Dessert lovers will be pleased to discover that the selection here is as unusual and enticing as that of the sashimi. My favorite was a mixed berry crunch ($12), with ripe mixed berries in a lukewarm creamy sauce. The dish it was served in was quite hot, so this was probably an error. Still, the flavors were excellent. Tres leches Boston cream pie ($12) was equally delicious, with a core of dense, sweet, white material similar to that of a Central American tres leches cake. The base seemed to be crumbled chocolate cake, and the topping was top-quality Venezuelan chocolate shards; every bit of it was delectable. A warm chocolate-pudding cake ($10) tasted like a smaller version of the standard-bistro variety. It was accompanied by a dollop of real crème fraîche, which is milder than sour cream but somehow deeper in flavor, as well as shiso-candied cherries that are vaguely reminiscent of umeboshi (shiso-pickled Japanese plums), but sweeter and less weird.
Somehow, service at O Ya manages to be delightfully casual, despite the many unusual features of the restaurant. The room was fairly empty early on a weeknight, but when it finds its fans, I suspect they will be young, wealthy, multicultural, and loud.
O Ya | 9 East Street, Boston | Open Tues–Thurs, 5–10 pm; and Fri & Sat, 5–11 pm | AE, MC, VI | Beer, wine, and sake
No valet parking | Ramped access; bathroom down full flight of stairs | 617.654.9900
Email the author
Robert Nadeau: RobtNadeau@aol.com
