SakaMai has been on my list for a while. A chill, sake bar and restaurant with a ton of uni-inspired dishes is just right up my alley! So when it came time to pick a spot to have my annual birthday dinner with the fam, I immediately knew where I wanted to go!

My mom and I arrived before my sister did and they sat us in a roomy booth in the back of the restaurant. It was a really nice spot because it was very quiet and we got to take our time with our meal.

SakaMai’s menu features a bunch of Japanese tapas, so everything is meant to be shared. I think we may have over-ordered, but there were just too many appealing options on the menu!

Here’s what we ordered –

Duck Prosciutto with dried fig ($6)

Ikura Tofu – salmon caviar, homemade tofu, pickled wasabi stem, and yuzu zest ($12)

Grilled Little Gem Lettuce – lettuce with miso buttermilk dressing, blue cheese, and walnuts ($12) 

Grilled Octopus with gochujang pepper, watermelon radish, and shio kombu ($18) 

Egg on Egg on Egg – sea urchin, sturgeon caviar, and scrambled egg served in a uni shell ($19)

Uni Mazemen – temomi ramen noodle, sea urchin, bone marrow, and bottarga ($28)

Wagyu and Uni Hand Roll – wagyu beef, sea urchin, smoked takuan pickles, and wasabi ($18)

The awesome –

I think the best dish would be the Uni Mazemen – this is a unanimous vote from all three of us. It was the ultimate dish filled with creamy sea urchin and buttery bone marrow. Every bite of ramen felt indulgent.

Their signature Egg on Egg on Egg was also a highlight of my night. The scrambled egg was very smooth and the texture paired perfectly with the sea urchin and caviar. Each bite felt like you were taking a bite out of the ocean – but in a good way. The scrambled egg was basically tasteless – but paired with the saltiness of the sea urchin and caviar, each bite was a burst of flavor in your mouth.

The good –

I would definitely eat the Duck Prosciutto and Grilled Octopus again. Both were solid dishes and we actually almost ordered another round of the prosciutto. The Ikura Tofu was another fine example of paired textures and using something very salty to flavor a dish that normally would be bland.

The OK –

If I come back to SakaMai, I would probably skip the Grilled Little Gem Lettuce. Both were good dishes, but it didn’t “stand out” to me. I would definitely skip these and order another Egg on Egg on Egg!

Service was very attentive and we felt like we were well taken care of during the entire meal. My sister had told them it was my birthday and they brought over a candle in a scoop of mango sorbet. The sorbet was delicious – and I got to make a wish!

If you’re a uni lover, definitely put SakaMai on your radar!

P.S. They have a very extensive sake and alcohol list. I thoroughly enjoyed my whisky highball!