Hopscotch

Hopscotch Restaurant Review:

Chef/co-owner Kyle Itani is known for his version of fusion: the tweaking of Western comfort foods with slight and sly Japanese twists. Itani's ever-shifting menu at this self-described "upscale diner" furnished with tiny tables, gigantic utensils and assertively vintage décor might include such artful, almost psychedelically flavorful mashups as cast-iron-seared sea bass with lentil caponata and citrus-garlic miso, or dry-aged rib-eye steak with parsnip purée and plum-sesame-seaweed ume goma sauce. A bestseller is the juicy chuck-and-tongue First Base Burger, served with sesame aïoli. Meatless options could present chewy, cheesy kabocha squash gnocchi paired with chili oil. Among whimsical, indulgent desserts have been donuts with butterscotch custard, and roasted soybean flour ice cream with fudge and brûléed banana. Cocktails such as the bourbon/lemon/Averna/five-spice The Golden Spike have a retro, speakeasy feel and look small but are strong. The bar menu favors "hops and scotch" --- get it? --- with many local and Japanese beers and whiskeys.