"Sugidama cooks up Japanese dishes that are hard to find elsewhere in Boston. We’re talking about things like charred beef enoki yakitori, hot and perfectly chewy soba noodles in a clear broth with airy root vegetable tempura, and crispy baby octopus karaage with mayo. We love the sake options here, too, which showcase a few bottles from all over Japan, as well as their cocktails, like the light and spritzy Kyoto Sunrise. The restaurant is always busy, but it’s never obnoxiously loud, making it a great spot to eavesdrop on the throuple flirting at the bar. " - lala thaddeus