Eatin' Out - Kasadela

647 E. 11th Street@Ave C
I met the Espresso Curmudgeon and his lovely finance, Miss P, here last week after numerous failed attempts this fall to get together and have some sake.

Kasadela is what's known in Japan as an izakaya, sort of a casual Japanese gastropub where a lot of small snacks are offered along with larger, inexpensive main courses to customers sampling sakes. Kasadela serves up sakes in the traditional cold style, offering four different portion sizes, whole bottles, or on draft.

We sampled a variety of excellent snacks, including shishito (flash fried sweet pepper), tebasaki (amazing Japanese chicken wings), beef tataki w/green apple and watercress, and kushiage (grilled chicken skewers).

While I was waiting for Mike and P., the servers at the bar were friendly and personable. After we were seated, the service became somewhat overly solicitious, constantly interrupting to take our order before we were even ready, and a conspicuous pushing of the most expensive 'winter special' sakes on the draft menu. That said, it was a lovely way to spend the first truly cold evening of winter, with reasonable prices being the final plus. I will definitely return.