Yopparai

"We love the kotatsu tables at this Japanese restaurant on the LES—it's a lovely date-night move where you can sip sake, eat some sashimi or agedeshi tofu, and play footsy under the table. There are a lot of different directions you can take with the menu at Yopparai, but standouts are any of the chirashi and the dip-it-yourself shabu-shabu selections (we like the octopus option since we can make sure it’s not overcooked). The sushi rolls are always changing, but we’ve had delicious versions stuffed with smoky trout and roe as well as salmon with sweet egg and eel and crunchy vegetables. photo credit: Carlo Mantuano Our biggest complaint here is that dinner can get pricey quick. Most sashimi sets are over $50, and even without drinking any sake, the bill here easily lands at about $80 per person. But the quality of the fish is excellent, and the specials are always interesting (like you, raw cubes of octopus marinated in fresh wasabi). Plus, the space is extra quiet (with smooth jazz from the '40s echoing in the back) and the kotatsu tables are extra roomy. Food Rundown photo credit: Carlo Mantuano Agedashi Tofu Custardy tofu that's really delicately fried. The sauce is thickened a bit more than the ones in other agedashi tofu dishes we've had, but it's still rich and slightly sweet. A great starter. photo credit: Carlo Mantuano Shrimp Tempura Roll A very meaty shrimp tempura roll. Yopparai generally does tempura really well, never too oily. You can also always count on the rice here to be seasoned well and just the right temperature (slightly warm). Get this in addition to some other raw fish. photo credit: Carlo Mantuano Tekka Chirashi A nice helping of bluefin tuna that's marinated in dashi soy sauce. There are little flakes of gold leaf on top that don't really add anything, but it's a fun surprise when the server drops the bowl at the table. All the chirashi we've had at Yopparai are great, but this one's our favorite." - Carlo Mantuano

"In 2021, Yopparai moved from their second-story Rivington Street location on the LES to a bigger space on Clinton Street. The result: more room to set up kotatsu tables where you can sip sake, eat some delicious Japanese food, and share a blanket if it’s cold out. It’s one of our favorite date-night moves on the LES, since you can simultaneously eat chirashi loaded with crab and ikura and play footsy with someone you’re attracted to." - nikko duren

"Modeled after an upscale izakaya — a bar that serves food which complements booze — Yopparai has been feeding guests salted squid guts beside an expertly curated list of approximately 50 sakes since 2012. The space itself is narrow and intimate, with most of the restaurant’s 30 seats dedicated to a bar that spans its length. Behind that counter, chefs prepare a lengthy menu of mostly small dishes using a variety of cooking methods: fried, roasted, simmered, and raw. Some dishes are more familiar, like sashimi and agedashi tofu, but Yopparai shines with the lesser-found bites, such as tofu stuffed with mochi, and chopped wasabi with sake lees. The restaurant even opened its sophomore effort in Tokyo in January 2019." - Kat Odell

"In 2021, Yopparai moved from their second-story Rivington Street location on the LES to a bigger space on Clinton Street. The result: more room to set up kotatsu tables where you can sip sake, eat some delicious Japanese food, and share a blanket if it’s cold out. It’s one of our favorite date-night moves on the LES, since you can simultaneously eat chirashi loaded with crab and ikura and play footsy with someone you’re attracted to." - Hannah Albertine, Nikko Duren, Carlo Mantuano

"Lower East Side: Well-liked Japanese restaurant Yopparai is leaving Rivington Street after nine years. The restaurant temporarily closed following the state-mandated shutdown of indoor dining last March. “We tried takeout, but our menu and style wasn’t well suited for that,” co-owners Christy and Gaku Shibata tell Bowery Boogie. blog Bowery Boogie. The duo is apparently planning to reopen the restaurant at a new location in the next month." - Luke Fortney