Japonais: Trendy, Romantic, Tasty

July 10, 2009 3:58 pm

Being familiar with Japonais in Chicago, I was keen to finally try Japonais in New York City's Flatiron district. Japonais is known for contemporary Japanese cuisine. From the moment I walked in the restaurant, I noticed the different look and feel from the Chi Town institution.

It is dimly lit with a hip romantic atmosphere. The decor has a cool, concrete-meets-wood aesthetic with high ceilings. The vibe is trendy and sophisticated.

We of course ordered the signature dish known as "The Rock," which features thinly sliced marinated choice strip steak that is served on a sizzling stone. Patrons must take a Do-It-Yourself approach and cook the raw meat slices on top of the rock. The presentation is unique and the interactive element fun...I would definitely order this tasty dish again.

Next, we enjoyed a Soft Shell Crab Roll and the Spicy Mono Roll (spicy octopus roll topped with spicy tuna tartare and sweet eel sauce). For our main course we ordered "Le Quack Japonais", a house smoked duck with hoisin sauce, mango chutney and mushu wraps. The presentation was original and very enticing, but I'm partial to the Peking Duck at our local Upper East Side Chinese restaurant Shanghai Pavilion. Japonais has restaurants in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas. Stay tuned for the next Japonais restaurant opening soon in Atlanta!

—Alexandra Wilkis Wilson

Japonais, New York City
111 E. 18th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.260.2020

Japonais, Chicago
600 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
312.822.9600

Japonais, Las Vegas
Mirage Hotel and Casino
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.792.7979

Shanghai Pavilion
378 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10075
212.585.3388