Last night one of the most thrilling things happened to me, and it wasn't just the delectable Sea Eel and fluffed egg casserole with Burdock root. Last night while dining at the three month old Yopparai Sake Bar & Restaurant a photographer from the
New York Times was there capturing the sights, sounds and people(!) indulging at this soon to be hot spot. And the fact that the dinning room is about as wide as a king size bed means that the photog got really close to the action (and me!).
Up a flight of stairs into a LES apartment lies Yopparai. In the former Sushi UO space this hidden Izayaka is serving drinks and hearty snacks. Literally translated yopparai means drunkard and with a bar that runs the length of the entire room it's plain to see where the focus lies. The cozy setting and friendly staff encourage patrons to settle in and enjoy delicious food paired with lots and lots of sake. And after a few hours of drinking and dining we were jovially chatting up the owner and chef; they were so hospitable that upon hearing about our upcoming trip to Japan the chef quickly gave me the business card (in Japanese with hand written English translation) for his father's restaurant in Tokyo.
Often at Izayakas I feel that each dish is like its own little gift and that every plate demands attention to its own unique details. The Uni Sashimi came four pieces to an order and was accompanied by a jewelry box filled with fresh nori (seaweed) allowing each bite to be delicately crafted at your seat. The mixed Japanese mushrooms with (fermented) sake lees, miso, and butter were tangy and refined. The grilled clams came with their own pyrotechnical accompaniment; I wasn't sure if we'd eat them or just get lost staring at the mini flame.
The extensive menu lends itself to repeat visits and I'd recommend you hurry up and get there...because once the
Times publishes whatever photographs were being taken, it may be even harder to get a seat at this thrilling bar & restaurant.
Yopparai
151 Rivington St. btw Suffolk & Clinton
Post script: I see the
Times and I weren't the only
bigwigs at Yopparai last night!
Often at Izayakas I feel that each dish is like its own little gift and that every plate demands attention to its own unique details. The Uni Sashimi came four pieces to an order and was accompanied by a jewelry box filled with fresh nori (seaweed) allowing each bite to be delicately crafted at your seat. The mixed Japanese mushrooms with (fermented) sake lees, miso, and butter were tangy and refined. The grilled clams came with their own pyrotechnical accompaniment; I wasn't sure if we'd eat them or just get lost staring at the mini flame. 
Yopparai
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