Wasa

After our attempt to eat at Wasa failed a couple of months ago, I learned my lesson and booked ahead. WAY ahead. So glad I did!

This tiny restaurant is owned and operated by the chef and his wife (with one helper in the kitchen) and is about a 10 minute walk from Toritsu-Daigaku Station off of the Toyoko Line.

Started the meal with: Fried Scallop & Uni Dumplings (帆立とウニの揚げ餃子)

which looks like...

 this inside.

It was surprisingly buttery, which I felt kind of took away from the flavor of the Uni. But everyone seems to order this according to Tabelog.

Eggplant Schezwan-style (茄子の四川風)

Eggplant was the seasonal vegetable. We chose Schezwan-style out of the 3 styles they offered. I love eggplants and spicy food so this dish hit the spot. I also liked the interesting texture of the flash-fried Yama-Imo the chef added.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Black Rice Vinegar (黒酢豚)

Many Chinese places in Japan offers Sweet & Sour Pork with Black Rice Vinegar, which is similar to Balsamic Vinegar in that it is more mild in acidity and has more depth. Really enjoyed the sauce of this dish.

Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)

Its hard to explain how delicious this Mapo Tofu was! It was THE perfect combination of the amount of spiciness (he added a homemade Chili Sauce), the numbing sensation of the Sichuan Pepper (山椒) and the creamy tofu coming together in one sizzling hot pot. 

Green Onion Fried Rice (葱炒飯)

I was sold when the chef told us that this is his most recommended dish and that he can not perfect fried rice anymore than what it is now... and it was indeed, a fried rice masterpiece.

We finished the meal off sharing a Mango Pudding which was the seasonal dessert. It had so much Mango fruit which was a refreshing finish to a fabulously satisfying meal!