dining
says . “ They really like the ramen , they like the space , they may try the other dishes .”
And they may be gobsmacked , in a can ’ t-believe-my-good-luck way . I was , so much so that Ihad to text another food lover mid-meal just to share my elation . Some things are just too good to keep to yourself .
Take the cold sesame noodles . Instead of the usual peanut butter , these thin strands are laced with creamy tahini that sport tangy housemade kimchi and funky umami miso . They are combined with chunks of crisp cucumbers that are then sprinkled with spicy chili oil and sweet toasted coconut . The dish hits every basic flavor ; it ’ s kind of terrific .
Or take the coconut shrimp bao buns , little parcels of slightly sweet steamed buns schmeared with spicy mayo and overflowing with pankocoated fried shrimp and ribbons of cured , bright red cabbage . Really good ! Or the tuna sashimi , a heady raw fish dish that , in keeping with the restaurant ’ s break-the-mold spirit , isn ’ t based in soy and ginger , but instead the Peruvian citrus-y marinade called leche de tigre , and dressed with small cubes of sweet pineapple , tart orange gooseberries and ribbons of finely sliced scallions . It ’ s as beautiful as it is delicious .
Lomo saltado , that Peruvian steak mainstay , was perfectly cooked , though the temperature wasn ’ t warm enough . No problem , however , with its flavor profile : tender bites of top sirloin underneath a mélange of sweet charred red onions , juicy cherry tomatoes , and properly soggy buttery fries , all bathed in a rich demi glace that you ’ d be wise to soak up with every bit of food you place on your fork .
As for dessert , the dairy-free chocolate olive oil cake with chocolate shavings could have used , ahem , real milk . It lacked a certain rich creaminess .
But the strawberries and pisco ? Let ’ s just say it ’ s my new favorite dessert . It ’ s a play on that Italian classic , zabaglione . That ’ s right , an
LOMO SALTADO
TUNA SASHIMI WITH LECHE DE TIGRE
Italian dessert in a ramen / Nikkei restaurant . So , in line with the restaurant ’ s rule-defying stance , it swaps Peruvian pisco for Italian marsala in its custard , lays it over abed of fresh strawberries , tops it all with thin
chips of meringue and sprinkles it with black sesame seeds .
Say what you will , but a restaurant willing to break rules is a restaurant that reaps old-fashioned rewards : loyal customers . ■
32 FALL 2022 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE