Ukiyo 4907 N. College Ave.

This is another Neal Brown restaurant. It is Japanese inspired with some non traditional twists. Or as is stated on the intro to their website a Hip Japanese spot serving ramen at lunch & small plates at dinner, plus reservation-only omakase. They change their menu with the seasons. I had wanted to get there while they were still working on their warm weather menu. However I missed it. They are currently serving their Fall and Winter menu. It has not been updated on their website so I have included a copy.

I was very excited by the food so naturally I over ordered. I started off with the shio koji duck breast.

This was an excellent dish, The duck was tender with the texture of beef filet. The greens were new to me but I liked them as much as any salad green. The crunch of the bean sprouts rounded it out nicely.

I ordered all the dishes simultaneously. The duck came out first followed by the other two.

If you like things fermented or pickled I suggest their daily tsukemono.

That day the choices were daikon radish, green bean and burdock root. All three were put up in a different pickle so you had different flavor to combine. The flavor base was familiar yet unique. It would be a great complement to any full or fatty dish. Which leads to my last dish. Their version of poutine. Curry crinkle fries. This is a side of fries smother with a curry beef gravy. I started eating before I took the picture.

This was a huge bowl of curry cheese french fries, well worth the $6 price tag. I wasn’t able to finish it so I took half home along with some of my pickled veggies. It was a cute gimmick but I think a thinner straight cut fry might be better. Regardless of the fry it was good food. So the next time you think you want a Whopper think of this bowl.

They also feature sushi. As a matter of fact they offer half price sushi for an hour on Tuesdays.

They also have a full bar. So I splurged and ordered a Tori Manhattan after lunch.

Brian my server was also my bartender and he did an excellent job with everything. Up to and including mixing my cocktail. I have never had Tori Japanese whiskey; but it does make for a smooth drink. I also appreciated the use of the coupe glass. A nice little touch of old school.

I plan on going back on a Tuesday for sushi. I have never experienced  a Happy Hour for food.