Uroco

Feeling a little cramped in her tiny izakaya called Subaco, chef Yuka Kubo (ex-Chez les Anges) opened a new Japanese bistro just four doors down (Uroco means “scale” in Japanese), in a space complete with blue-hued walls, vintage lace curtains and glossy wood paneling. The other night, we fished out treasures from a small sea of briny tapas: delicate flash-seared langoustines with silken spicy yuzu mayonnaise; vibrant sake-steamed razor clams with panko breading; a balanced sea bream ceviche with coconut milk, mango and almonds; iconic bluefin tuna and avocado temaki which you roll up yourself. Plus, if you want something vegetarian, there are comforting pan-fried shiitake mushrooms with an oeuf parfait and sweet potato chips, or stunning fried onion and sweet potato kakiage… And to polish off this round trip from Paris to Osaka, there’s red bean mochi covered in black sesame seeds. // Claude Ratinier

FEELING THIRSTY? In addition to a harmonious quartet of wines (including Sur Le Fil, a tantalizing organic Occitan riesling produced by Jeff Carrel at €6 a glass, and Les Panseillots, a lively Sancerre blanc from the Domaine Guillerault-Fargette at €38 a bottle), there’s a cleverly chosen selection of sakes, including Kirabi junmai ginjo (€9 a glass, €34 a bottle), and homemade yuzu lemonade (€5 a glass).
PRICE: : Temaki €3 to €6.50, small plates €7-13.