Japanese Tapas at Raku

A few short nights ago, the hubby and I went for Japanese tapas at Raku to satiate our palates from the memories of going to the one back home in the East Village run by the renowned chef Norihiro Ishizuka, who cooks these most flavorful authentic Japanese meals to perfection. Tapas are perfect for a person like me who much prefer to eat small bites then a large plate of food. It is also a fantastic way to taste a variety of delicious dishes without feeling overly stuffed.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with tapas. Basically, it is appetizers in Spanish cuisine that means small portions of any kind that are served one small plate after another that is combined to make a full meal. Being interested in different types of food, cooking, and the latest food and restaurant fads, my husband and I always jump on any opportunity to explore the culinary world, especially when it comes to eating and discovering new flavor combos.

I’m never more pleased when restaurants feature such small bites of decadence. I know we live in a country where everything is “BIG”, but believe me, give these small dishes a chance. The richness of such dishes takes your taste buds on such a journey that I’m going out on a limb here to say that there’s no large plate of food that can do that. What’s more, you’re left feeling happily satiated without overfilling the belly which for me is the best feeling.

Our choices were: 

The deep-fried chicken

The rich grilled duck 

The delicious fish soup!

…and rounded our experience with the best part of any meal – dessert with a well-curated variety of lava chocolate cake, green tea creme brulee, and the cheesecake sampler.