Izakaya Seki

Grab a seat at the kitchen counter of this Japanese rowhouse pub, where father-daughter duo Hiroshi and Cizuka Seki serve up beautifully simple small plates. The pristine sashimi plate is a must, but the menu is full of unassuming pleasures such as crab-and-corn croquettes and grilled hamachi collar. We tend to gravitate toward the hand-doodled specials, which might include monkfish liver or beef tongue with miso. Conversational sake descriptions help pair the perfect bottle, and on Tuesday evenings, the upstairs transforms into Seki Nikai, a natural-wine bar that’s become a favorite of the hospitality-industry crowd.