Details: Located at 211 E 43rd St, New York, NY 10017. The official site is http://www.sakagura.com/
I’ve never walked out of a tapas place completely satisfied. Not European tapas, American tapas, Asian tapas, or any kind of tapas. It’s mostly because tapas — at least in New York City — generally cost a lot of money for a little bit of food. I always walk out of tapas restaurants with an empty wallet and mostly empty stomach. The same was true of Sakagura.
When you walk in, the first thing you notice is the environment. This is a comfortable, cozy place to drink… in the basement of a skyscraper. It’s still a great environment. The next thing you notice is their massive sake list. However, as someone who doesn’t love alcohol, that didn’t do anything for me. If you like sake, then you should keep that in mind.
Sakagura serves Japanese small plates, like tapas. We had the Kurobuta Karaage (Deep Fried Tender Pork marinated in Surry Powder and Oyster Sauce, $10.00), the Atsuyaki Tamago (Japanese Style Egg Omelette, wrapped around Grilled Eel , $9.00), the Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard served with Chicken, Shrimp and Shiitake, Gingko Nuts topped with a Thickened Ponzu Soup, $9.00), the Yuba Shumai (Minced Pork and Lotus Roots Dumpling Wrapped in a Yuba served with “Ponzu” Sauce, $10.00), the Buta Kakuni (Sakagura’s Signature Dish. Pork Belly Braised Tender and Served hot, $6.80), and the Gyusuji Konnyaku Nikomi (Shredded Beef Back Ribs and Konjac Yam stewed in Miso topped with Scallion, $8.50). Everything was just okay, not great.
Service was fine.
Overall, I do not recommend this place for food. You can do better at another Japanese restaurant. This is a fun place for sake and snacking. Otherwise, I’d avoid this restaurant.
Score: 6/10
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