Uminoie

Of all the restaurants in the East Village, Uminoie might be the one that feels the most like someone’s home. It’s a long, narrow space in the bottom of an apartment building on 4th Street, the menus are handwritten and taped together like summer camp arts and crafts projects, and all the food comes out of a tiny kitchen located directly behind the bar. The menu is pretty small, but expect things like monkfish liver in ponzu, an eel omelette, and massive chunks of pork belly in a rich, salty broth. And be sure to drink some sake or shochu with whatever you order.