Location: Robataya on 9th St between Stuyvesant and 2nd Ave (robataya-ny.com)
Edibles: grilled egglant; grilled onion; lamb chops; duck; Kobe beef; snow crab rice (they were out of our other choices - miso cod, smelts, portobello mushroom)
Musings: Robataya provided what, to me, is the quintessential Japanese restaurant experience: the food was exquisitely prepared, but the portions were miniscule and it was incredibly expensive. (Come to think of it, that's the quintessential NYC restaurant experience too.) Each item was between $5 (onion, eggplant) and $13 (Kobe), and typically was about four bites of food. To get a filling meal, I'm guessing you'd have to spend more than $100 a person. If you're looking for an Asian tapas sort of meal, I much prefer Yakitori Totto.
A lot of the dishes are cooked out front by two chefs. There's an incredibly elaborate staging area with all the proteins and veggies laid out. The chefs use long paddles to reach the raw materials and to serve the cooked dishes. If you're able to reserve a seat at the bar (we were not), it looks like it would be a good show.
I thought the Kobe beef was the weak link of the things we tried. It was barely seared and the rich veins of fat in the meat were still cold and solid. Everything else was good, and I only wished that there was more of it.
The snow crab rice ($15) was the highlight for me, really fragrant and hearty. I'd come back for just the rice and a beer. (Incidentally, snow crab is C. opilio - the stuff they fish on Deadliest Catch.)
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