A dojo in the middle of the East Village, Robataya ramps up the American ideal of Japan in a glittering commercial of a meal. Empty bottles of sake line the wood-paneled walls and the giant table in the entryway seats 24 and overtakes the room Fresh fish and vegetables are on display in baskets, and everything here, from mushrooms to […]

When most of us set goals, we keep them in mental lists that keep us up at night. When the Japanese have something to strive for, they reach for a Daruma doll, a wishing talisman shaped like a small, round bearded man. If you want all your hopes to come true, you color in one of his eyes. Then, every […]