"Dining at Double Knot in Midtown Village feels like using Lincoln Drive when I-76 gets too crammed: a “secret” the entire city knows about that comes in handy at least twice a week. And that’s because it has one of the city's best Happy Hours and a menu full of dependable Japanese small plates. As a result, after 5pm, you could watch a video of the dining room on a time-lapse and never catch a moment when it’s not busy. photo credit: GAB BONGHI photo credit: NEAL SANTOS photo credit: GAB BONGHI photo credit: Neal Santos photo credit: Neal Santos The cocktail lounge on the first floor is usually flooded with people celebrating closing their laptops with a glass of sake, a few $7 spicy tuna rolls, and $4 charred chicken thighs. Downstairs, the basement izakaya feels a bit like The Batcave, and it’s where you’ll find couples eating thin pieces of raw salmon topped with soy ginger and spicy ponzu or a little of everything from their 10-course, $68 tasting menu (which only makes sense to order after Happy Hour). You’ll need a reservation to get in, but if you can’t snag one, head to their sister spot Sampan next door (tip: they have the same dumplings). Food Rundown Cocktails While they have a wine and sake list as lengthy as the Flyers championship drought, we always go for the namesake Double Knot. It’s their spin on a Manhattan served in a smoked glass with double the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. And it goes down dangerously smooth. photo credit: Neal Santos Edamame Dumplings It’s the most popular dish on the menu for a reason. The dumplings are in a subtle sake truffle broth that nicely avoids a complete truffle takeover. Each bite into the tiny pods is garlicky, oniony, and sweet. You get four dumplings, and they’re good enough that you’ll need at least three orders for the table (even if you’re dining solo). video credit: Gab Bonghi Japanese Scallop The scallops here switch up as much as the couch scene in The Simpsons opening credits. We’ve had them sashimi-style in a pool of cilantro glaze with miso powder and truffle and also baked with a fiery jalapeño oil and sweet onion ponzu. Hot or cold, it’s a win. photo credit: Gab Bonghi Ume Hirame Roll The rolls range from great-to-look-at-and-eat to generally average. This fluke roll is the latter. It has bits of shiso leaf and raw cucumber inside and it’s coated in ponzu and hot sesame oil. And yet, it’s a combination that lacks depth of flavor. photo credit: Neal Santos Tasting Menu This includes 10 assorted choices ranging from dishes like salmon sashimi, grilled prawn robatayaki, and a crispy shrimp taco. At just $65, it’s a great deal, especially when you miss the $7 small plates during Happy Hour and all of the pricing balloons back to around $15 per dish." - Candis R. McLean
