The subject line of the email inviting Miss Niss to try a new-to-her Boston Back Bay restaurant included the word “ramen.” The easy part was saying yes the this dinner invitation; the difficult part was finding time to go!
A few weeks ago, Miss Niss found time to try Itadaki, a Japanese restaurant and bar on Newbury St.
The dark lighting, exposed brick walls, and dimly lit candles set the mood for a unique Japanese experience.
To start, I ordered the Cucumber Sake-tini, made with Effen Cucumber, Reiko Sake, St. Germaine, and Gingerale. I love cocktails with cucumber and St. Germaine, and this was no exception. I would go back to Itadaki just based on the drink menu!
But the food was delicious too. I’ll admit I was disappointed (and surprised) that none of the ramen soup I was so looking forward to enjoying was vegetarian. Luckily, there were several other options on the menu that caught my eye.
We shared the Chamame Edamame, special nutty flavored edamame with sea salt. It tasted a lot like regular edamame, salted to perfection.
For my dinner course, I ordered Baked Eggplant with Miso Cheese Sauce and Itadaki Signature Cheese Gratin.
The eggplant was the most unique eggplant I’ve had at an Asian restaurant. The slices of eggplant were perfectly tender and the tangy miso cheese sauce perfectly complemented the dish. The gratin is a Japanese style macaroni and cheese, made with white onion and mushroom cream sauce. It is such an unexpected dish at a Japanese restaurant. I mean, have you ever had mac and cheese with chop sticks?
I can proudly say that I have! And, it was among the best mac and cheese in Boston. The sauce was so creamy and the cheese on top had those brown spots reserved only for the best mac and cheese.
My friend loved her fresh sushi too.
Not one to pass on dessert, we shared the Japanese Style Flan and Strawberry Mochi.
I’m not sure what was so Japanese about the flan; it tasted like a regular flan, creamy and decadent. The strawberry mochi tasted like rich strawberry ice cream inside a soft doughy bun.
We had a fun and delicious meal at Itadaki, combined of both traditional and unique Japanese flavors. Take a break from this busy holiday season and enjoy a night out at Itadaki!
What new-to-you restaurants have you tried lately?
This meal was provided complimentary. As always, our opinions are our own.
