Sakagura

Occasion: Post-theatre (Glass Menagerie) bite with Michael
Location: Sakagura on 42nd between 2nd and 3rd (sakagura.com)
Edibles: gyu miso nikomi shredded beef back rib stewed in miso with grated daikon; tsukune chicken meatballs; surumeika yaki grilled squid; a seared scallop special

Musings: After wandering aimlessly around midtown for 20 minutes after the show, my brain finally clicked on Sakagura. In the culinary wasteland of midtown, Sakagura is a welcome oasis and it's one of the very best options in the area for late-night. Food is served until midnight on weekdays, until 1am Fridays and Saturdays.

I'm always tickled by their location. You go into a regular-looking office building, down some fire stairs, and enter into a little pocket of Tokyo. The main room has a warm, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. There's a nice long bar and lots of tables and little booths. They also have very cute bathrooms, built into giant barrels.

It was really more of a snack than a proper dinner, but it was exactly what I wanted at that moment. Everything we had was delicious, very delicately and thoughtfully made. The scallop dish was a highlight and the beef rib was my favorite, absolute perfection in texture and flavor. Four dishes, a round of draft beers, tip and tax came to about $25 a person.

I haven't been here enough times or eaten enough of the menu is give Sakagura Hall of Fame status... yet. But tonight's dishes were just exquisite and it's definitely headed in that direction.