Yakitori Boy 10th Anniversary Party

Regular readers know I'm a fan of Yakitori Boy. Where else in Philly can you get your inner karaoke diva on, coupled with premium drinks, sushi, and yakitori skewers? This past Wednesday, Yakitori Boy celebrated their #EatDrinkSing mentality with a 10th Anniversary Party! 

Gregarious owner Jimmy Shen welcomed guests with traditional Lion Dancing, fire dancers, open karaoke rooms, live music, and dancers, Yakitori Boy's 2nd floor lounge was positively popping. A 10th Anniversary ice sculpture was surrounded by Effen Vodka, right by the open bar/

Reps from Suntory Whiskey, Avion Tequila, Johnnie Walker, and Jameson were on hand!

Beverage Manager Carlos Orellana organized various tasting rooms throughout the venue. Over the past few months, I've really taken to Japanese whiskies, with Suntory's offerings being an easy favorite. Harmony and Toki were being poured, as well as Hibiki 12 - smooth with great caramel notes. You've also got to have Johnnie if you're mustering up the courage for karaoke. And the boys from Avion Tequila and Jameson were also on hand to pour a nice Reposado and Caskmates, respectively.

Sushi, Dumplings, Marinated Ribeye, Sashimi, and Tuna Tartare were a few of the tastes available!

And this being Yakitori Boy, we had to indulge in tasty bites. Sushi and sashimi were beautifully presented, with plenty of passed dishes. Think pork dumplings, tuna tartare crisps, marinated ribeye, and takoyaki octopus balls, to name a few.

As usual, Jimmy & Carlos put out all the stops to celebrate a successful ten years in Philly. A stalwart contributor to the community and one of the city's top destinations for Happy Hour and karaoke, here's to another 10 years!

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to Philly PR Girl & Yakitori Boy for inviting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.

Umai Umai

Nestled in a cozy corner in Fairmount, Umai Umai is easily the most oft-recommended for those seeking out sushi in the neighborhood. The BYO hot spot offers a sleek, intimate setting and serves some of the most creative flavors I've had outside of omakase. Chef Alex McCoy is most known for thinking outside of the box and deftly wrangles technique and flavor to provide his patrons with a bevy of inventive sushi rolls. 

Rollin' with Chef Alex McCoy of Umai Umai

Established in 2006, Umai Umai still maintains its 38 seats. Chef draws upon his international experiences and techniques honed under the likes of Morimoto and other sushi masters to offer up food that seems to embody his affable and unique personality. 

Clockwise from Top Left: Tamarind Chili Brussels Sprouts | Beef Carpaccio | Oyster Shooters

I stopped by for a media tasting this past Sunday night and we started off with a few favorites. Oyster shooters are a great way to kick off your night - Kumamotos (personal favorite!) were immersed in a citrus broth, with quail egg and marinated roe to be dropped right in. Enjoy the clean, bright flavors that meld upon mastication. It wasn't hard to see why the crispy brussels sprouts are a mainstay hit. The bitter, nutty notes of the halved brussels were nicely balanced by the sweet chili-tamarind soy glaze and hits of red onion and purple cabbage. Crispy shallots helped to provide additional heft to each bite, along with texture. A must order in my mind is the beef carpaccio. Subtly sweet and garlicky oil lightly sears the thinly pounded beef, with a crispy contrast in textures offered up by the accompanying ingredients. Easily one of my favorite bites.

From there, it was an onslaught of Chef McCoy's designer rolls. The Traffic Light is a visual stunner. Crispy soft-shell crab, avocado and spicy mayo is studded with wasabi, yuzu, and red tobiko, bursting with sweet salinity upon each bite. The Pingu's another favorite - deftly fried cream cheese and chive surrounding spicy red crab salad and topped with potato crunch. Eternal Sunshine was on my mind for sure - escolar (one of my favorites ... in doses of course) was fried, then topped with salmon, an apricot miso and blueberry balsamic, avocado, and crushed pine nuts. Sweetness to balance out the fattiness of escolar and salmon - I can see where you're going with this.

The Krakken's a delicious monster with shrimp tempura, eel, avocado, and soft-shell crab. It's topped with a cherry reduction and worcestershire aioli, along with almond bits sprinkled on top. As inventive as Chef McCoy gets with his designer rolls, restraint is shown when you look towards the simpler rolls you might typically find at other establishments. Case in point, spicy tuna wasn't indiscernably diced and the spicy mayo didn't inundate. The King Kong featured tuna, salmon, and yellowtail in larger, clean cuts, with only cucumber and avocado offering up a counterpoint. 

I'm looking forward to returning with the GF for a quiet BYO night. The crispy brussels and the beef carpaccio are definitely must orders. I'm also going to set my sights on a chirashi bowl and nigiri. And obviously, a few of the designer rolls will be on the hit list as well! 

FTC Disclaimer: I was invited to this media event by Plugin Rewind & Umai Umai. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Daddy O LBI Rooftop Bar Review

This is for a series of posts including Tucker's Tavern, Daddy O Rooftop Bar, and
Plantation Restaurant.

If you're looking for a boutique hotel experience coupled with a relaxed beach vibe, Daddy O LBI has got you covered. Sleek, well-designed, and with only 22 rooms, they clearly subscribe to the quality over quantity mentality. It's certainly not your typical sleepy overnight Long Beach Island spot. It houses a restaurant, outdoor dining, and a rooftop bar. All located just five doors down from Brant Beach! And for our first night on LBI, the GF and I stopped by to check out the rooftop bar. 

There was a great crowd when we arrived around 9PM, ranging from well-heeled patrons lounging on beach chairs to a bachelorette party enjoying a few shots by the bar. At most places, it's often a fine line between classy and pretentious or active and rowdy. But on the Friday night we stopped by, with the music pumping and friendly bartenders pouring drinks, everyone was clearly enjoying themselves at Daddy O's Rooftop Bar!

Coral Margarita [$16] - Barrel-aged Patron Reposado, Licor 43, Patron Citronage, lemon, lime, simple syrup, Coral Hawaiian sea salt

Dark & Stormy [$12] - Gosling's Black Seal dark rum, Q Tonic spiced ginger beer, lime wedge

Coral Marg on the Left, Dark & Stormy on the Right

The GF enjoyed the Coral marg, with the depth of the barrel-aged reposado balanced nicely by the brightness from the Licor 43, Citronage, and fresh citrus. I went Dark & Stormy - an easy quaffer with the spiciness of the ginger beer tempered by the sweetness from the dark rum.

O Sushi Pizza [$18]

Sticky rice crust, tuna, avocado, jalapeno, spicy aioli, scallions, tobiko, tempura crunch

Noticing quite a few specialty sushi rolls on the menu, we started off with the sushi pizza. What exactly is sushi pizza? Think open-faced spicy tuna roll.

You've got crusty, sticky rice and nori as the base. This is then topped with a nice melange of spicy tuna and aioli, salty sweet tobiko, and creamy avocado, with some bite from the scallions and texture from the tempura. Light, fresh, and easy to enjoy as a late night snack.

Buffalo Wingless [$13]

Spicy Thai chili sauce, candied celery, Maytag blue, scallion

The GF's a sucker for boneless wings so we had to try these. With a tempered hit of spice, the sticky, sweet Thai sauce glazed the crispy chicken wings. The candied celery was a home run and was balanced by the funk of the Maytag Blue. Easy to see these being a bar favorite.

Blistered Shishito Peppers [$11]

White soy, Cape May sea salt

Shishitos aren't the most photogenic, but they're always satisfying. With a bit of salt and white soy, the smokiness of the shishito peppers make for an addictive summer snack. And they say about one in twenty are spicy so that's always a fun game to play, especially with a few good drinks in hand.

So if you've ever wondered what LBI has to offer at night, Daddy O has your answer. Head to their rooftop bar and enjoy the sea breeze with some rum or a few margs. It'll be the perfect nightcap to a long day at the beach.

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to the Fearless Restaurants team and Daddy O for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.

Daddy O Rooftop Bar

4401 Long Beach Blvd.

Brant Beach, NJ 08008

(609) 494-1300

www.daddyohotellbi.com

The Deck Philly Review

A few weeks back, I stopped by the Moshulu to preview the opening of The Deck. I was blown away by the recent renovations. The topside of Penn's Landing's venerable ship was beautifully done, with plenty of comfortable seating to enjoy Philly's sunsets while sipping some summer cocktails. And what better venue to enjoy brunch, perhaps after working in some on-the-deck Sunday yoga? This past Thursday, the GF and I popped in to try some of The Deck's dishes and indulge in their shakes!

Tuna Tartare [$18]

Citrus lime marinade 

We started off with the tuna tartare, which was spot on. I appreciated that the tuna wasn't so finely diced so that I could appreciate the quality of the fish. The marinade didn't overpower, but imparted a nice citrus-soy bite, all atop a California king-size bed of creamy avocado. Crispy onion strings, radish, and jalapeno added some texture, along with the accompanying buttered crostini.

Spanish Octopus [$17]

Preserved lemon

The octo's a must-order in my mind. Lightly charred on the outside, it cut like butter and was incredibly tender. Clearly a lot of time went into the prep of the cephalopod, not to mention the dish itself. Plated with root vegetables for some heft as well as preserved lemons for some acidity, I especially enjoyed the bite of the black garlic paste, which was tempered by the aioli. Do get this!   

New England Lobster Roll [$27]

Butter poached lobster, cole slaw, Old Bay potato chips 

Summer in the city means it's the perfect time for a lobster roll. And The Deck's got you covered with plenty of sweet lobster piled high atop a pillowy, buttered roll. The Old Pay potato chips were homemade and transported us right to Maine. The surprising standout? The cole slaw! I know I'll be adding dill to all my slaw moving forward. It was so good that the GF had to slap my fork away from her plate.

Prime Burger [$24]

10 oz. patty, bacon onion jam, cheddar, mustard aioli, sesame brioche, fries 

For my main, I went with their burger, which boasted 10 oz. of Prime beef, though I have a feeling mine was a full pound. Along with a beautifully salty crust revealing juicy beef within, the wall of cheese cascading over the patty was unreal. Housemade bacon-onion jam sealed the deal by bringing each bite over the top. Make sure to ask for an extra napkin! The crisp fries were well-seasoned and the mustard aioli was addictive. In fact, if you get a standalone order of fries as a Happy Hour snack, I'd ask for that aioli!  

The Deck Shakes [$16 each]

Chocolate Tasty Shake

Chocolate Ganache, Philly Candies, Soft Pretzel, Whipped Cream, Peanut Butter Tasty Cakes 

Wild Thang Strawberry Shake

Vanilla Buttercream, Pastel Candies, B'day Cake, Whipped Cream, Pink Caramel Angel Hair

Of course if there's anything you've got to try at least once, it's The Deck Shakes. When these bad boys came out, I noticed that all the patrons gaped and turned their heads in awe as it came to our table. The Chocolate Tasty Cake hit all the right notes between salty and sweet, featuring a cornucopia of Philly soft pretzels, Tasty Cakes, peanut butter cups, chocolate candies, and plenty of whipped cream. Beneath it all was a cool and creamy chocolaty shake that's perfect for a summer sugar high. The Wild Thang features an entire slice of birthday cake, pink caramel angel hair strands, vanilla KitKats, and a delicious strawberry shake, along with a rainbow of chocolate candies studding the body of the glass.

Beyond their ridiculous shakes, The Deck offers "Deck Jugs," which features their top cocktails mixed and served in a Jug dispenser for parties of two or more! Perfect for an after-work meetup with coworkers and friends. So be sure to stop on by - where else can you enjoy your Philly summer on a ship, by the water, and with great food and drinks! 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to the Fearless Restaurants and The Deck Philly for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Royal Sushi & Izakaya: Omakase Review

You may have heard all the fanfare surrounding Royal Sushi & Izakaya. It may be the three bells from Craig La Ban. Or perhaps it's all the talk about the heavenly late-night chirashi bowls served when city's chefs tend to get off work. Regardless, when the GF was out of town at a conference, I knew I had to pop on by Queen Village to finally check it out. I'm so glad I did because the praise is well-deserved.

Look for the red lantern and head through the door. You'll be treated to a dark izakaya where you'll find regulars and first-timers alike exchanging knowing looks - 'we've arrived and plan on staying for awhile.' I was there for one of two nightly omakase seatings so was led straight to the back room. The curtain was pulled back and I stepped into the quiet of Royal Sushi, where Chef Jesse Ito awaited. 

Chef Ito is the son of Masaharu Ito, the venerable sushi chef at Fuji in Haddonfield, NJ. He and his son recently sold Fuji and became partners here with Stephen Simons & David Frank (of Khyber Pass Pub, Cantina Los Caballitos, Royal Tavern, and Triangle Tavern). And as I watched Chef Ito in action, I couldn't help but understand and feel that the torch has been passed from father to son. But I digress ... let's get on with the food! 

Kiku Masamune Taru [$14 | $20 | $62]

As I was dining solo, I opted for just a carafe of the Masamune. A dry sake with a wonderful "cedar aged" aroma, I enjoyed the subtly sweet smoothness that had a crisp, clean finish. I also appreciated that it didn't distract from the omakase. 

I can count on one hand the number of sushi restaurants in Philly that are well-known for omakase, so I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know what it was. Essentially a sushi chef's tasting menu, it may feature some creative dishes with a subsequent gauntlet of sushi. Often, it ends with the tamago, or sweet egg omelet or perhaps some seasonal fruit. At Royal Sushi, Chef Ito focuses on just the sushi, and to great effect. You can opt for a mini omakase at $65, but trust me, go with the regular omakase. In fact, when I dined on this particular night, the folks that opted for the mini omakase ultimately ended up regretting their misstep. 

Omakase [$125 pp]

Chef's choice of 18 pieces

Clockwise from Top Right: Nibe - Red Drum | Itoyori - Golden Threaded Bream | Ishidai - Striped Beak Bream |
Madai - Sea Bream | Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper | Kinki - Scorpion Fish 

Chef Ito started off with a progression of bream and snapper sourced almost exclusively Japan. First off, the sushi rice is perfect. Individual grains are discernible, with just enough warmth and vinegar to complement the fish. Clean, sweet, with a wonderful texture, madai is an especially easy first step for the uninitiated to enjoy omakase. Without getting all Fifty Shades on you, Kinki had to be my favorite - possibly of the night. Extremely tender and fatty, I appreciated the light torch. This rendered a texture and taste I would liken to filet and ribeye, respectively. Almost ineffable, my recommendation is to order it if it's available and not part of your omakase.

Clockwise from Top Right: Buri Toro - Yellowtail Belly | Shima Aji - Striped Jack | Aji - Horse Mackerel |
Sayori - Needle Fish | Kohada - Gizzard Shad | Saba - Japanese Mackerel

From the lighter fare, Chef Ito moved on to a flavorful progression of amberjack as well as shinier and thus, oilier fish. As expected, the yellowtail belly was luscious, fatty, and delicious, with a wonderful mouthfeel. Sayori was dense, firm, yet clean and I loved the fry on the spine and tail - crisp and briny. Kohada's always a favorite - lightly cured in salt, with great chew. Saba was a standout with its mackerel essence shining through, but complemented by pairing of sesame oil and the bite of the green onion to cut through the richness. 

Clockwise from Top Right: | Aburi Sake - Torched Ora King Salmon | Akami - Bluefin Tuna | Chutoro - Medium Fatty Belly  Otoro - Super Fatty Belly | Mirugai - Geoduck | Uni - Sea Urchin 

I often equate omakase to a symphony, with a crescendo leading to luxury. For those with my porcine predilection, you won't be disappointed by the torched king salmon, which renders the fat positively dripping off the nigiri. The trio of tuna always starts with akami, which is what one usually equates with most tuna rolls or nigiri you'd find at standard sushi joints. But of course here, you've got the quality of bluefin. From there, you'll experience my favorite, the chutoro or medium fatty belly, which is luscious, but still has some texture. Otoro is gilding the lily, with the Chef defty scoring and lightly torching to render some of the richness. Mirugai is phallically fabulous (look it up!), with great crunchy texture and lightness after all of the richness. And uni provides that satisfyingly sweet and creamy cleanse before the next masterpiece. 

Live Scallop with Truffle & Gold

For my final bite and just cut from the shell, the scallop was tender and sweet, with the black truffle providing a rich earthiness. Definitely one of the best bites of the night for obvious reasons and clearly reason #1 you should be going for the full-on omakase. 

Hotate + Uni - Scallop + Sea Urchin [$12]

At this point, you could sense the Chef relax and he casually asked if I was still hungry and wanted any additional bites. I couldn't help but want some more of that sweet scallop, but this time paired with the sweet, briny essence of the uni. 

Beyond Chef Ito himself, who was engaging and clearly aware of your tastes and inquisitive about any dislikes, service was exceptional. My server Chrissie was always available, but never hovering. I definitely need to stop by the Izakaya for some late night eats as well as the chirashi bowl, which I assume features the "leftover" cuts of the fine fish served at Royal Sushi. Better yet, I need to bring back the GF to Royal Sushi so I have another excuse to experience Chef Ito's omakase once more.

Royal Sushi & Izakaya
780 S. 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(267) 909-9002
www.royalsushiandizakaya.com

Tsuki Sushi Review

It was weekday night and the GF and I weren't in the mood to cook. So we hopped on our local delivery app and decided to order up some sushi. We had not tried Tsuki yet, so figured we'd give them a try. Delivery was 15 minutes earlier than the estimated 45 minutes so that was a +1 from the start! 

Sushi Regular [$15.95]
Salad, sushi or 7 pieces of nigiri, California roll 

We decided to get a regular sushi combo, which came with salad, sushi or nigiri, and a California roll. 

Salad

The salad was fairly standard, but fresh, with crisp cucumbers, Romaine, and shredded carrots. The prototypical ginger dressing was on hand as well. 

Tuna Nigiri
 

We asked for tuna and salmon nigiri and Tsuki obliged. The rice was perfect - lightly vinegared and slightly warm despite delivery, with fresh fish on top. Nothing wrong here! 

Salmon Nigiri
 

The salmon was creamy and fatty - really hit the spot! 

California Roll
 

I typically eschew these, but the GF loves the clean flavors of the California roll. Creamy from the abundant avocado and lightly crisp from the cucumber and imitation crab, these were better than most! 

3 Roll Special [$11.95]
 

I love a sushi place that offers 3 roll specials. And at less than $4 a roll, Tsuki has got you covered at a bargain to boot! 

Yellowtail Scallion

The standard yellowtail scallion roll was decent, with plenty of meaty yellowtail, though the scallion did not come through at all. 

Spicy Tuna Roll
 

The spicy tuna roll was only slightly spicy, but there was plenty of minced tuna within. 

Sweet Potato Roll
 

We always need to order a sweet potato roll to satiate our sweet tooth (teeth?). Sadly, these weren't our favorite iteration. The sweet potato was still starchy and the texture was disappointing, without any crunch. 

Volcano Roll [$8.95]
Tempura rice, spicy tuna, special sauce

I felt the need to be extra gluttonous so ordered a specialty roll. The volcano roll was a bit soggy for having tempura rice, but when you have a roll drenched in special sauce for delivery, it's almost to be expected. If you're looking for Americanized sushi flavors, this will hit the spot. 

Overall, I'd order from Tsuki again - sticking with nigiri and standard rolls. For obvious reasons though, Tsuki cemented my theory that you can't expect good sushi unless you're dining in.

Crazy Sushi Review

If you're looking for affordable, yet quality sushi, one of my favorite spots to recommend would have to be Crazy Sushi in the Rittenhouse area. An added bonus? It's BYO! 

It's a slim, sleek space with comfortable seating and a sushi bar at the end. 

Apologies in advance for the grainy cell phone pics - didn't have my personal phone charge for this impromptu dinner! 

Salad
 

Salad was fairly standard with fresh Romaine. The ginger dressing was clearly freshly made. 

Vampire Bowl [$9]
Spicy tuna tartare, avocado bowl
  

A must order in my mind is the Vampire Bowl, their unique take on tuna tartare. I loved the contrast in textures with the crunch from the tempura and the creaminess of the avocado bowl. The sweet wasabi mayo was balanced by the light heat from the spicy tuna. 

Vegetable Tempura [$5]

The GF's a sucker for veggie tempura and this didn't disappoint. A thin layer of tempura coated mushrooms, sweet potato, and carrots. It came accompanied with a light tempura dipping sauce. 

Beef Negimaki [$6]
Scallion, thin-sliced beef, teriyaki
  

On this trip, the negimaki was a bit disappointing. The beef could have been more thinly sliced and better seasoned, though I appreciated the bite of the scallion amidst the teriyaki glaze. 

Triple Sushi [$25]
Tuna, salmon, yellowtail, tuna roll

The triple sushi featured some of our favorite nigiri rolls, including salmon, tuna, and yellowtail. All very clean-tasting and fresh, the platter also came with a tuna roll. I appreciated that the tuna was whole and not minced within the sushi. 

Uni Sushi [$8]
 

I was also in the mood for uni so asked for an order of uni sushi. Then again, when am I *not* in the mood for uni? Sourced from California, these were creamy, light, and buttery. 

Bloomingdale Roll [$13]
Spicy tuna, spicy salmon, spicy kani, spicy yellowtail, spicy shrimp, avocado, longan
  

I was also intrigued by their Bloomingdale specialty roll. The pink seaweed seemed a bit more delicate in texture and taste, supporting the sweetness of the lychee. This contrasted with the subtly spicy mixture of tuna, salmon, crab yellowtail, and shrimp (whoa!). Due to the laundry list of items, the flavors were a bit muddled, but definitely veers toward the sweeter side of a sushi roll. Interesting! 

Sweet Potato Roll [$5]

Of course, we also had to try our standard sweet potato roll. Crazy Sushi has one of the best iterations, with a wonderful juxtaposition of creaminess from the sweet potato and a light crunch on the exterior. The black sesame seeds studding the surrounding rice made for a perfect bite. 

So if you're not looking to go omakase and want a relaxed sushi meal, I'd recommend checking out Crazy Sushi. Whether you're looking for Americanized rolls or nigiri done right, they've got you covered. 

CoZara Sushi Review

Chef Hiroyuki "Zama" Tanaka is reputed for his stellar sushi at eponymous Zama Sushi. In the spring of 2014, he opened CoZara in University City, seeking to expand beyond sushi with a tapas and izayaka experience. There's plenty of space, including a vibrant bar area on the first floor, intimate dining upstairs, and an outdoor lounge area. Last year, they renovated to include a new sushi bar as well! 

CoZara's kitchen is currently headed up by Cambodian Chef de Cuisine Phila Lorn. And yes, the Philly pride is so strong with this one, he was named for the city! That's not all that's strong though. Under his leadership, Team CoZara won Open Stove XXXI against Team Morimoto! Extremely engaging and clearly a Chef's chef, Lorn was kind enough to bring forth an omakase experience for the GF and I to enjoy. 

Cucumber Lemonade [$12]
Cucumber vodka, muddled cucumber, lemonade

To beat the current heat wave, the GF was in the mood for something light and refreshing. This cocktail hit the spot, with a nice tartness from the citrus that was balanced by the muddled cucumbers.

Green Tea Manhattan [$12]
Rye whiskey, dry vermouth, green tea simple syrup

I was in love with CoZara's smooth take on a Manhattan, with the green tea simple syrup providing a subtly sweet and earthy backbone to each sip. 

Shishito Peppers [$4.50]
Garlic ponzu, lemon

I love shishitos and this was a simple preparation that worked well. The subtly smoky heat of the peppers was balanced by the garlic citrus ponzu and hits of salt. 

Grilled Avocado [$12]
Ponzu, wasabi, spicy crunchy salmon

What an awesome take on tartare. I appreciated that the salmon wasn't minced, but substantively chopped, as all tartare should be! Dressed in a balanced ponzu and wasabi mayo with green onion, a wonderfully grilled avocado served as the vessel. 

Salmon Skin Nachos [$9]
Pico de gallo, jalapeno, spicy mayo, truffle eel sauce, ikura

For Cinco de Mayo, CoZara decided to create a special worthy of the holiday. And for obvious reasons, the dish became so popular it went on the menu. Crisp and salty salmon skin chips were topped with poppin' ikura, pickled japalenos, and a fresh pico de gallo. I appreciated that the truffle eel and spicy mayo sauces only lightly dressed the dish because really, it was all about the salmon skin. Basically the pork rinds of the sea! 

Smashed Fingers [$5]
Okonomiyaki style, Kewpie mayo, furikake, katsuobushi 

The smashed fingerlings were served like the traditional Japanese savory pancake, topped with furikake seasoning and katusobushi, upgraded bonito. The potatoes themselves were poached and boiled in butter - crisp and luxurious. 

U Penn Roll [$12]
Spicy crunchy tuna jalapeno maki, tempura Chilean sea bass, sweet spicy gochujang sauce 

The GF was in love the Penn roll. The tuna jalapeno maki was topped with tempura Chilean sea bass covered in a Korean gochujang sauce. I appreciated that while this was more of an Americanized specialty roll, it wasn't drenched in spicy mayo. Each of the individual flavors were easily identifiable and worked well together in terms of taste and texture. 

Bronzzizle Roll [$12]
Bronzino, avocado, cucumber, crispy shallots, hot oil, japanese herbs 

The Bronzzizle roll featured snappy bronzino, lightly seared by hot oil on top, with creamy avocado, and crisp cucumber within the lightly vinegared rice. I loved the garlicky essence of the shallots, which added texture from the fry. The Japanese herbs on top added an herbaceous lightness to each bite. 

Whole Ika [$9]
Grilled squid, soy, lemon, togarashi 

The whole squid was tender, but with a nice chew and savoriness that lent itself to the soy and lemon. The added dash of togarashi added a nice spicy hit to the tongue. 

Salt-Braised Pork Belly [$9]
Warm ponzu, ginger, scallion

Chef knew I was all about the pork belly so he brought out his mom's recipe. The salt-brined pork made me nostalgic because it's exactly how my own family does pork belly. With a simple warm ponzu and a ginger-scallion dressing, this was obviously a favorite for me! 

Mushroom Wonton [$7]
Truffle soy creme 

Mushroom wontons emanated umami and an earthy savoriness, with a crisp exterior and maitake, shiitake, and cremini within. The quintet of wontons came atop a heady truffle soy cream sauce. 

Sushi & Sashimi [$36]
Maki, 9 pc sashimi, 7 pc sushi 

Our omakase ended traditionally with a gamut of sushi and sashimi, including fatty salmon, meaty yellowtail, tuna, and katsuo. Along with the yellowtail scallion maki, this was the perfect end to our meal. 

So if you're looking for a neighborhood haunt for drinks and small izakaya bites, CoZara's got you covered for intimate nights out and Happy Hour. If you're looking for a proper sushi joint, CoZara's a great way to check out specialty rolls and traditional sushi or nigiri.

FTC Disclaimer: Many thanks to Chef and Corie from Gloss PR for arranging this omakase tasting. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased.