More Photos (4)

Lobster rolls aside, Boston isn’t known for its fine food. The city has its share of great restaurants, but the chefs are known more for producing good standards rather than pushing the boundaries of creative cooking. O Ya is an exception. Opened in March 2007, this contemporary Japanese eatery combines inventive cooking with a groovy, speakeasy atmosphere–a blend so seductive that New York Times food critic Frank Bruni recently named it the best new restaurant in the country.

But finding this culinary heaven is difficult. Located on a desolate street near Boston’s train station, the entrance is tucked away on a gritty, cobblestone alley. Swing the unmarked wooden door open, though, and the scene beckons. The building, a century-old firehouse, has a Japanese tavern meets SoHo loft feel, with soaring ceilings and shoji screens. When I took my seat at the bar, the two sushi chefs were calmly slinging blowtorches and knives and Patsy Cline was playing in the background.

As fantastic as the atmosphere is, the food is the true star. Each day, chef Tim Cushman tweaks his menu of seventy-plus dishes to reflect what’s fresh and seasonal. Inventive combinations such as a hamachi sashimi with a spicy banana pepper mousse perfectly balance the freshness of the fish (most is flown in daily from Japan) with a kicky, unexpected condiment. The salmon belly, seared with a drizzle of hot sesame oil, has a buttery texture rarely found in American sushi joints. The most fantastic combo, however, is a fried kumamoto oyster with a yuzu kosho aioli settled on a small bed of rice and topped with briny squid ink bubbles–one of the more fantastic bites of food I’ve had in my life. Luckily, the dishes are small, so diners can relish the raw offerings and still have room left to try clever cooked dishes like foie gras gyozo, sake braised short ribs and shiso tempura with grilled lobster and charred tomatoes.

Nancy Cushman, co-owner and sake sommelier, reigns over her own list of twenty-some sakes and can suggest pairings with any of the offerings from her husband’s kitchen. (A well-edited wine and beer menu is also available.) Servers are friendly and well informed, happy to help a novice navigate the overwhelming amount of choices. Given the small number of tables and towering ceilings, the dining room doesn’t feel crowded even when full. And somehow, getting a reservation isn’t impossible. That, however, is sure to change. As word gets out, this hidden gem will surely become a first stop on any visiting foodie’s list. Plan accordingly and arrive with an advance reservation, an empty stomach and good directions. And that’s the same advice that I give to friends visiting my favorite restaurant in Tokyo.

More Photos (2)

“The fragile golden pastry case was shaped like Venus’s breast but incised with a fine swirling spiral…I cut it open, and inside was an impeccably cooked veal sweatbread wrapped in a mantle of wilted sorrel leaves…” So begins one of the marvelously absorbing reviews (in this case, of Taillevent) in Alexander Lobrano’s new book, Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City’s 102 Best Restaurants. Lobrano, one of Indagare’s favorite food writers, has been eating his way through the French capital since he moved there in 1986 (it helps that he’s Gourmet’s European Correspondent). Arranged by arrondissement, his guide is full of long, thoughtful reviews, lively anecdotes, essential information (métro stop, days open) and plenty of suggested dishes, from the classics to the more adventurous (beef cheeks braised in red wine, carpaccio of calf’s head). There are also general tips on subjects like navigating the wine list and the best time of year to eat chèvre (the spring). But it’s the writing—warm, funny, full of passion and knowledge—that will leave you hungry for more. Some of Lobrano’s picks:

Chez Georges: “Unfailingly correct, politely coquettish, and impeccably Parisian.” (1 rue du Mail, 2nd; 33-01-42-60-07-11)

Au Bascou: “The best outpost of Basque country cooking in Paris and a great choice for a long, relaxed lunch.” (38 rue Réamur, 3rd; 33-01-42-72-69-25)

Mon Veil Ami: “Chef Frédéric Crochet brilliantly reinvents Alsatian home cooking and other French regional dishes for the twenty-first century.” (69 rue Saint-Louis-en-L’Ile, 4th; 33-01-40-46-01-35)

Auguste: “Gaël Orieux is one of the most exciting young talents in Paris.” (54 rue de Bourgogne, 7th; 33-01-45-51-61-09)

Le Gorille Blanc: “Hidden away in one of the most fashionable little streets on the Left Bank, this bistro is a charmer with a chic clientele of locals and a few smart tourists.” (11 bis rue Chomel, 7th; 33-01-45-49-04-54))

Le Pur’Grill: “Subtle, sexy, sophisticated cooking.” (Park Hyatt Vendôme Hôtel, 5 rue de la Paix, 2nd; 33-01-58-71-60)

Read our Paris destination report.