It’s not often that I go to Brooklyn any more but when I do, it’s for the eats. As I got myself comfortable at Cherry Izakaya in Williamsburg, their Shiso Tipsy drink caught my eye. I ordered it immediately as I stared at all the menu options they had. The bartender, Jake, was filling me in on all the favorites and he was sharing a little history lesson on sake that added to my experiences. By the time I was ready, my Shiso Tipsy had came out which was rather strong but pretty sweet. Cucumber seemed to be a huge part of this drink so I looked at it as my healthy drink of the day, ha!
Though the Tuna Tarts seemed to be a crowd favorite, I couldn’t resist ordering the spicy tuna crispy rice. I am so glad I went with this decision because this starter dipped in the soy sauce was phenomenal. It really elevated the flavors I originally had without it. As expected, the outside of this dish is crunchy but the middle was surprisingly soft. The tuna also helped soften up the crunch but then again, the soy sauce took it through the roof. The Salt -n- Pepa shrimp was up next, which also had a crunch to it but needed an accompanying sauce. Though the shrimp was cooked well, I love a good dip and was searching for one to pair here.
I sat in front of the bar since it was a beautiful day and the doors are left wide open but the restaurant also has an upstairs area to accommodate other parties. I took a peek at this section, which was hosting larger groups, families and a great view of all the sake they offer. My waitress was also very attentive and knew a great deal about the menu. She’s the reason I tried the Izakaya Steak frites, which consisted of a dry ages rib eye, ponzu sesame dressing and Izakaya fries. The fries reminded me of yucca fries because they were very thick and similar in consistency. I didn’t prepare myself for the sriracha ketchup they paired them with and felt like I was going to turn into Shiso Tipsy myself because I needed a drink and bad. Yes there was water but, so what, you’re missing the point. Though the steak was cut into thin strips, there was plenty to fill you up and it was not only juicy but also well seasoned.
The experience couldn’t end here so I went for dessert. Jake had mentioned the cheesecake being deconstructed which had me curious. The blueberry delight was another amazing plate of perfection and it being deconstructed added to the experience considering you could try what you wanted whether together or apart. I was busy mixing all parts together and would come back plenty times over just for this.
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