Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

• Cuisine(s): American, Contemporary, Sushi, Tapas
  Hours: Sun-Wed 11:30am-12am, Thu 11:30am-1am, Fri-Sat 11:30am-2am
  Price: $$$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Attire: Casual
  Features: Smoking, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Private Party, Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly, Vegetarian Friendly
  Serving: Dinner, Lunch
  Alcohol: Full bar
• Reservations: Accepted, Required
  Parking: Garage, Lot Available, Meters

Description

Sugarcane's success all but screams at diners as they enter the voluminous space. It isn't just that the room is packed to the gills and very loud (although that always seems to be the case), but it exudes the big-city allure of a longtime landmark oyster bar and grill. The menu is divided into three categories: raw bar options, foods cooked on a Japanese robata grill, and some 20 small plates of globally inspired snacks. The raw fish items include blackboard selections of seasonal oysters, shrimp cocktail, king crab legs, a half-dozen crudos, and a limited list of sushi/sashimi/rolls. Among the dozen or so robata foods, chicken yakitori was a favorite - soft, plump pieces of breast meat interspersed with snippets of thick, almost leek-like Tokyo scallions, all lightly charred and glazed with a slightly sweet, mirin/soy-based tare sauce. Small-plate highlights include delicate veal meatballs in sticky-rich, sherry-fueled demi-glace, a New England lobster roll with shaved celery/fennel salad, crisp goat cheese croquettes, and steamy white pork buns brightened with apple kimchi and cilantro. The food, the bar, the scene, and the prices (almost everything under $10) are all great. No wonder this place is always packed!