One of my favorite restaurant styles to visit is Izakaya. It is a Japanese pub with small plates of food, like tapas, that you share with your family and friends. I have been to several Izakaya in NYC, and when I think of the top three, Riki always takes the spot light in my mind. First of all, most of all the staffs here are Japanese, that alone is great. Not a big fan of so-called Japanese restaurant with no Japanese person working in it.
The first thing you see when you walk in is their sushi counter to the right. And then many staffs welcoming you with enthusiastic greetings. We didn’t have a reservation, but they were able to seat us quickly to a small table across from the bar. It was still a bit early for Izakaya, so we were happy. The last time we visited Riki, it was busier and more crowded, so we were taken to their second floor, and sat at the bar, which was really fun too. An older Japanese staff took us to our seat with smile, he was very polite and efficient.
They have more seating in the back, most likely for the people with reservation or the ones who got there early. But I actually liked sitting at the front section, it was more quiet and relaxing. They also had some semi-private sections near the back area, looked really cozy.
We started with cocktails. We ordered Cassis Hi ($8) made with cassis juice & soda, and Cranberry Hi ($8.50) made with cranberry & soda, with shochu. As they don’t contain additional sugar, they were not very sweet, easy to drink, and the flavor is not overwhelming so that they don’t fight against the food. Cassis is sweeter than cranberry, and more popular among females because of it. The female staff who brought the drinks to us was not friendly at all…she didn’t tell us which drink was what, just put them on our table real fast and disappeared… Anyways, the drinks were good.
We were ready to start our ultimate comfort food-thon! First up was the traditional, basic, must-have item: Tori no Karaage ($7.70) which is Japanese fried chicken. Nothing fancy, just good old little pieces of lovely, juicy, tender and delicious bites. Hmmmm.
Next we ordered something interesting from their Teppanyaki (pan grilled) appetizers called Mochi Mentai Cheese ($9). I had all the element we loved, mochi (rice cake), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and cheese. How could we say no to that? It came in a small iron skillet, sizzling!
It really was interesting dish, kind of like nachos with chips and cheesy. And I mean, really REALLY cheesy!!!! Look at this cheese go! It was awesome, good amount of mentaiko, crispy chips, super cheesy and comforting!
Next, we wanted something more seafood, so we ordered Asari no Sakamushi ($11.50), which is Manilla clams steamed with sake. This was the second most expensive item we ordered. It was not a lot when it comes to portion, but the comfort level and quality was very high! The staff brought two small serving bowls and a large spoon for easy serving and sharing.
The broth had such warmth and depth to it, and clams that soaked up all the juice was so flavorful. This was exactly what we wanted, it was so good! Again, not a big dish, but really soothes the soul.
With that, we wanted something that more seafood, as in fish. So, we ordered Aji no Hiraki ($7.50), which is grilled half-dried horse mackerel. I love this dish… traditional, no-frill, old-fashion fish dish. And it was a thing of beauty! It was so good, juicy, flaky, with its own flavor enhanced by being grilled slowly. My goodness, I could have this every day! And at this point, I was surprised of the Japanese “omotenashi” or hospitality. We received a clean plate or a bowl with every dish we were sharing. When we received a dish without clean plates, older gentleman staff came running with clean plates (we didn’t ask for them). Awesome!
I thought we should get something green. So, I ordered Ninniku no me to Gyu Ni Kaku Itame ($7.50). It is sauteed beef with garlic scapes (a.k.a. sprouts). This is a very good dish filled with energy and stamina! I heard that not many people (non-Asian) don’t know that the garlic scapes can be eaten, but it is really good! Tasty, firm like asparagus, flavorful and good for you.
Then, we decided to get something really rich and decadent. We ordered Macaroni Iri Susage Yaki Curry ($9.50). It is a curry gratin with sausage and macaroni. It came in the small iron skillet again, sizzling.
All of our dishes were all comfort food, but this one really screamed comfort food! It was piping hot, gooey cheese, slices of sausage and soft macaroni… All cuddled in Japanese curry sauce! Yes it was amazing and super tasty, filling and satisfying. They know how to do comfort food!
At a place like Izakaya, most Japanese people end their meal with either a rice dish or a noodle dish (like ramen). So, we decided to end our meal with a rice dish, and ordered Omurice ($12), which is a rice omelette with chicken and ketchup. This is one of the traditional dishes that I grew up with in Japan, always reminds me a fond memory of my family. This one was huge, generous amount to make up for the price. I was getting full before this one arrived, and I was completely stuffed after.
At the end, the staffs brought over complimentary hot green tea. Always nice to wash down the food with a hot green tea… And it helps with your digestion too.
Their bathroom in the mid-way to the back, after the sushi bar. It is a tight space, but it is better than not having a bathroom.
The inside is simple and basic, only what you need in there. Clean and nicely lit. Not roomy, but I rather have small, clean bathroom than big but dirty bathroom.
Again, most of the staffs are Japanese, which was really awesome. Especially the older male staff who was really traditional Japanese omotenashi down, he was great! At one point, my husband dropped his chopsticks. He saw that right away, and told the female staff to bring us the new chopsticks immediately. My hubby got a clean set of chopsticks within second of dropping them! Impressive! I wish if I had taken his name… Additionally, while I was looking at a menu for additional order, a female staff (non-Japanese?) came right away, asked if we wanted to order something. Super efficient!
One more thing I want to mention is they are NON-TIPPING establishment! They indicated “Tipping is not required nor expected” on the front of their menu. How awesome! So, considering, it is more than affordable, and you still get a great service. Thank you!
After this visit, Riki remains as one of our top Izakaya in NYC. I am glad we don’t live nearby there, otherwise we will be going there to eat every night! I can’t wait to go back for more tasty comfort food… Until next time!
Restaurant Riki – 141 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017