Ika Yaki (Grilled Squid) from Izakaya

Calamari. Luscious, delicate calamari. I love you.

Fried with marinara? Yes. Lightly battered thai style with sweet/ spicy sauce? Yes. And now: grilled and doused in tangy, Japanese flavors.

The new Japanese tapas-style restaurant on Smith Street, Izakaya, is worth a visit. The food is fresh and delicious, the vibe unpretentious, and the menu is filled with all kinds of interesting dishes, including cold, simmered kabocha (japanese pumpkin), yakitori dishes and buta bara (pork belly) kimchee, in addition to sushi and sashimi.

But the squid was the clear front-runner for me on my visit. It was chewy as squid always is, but surprisingly springy and super flavorful. Also, the squid wasn't fried, so there's a little bit of healthyness here, if that's your thing.

The sweet and tangy soy sauce that topped the squid brought out the sea flavor in the usually very un-fishy tasting fish.