o ya – Oh Yeaaaaaaaah!

o ya is one of the best Japanese restaurants I’ve been to in the U.S., and by far my favorite restaurant in Boston (no other place even comes close). I’ve been to o ya several times and never want my meal to end whenever I’m here. I revel in the excitement and joy that each course brings. Chef/owner Tim Cushman has an innovative approach to sushi – each piece is comprised of elaborate components and beautiful sauces.

There is a quiet confidence to o ya. It’s tucked away on a nondescript side street, inside an old firehouse. The staff is efficient, yet welcoming. And most of all, I love sitting at the counter and watching the smooth precision of the sushi chefs – they have a multitude of ingredients to work with and so many dishes to make, yet they remain completely cool and execute each painstaking dish with such grace.

Poochi-Poochi Sparkling Sake – fun to say and even more fun to drink!

KUMAMOTO OYSTER, watermelon pearls, cucumber mignonette – refreshing and pleasant way to prepare our palates for the food to come.

SHIMA AJI & SANTA BARBARA SEA URCHIN, ceviche vinaigrette, cilantro – the ceviche vinaigrette stands out front and center with its bold citrus zest with a spicy kick, almost upstaging (while also complementing) the firm fish and sweet uni.

DIVER SCALLOP, sage tempura, olive oil bubbles, meyer lemon – the light olive oil foam brought out the velvetiness of the scallops, while the sage tempura added a crunchy surprise inside.

SUZUKI SEA BASS, cucumber vinaigrette, avocado, cilantro – if the color green could have a taste, this would be it. This was like biting into a fresh garden with its crisp flavors and textures. It made the suzuki sashimi (which I usually find boring) bright and interesting.
HAMACHI BELLY, yuzu soy marinated sea urchin – absolutely sublime. The hamachi belly was super buttery, and the creamy, unctuous uni heightened it into pure pleasure. I was actually moaning while eating this, it was so incredible.

SCOTTISH SALMON, spicy sesame ponzu, yuzu kosho, scallion oil – although the salmon was lovely, the sauce was too oily and salty. It needed more acid or something to contrast the salmon.

HAMACHI, viet mignonette, thai basil, shallot – I thought the fish sauce would totally overwhelm the hamachi (like it did at Le Bernardin), but the butteriness of the hamachi actually shined through the strong flavors. I also appreciated the hint of spice and crunchy bits of fried shallots.

HOUSE SMOKED MOULLARD DUCK TATAKI, foie gras kabayaki, arima sansho – great savory flavor, but a little chewy…or maybe it just seemed chewy after being spoiled by all the melt-in-your-mouth fish. You mean I actually have to chew my food now?!

SALMON, unfiltered wheat soy moromi, yuzu – B’s favorite dish of the evening. Similar to the direction they were going with the Scottish Salmon dish (see above), but the components here were much better balanced. The soy moromi reminded me of fermented black beans, only much lighter and less salty. It intensified the salmon and added more dimension to the fish.
SHIMA AJI, spicy grapeseed sauce, masago – really interesting. The grapeseed oil tasted almost like truffle oil, giving the shima aji an earthy tone and a nice, spicy finish.
FRIED KUMAMOTO OYSTER, yuzu kosho aioli, squid ink bubbles – a fun and unique bite. The fried oysters are crunchy and briny, while the yuzu aioli and squid ink give it a rich complexity.

ONSEN EGG, dashi sauce, truffle salt, homemade pickled garlic – I never thought I’d use the word luscious to describe an egg, but that’s what this was. This slow poached egg was soft, silky, and absolute perfection with the truffle salt and savory dashi sauce.

FRIED SOFT SHELL CRAB, soy sesame mousse, tamari yuzu beurre blanc, meyer lemon zest – the best soft shell crab I’ve had. I could actually taste the sweet crabmeat inside and the delicate shell wasn’t over-battered. The swirl of sauces were thick and rich, with a bit of tang.

SEARED WAGYU PETIT STRIP LOIN, potato confit, sea salt, white truffle oil – the epitome of decadence. The potato slices are actually cooked in the Wagyu fat (suddenly duck fat doesn’t seem so special)! By itself, this Wagyu wasn’t as good as the Kobe and Saga beef I’ve had in Japan, but when I ate it with the crisp potato confit and truffle oil, the marbled beef tasted like truffle butter….orgasmic!!

FOIE GRAS, balsamic chocolate kabayaki, raisin cocoa pulp – a bite of heaven! I order this every time I come to o ya. The perfectly seared foie melts into the sweet-savory chocolate kabayaki sauce when you put it in your mouth. Its rich velvetiness will transport you to another world. And if that isn’t enough, the dish is served with a small glass of aged sake – the foie gras brings out the smooth honey notes of the sake. This is one of my all-time favorite eats!
TRES LECHES SOAKED BOSTON CRÉME PIE, ocumare chocolate, sesame – unfortunately, the dessert wasn’t as successful as the rest of the meal. The wonderful richness of the tres leches was distorted by the sesame. I didn’t care for the flavors of this dessert and wish it had more textural contrast…too much mushiness. Next time, I’ll stick with my usual – the balsamic chocolate foie gras and aged sake are truly the perfect finish to the meal.

o ya is one of the few places where I want *everything* on the main menu, which says a lot considering their extensive list of items. So many menu options, so much creativity – all makes for an exciting, fun-filled ride for the taste buds. Their exquisite plating makes it a feast for the eyes as well. Speaking of eye candy, Jake Gyllenhaal was sitting at the table behind me. He’s just as cute in person as he is on the big screen. *sigh*

FYI – the dishes are pricey and quickly add up (especially if you eat like I do), so you should be prepared to loosen up your wallets. However, it’s well worth it – a small price to pay to enter food heaven. I always leave o ya looking forward to my next visit!

BITE METER: o ya – 4.5 bites (out of 5)