Lower East Side Japanese Restaurant Soy Is Quiet, But That's Ok

Filling in for Ligaya Mishan, Jeff Gordinier pays several visits to the quiet Japanese restaurant Soy on the Lower East Side. "Plenty of New York restaurants aim to manufacture a sense of homeyness, but Soy feels like an actual offshoot of someone's apartment." Etsuko Kizawa, the chef and owner turns out simple, often veggie-focused fare at a very relaxed pace.

She's not trying to stage some sriracha-versus-Sichuan-peppercorns death match. Her beef curry delivers simple solace, especially on a cold day...Soy's signature dish, spiritually speaking, must be its "tofu steak"...It doesn't make a lot of noise, but that's O.K. New York has plenty of noise already.

Ligaya Mishan will return to her usual beat on January 21.