Obento-Ya

• Cuisine(s): Japanese, Sushi
  Price: $$
• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
  Serving: Dinner, Lunch
• Alcohol: Beer/Wine
  Parking: Free, Street

Description

If Ikea sold kits for neighborhood Japanese restaurants, Obento-Ya could be its floor model. The room's design is as boxy as a vintage Volvo, its modern, minimalist look reinforced by the long, straight lines of the bamboo laminate booths, the sushi counter, and the dangling teardrop lights. Tabletops are set with smooth black stones that double as chopstick rests, and with tiny soy-sauce pitchers in bright shades of orange and lime. While the sushi is good, skewered meats and veggies--the grilled robata and their panko-breaded cousins, kushi-katsu--are the stars, especially the chicken yakatori and the bacon-wrapped quail egg. Be sure to order them as a bento (Obento Ya means "bento shop"), as the little boxed meals include not-to-be-missed miso soup, sticky rice, tossed greens, and a scoop of creamy Japanese potato salad that's flecked with crunchy bits of cucumber and apple.