"Just as America created its own distinctive interpretation of Italian food, so did Japan, and you can get a taste stateside at this lively Chinatown spot just across from the arena. The pasta dishes are built on noodles from a ramen maker in Japan and tossed in sauces that are traditionally Italian—the iconic Marcella Hazan tomato sauce has a home here, with a dollop of ricotta and a snow shower of pecorino and parm. In other dishes, the Italian sauces are remixed with Japanese ingredients. The vodka in vodka sauce gets swapped for sake, and white miso turns the umami of white clam sauce up to 11. photo credit: Nina Palazzolo photo credit: Nina Palazzolo photo credit: Nina Palazzolo photo credit: Nina Palazzolo The pizzas, too, are made with Japanese flour, with the ethereal-light interior of milk bread, and the crunchy, caramelized exterior of a Detroit-style pie. A bit of umeboshi adds tartness to the tomato sauce on their more traditionally topped pies—their most popular is the Mentaiko Corn, which is slathered with sweet corn sauce and salty cod roe Kewpie mayo. It’s a fantastic bite to grab before the game." - Allison Robicelli
