14 NYC Restaurants That Feel Like Japan
"Hi-Collar offers Japanese culture two ways, as a kissaten (a Western-inspired Japanese coffee/tea cafe) by day and izakaya and sake bar by night. During the day, drop by for siphon coffee and a classic kissaten menu of katsu-sandos, omurice (fried rice omelette), and pancakes. Meanwhile, come 6 p.m., charcoal-grilled squid and rice wine take over. Owner Sakura Yagi explains the cafe’s moniker and concept: “Hi-Collar or haikara, is a term that evolved to mean avant-garde; high-collared Western shirts were considered to be modern compared to traditional Japanese kimono.” The narrow, counter-style restaurant is reminiscent of the Japanese Jazz Age, with a mix of sliding shoji screens, stained glass doors, and Tiffany-style pendant lights." - Kat Odell
