Mr. Bauer sounds pleased that, in terms of Japanese menus, “more chefs are expanding beyond sushi and sashimi,” and thus begins his positive review of Chotto in the Marina. He calls the deep-fried tofu “sublime,” and like Patti U. he’s a fan of the grilled saba and the chicken tsukune (meatballs), which are served with teriyaki and an egg yolk (“You stir it all together and the yolk adds a velvety essence to the sauce and enrobes the meat”). He’s also into the Kobe beef tongue with sea salt and shichimi chile sauce, using his favored qualified superlative: “It’s one of the best preparations of tongue I’ve found.” Also, like Patti, he loves the ramen: “Crinkly, perfectly cooked ramen sits at the bottom of the bowl, buried in a cloudy broth with slices of meat and generous garnishes of sliced bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and chive oil.” All told: two and a half stars. [Chron, Patti’s earlier take]
