Dinner at Robataya

I discovered this Japanese restaurant on the lower east side over the summer but never actually ate here. At the entrance of Robataya, there are Japanese chefs preparing food and a long table where diners can eat and watch the spectacle.

The other room of this restaurant is really pretty, nice, and relaxing (sorry, I am no expert when it comes to decor). The menu at Robataya is far from the norm when it comes to Japanese restaurants that I have been to in NYC, but the food is superb.

My parents and I shared a number of appetizers and a couple of rice dishes which our server recommended. This is definitely a place to check out, though it is on the pricey side.

Lightly fried asparagus and fish paste with rice cracker and toasted pine nuts. This was my favorite appetizer – so innovative and just delicious!

Mackerel-pressed sushi – the presentation of this dish was fantastic, and the sushi tasted even better.

Fluke sashimi – this was my least favorite because the fish was too salty.

Japanese yam wrapped in nori seaweed – the yam was slightly crunchy, and I love seaweed.

Mochi rice cake wrapped in seaweed – this looked very similar to the yams, but had a very different taste. The mochi had a gummy texture and were oh so yummy (look at me trying to rhyme. I’m such a natural poet). Until yesterday, I had only tried sweet mochi, but I really like these savory ones.

Kamemashi – a rice dish cooked in a small pot. Our server recommended this dish to us, so we ordered a Kamemashi with chicken and one with mushrooms (the one in the picture).

Here is how the Kamemashi were served to us.

Bowl of Kamemashi with chicken on one side and mushrooms on the other (I forget which side was which).