little less homesick.
(Top row, L to R): Crab Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard),
Duck and Eggplant Soba,
from SobaKoh, East Village, NYC.
Chicken Karaage (Fried Chicken),
Sake, Ikura and Uni Chirashi
(Salmon, Salmon Roe and Sea Urchin Sashimi over Rice),
last lonely Pork Yakitori,
from Village Yokocho, East Village, NYC.
(Middle row, L to R): Mixed Veggie Kushiage (deep fried skewers)
from Village Yokocho, East Village, NYC.
Buta Kakuni (Stewed Pork Belly) and
Agedashidofu with Mushrooms (Deep Fried Tofu),
from Sakagura, Midtown East, NYC.
(Bottom row, L to R): Maitake Mushroom Soup with Mochi Rice,
yet more Chicken Karaage,
and Yakionigiri with Miso (Grilled Rice Balls),
from Sakagura, Midtown East, NYC.
If you're hungry in Hawaii:
Toraya Restaurant
1518 Makaloa St
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 943-0131
It's 1 AM in the East Village, and you've got $15 to your name:
Village Yokocho
8 Stuyvesant St
New York, NY 10003
East Village
Phone: (212) 598-3041
Favorites: Gyu-Don (beef bowl with a raw egg), any yakitori combination, yakionigiri, kimchee fried rice, ochazuke (rice with dashi and tea).
It's 1 AM in the East Village, you've got $15 to your name, and there's hipsters 3-deep waiting to be seated at Village Yokocho:
Menkui Tei
63 Cooper Sq., (nr. St. Mark's Pl.)
New York, NY 10003
East Village
Phone: 212-228-4152
(Cash only!)
Favorites: Shoyu ramen, with a side of mini curry rice. (Always give the handwritten specials menu a once-over, it's chock-full of worthwhile sleepers.)
It's dinnertime in the East Village, you want to see fresh soba noodles cut before your eyes, and you've got $25 to your name:
SobaKoh
309 E. 5th St., nr. Second Ave.
New York, NY 10003
East Village
212-254-2244
Favorites: Cold soba with uni and ikura (sea urchin and salmon eggs), hot soba with duck and eggplant, crab chawanmushi.
If you don't get paid 'till Friday and you're stuck in Midtown with a strong craving for endless varieties of sake:
Donburiya
137 E. 47th St.,(nr. Lexington Ave.)
New York, NY 10017
Midtown East
212-980-7909
Favorites: Yakiniku-Don (SO good, marinated beef with garlic shoots over rice), agedashidofu.
If you just got a raise and you're stuck in Midtown with a strong craving for endless varieties of sake:
Sakagura
211 East 43rd St, Basement
(Between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)
New York, NY 10017
Midtown East
212.953.SAKE (7253)
Favorites: Beef cooked on a hot stone, buta kakuni, trio of eggplant with miso, and ANYTHING off of the daily specials menu.
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