Because transporting experiences run by Scots are inherently dangerous (you Kirk? You Spock? No? You dead!), the husband & wife team behind Yopparai imported a chef from Japan to helm the cozy, buzzer-accessed sake bar they've situated in an old LES tenement building, whisking you away to Rising Sunville with authentic dishware, vintage rice wine signs, and 30 intimate seats split between a few tables and a sushi counter (they say the bar sports the "better half", but don't go in married to the idea of sitting there).Teaching the masses how to get sake bombed without resorting to doing one, a Sake sommelier can guide you through the over 50 varieties on the list, which range from little-known, rare offerings, to big-name affairs from established producers that you also haven't heard of. The simple pub eats are designed to go with their stock: tomato salads w/ smoky dashi dressing can be washed down with a sparkling nigori-based citrus cocktail, the chef's signature free-range chicken meatballs play well with the rich, undiluted mouthfeel of Narutotai Nama Genshu, and grilled & spiced rice balls known as Yaki Onigiri complement Shichida Nanawari Gobu Junmai, whose name you should memorize to totally impress that sommelier.And while those expecting sushi rolls will be disappointed, you can still get your seafood fix via rotating sashimi sourced daily from both local mongers, and the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, because transportation is actually OK so long as you aren't the one making the Trek.
