Sumi Robata Bar

At the heart of Gene Kato's Japanese spot is a traditional charcoal grill, on which he cooks pitch-perfect skewers of protein such as juicy cubes of skirt steak, tender hunks of salmon, and craveable, miso-marinated lamb ribs. Appetizers are really the same size as the skewers and offer the complexity of entrees (tiny squares of tuna topped with avocado and crispy shallots, a sweet and earthy shaved burdock root salad). Fried chicken, Japanese sliders and chocolate-filled doughnuts all make an appearance, and they're all robust and satisfying. But ultimately this is a place where subtle, quiet foods win.