SakaMai

SakaMai Restaurant Review:

Created by Hawaii-born, Japanese-American friends Natalie Graham and Tanner Fahl, and with executive chef Takanori Akiyama at the helm in the kitchen, this restaurant brings an evolved menu of Japanese izakaya fare to the eclectic Lower East Side. The dimly lit and intimate dark wood setting has elements of a traditional izakaya; pottery, saké and shochu bottles and other decorative accents give the interior a casual warmth. As for the food, Eastern and Western ingredients merge with artfully crafted results. "Egg on Egg on Egg" with sea urchin, scrambled eggs and sturgeon caviar is light and fluffy, with savory, harmonizing flavors. Gochujang pepper, watermelon and radish add notes of citrus and spice to the slightly earthy tastes of tender grilled octopus. Larger selections include "paper-baked" moist salmon with Asari clams, maitake mushrooms, garlic butter and dashi soy, accompanied by shiso seasoned rice. On the heartier side, beef tartare with roasted bone marrow gets a Japanese culinary makeover with red miso, crispy maitake mushrooms and horseradish. Fresh cha soba salad, comprising green tea soba noodles tossed in sesame oil dressing, tomato, avocado, corn, walnuts and nori, resembles a blooming garden on a plate and is characterized by complementary soft and crunchy textures. The global wine list pairs well with the dishes. However, the array of filtered, unfiltered and fruit-infused sakés, as well as shochus (reserves for purists and flavored options), take center stage among the beverages.