"Tei-An is a portal to an era that never really existed—half ‘50s and half Y2K—with its dark wood, low ceilings, and tangerine lights. The Japanese food here, however, is timeless: monkfish pate, tuna tartare, beautifully plated nigiri sushi, grilled salmon collar, all of it flown in from Tokyo daily and so fresh, you can almost taste the Pacific Ocean on it. But soba is the real reason to come, whether you’re dipping the handmade buckwheat noodles into sauces like sparkling dashi and Texas pecan, or slurping soba carbonara made with Japanese mushrooms. If you’re feeling extra special, there's a $250 omakase option that's well worth it, but the a la carte menu is big enough to take you wherever you want to go." - Nick Rallo
Kathy Tran