"At one point, Kisser chef-owners Chef Leina Horii and Brian Lea assumed they would open a fine dining restaurant, having worked at some of the best restaurants in the city (The Catbird Seat and Bastion, to name two). But during the pandemic shutdown the couple realized, like many other people, that they wanted comfort food. So, they started making Japanese comfort food, such as sandwiches and onigiri (filled rice balls), which sold out within hours at pop-ups around the city. Their lunch-only restaurant opened in 2023, and while it has an expanded menu—drinks, soba noodles, curries, and desserts—the demand and appreciation for their take on comfort food continues. Get there early to nab a seat." - Margaret Littman