Rabbit House, New York

In Japan, young people attempting to establish themselves in the big city often move into tiny, cramped apartments referred to as "rabbit hutches." Little nooks aren't rare in New York either—in fact, Chef Yoshiko Sakuma found the perfect one for her first restaurant, which is located off the beaten path at the edge of Chinatown.

The Japan native's 14-seat wine and sake bar—fittingly named Rabbit House—is truly a hidden treasure. Here, Chef Sakuma dishes out what Bedford and Bowery refers to as "whimsical culinary experiments" and "unexpected European tapas dusted with Japanese moxie." Indeed, none of her dishes are fully Japanese; all of them, however, are creative and designed with sake and wine pairings in mind. Here are a few dishes to consider when you stop by:

• Tako taco: Tako means "octopus" in Japanese, and here, it's packed into tacos along with chickpeas and nori sauce.
• Fake sushi: It certainly looks like sushi, but it's actually a savory roll made with prosciutto, cream cheese, and wild rice.
• The Trapped Rabbit: Chef Sakuma's signature dish is a rabbit involtini, which is wrapped in caul fat and stuffed with baby carrots, rutabaga, and daikon. A guava-balsamic glaze adds extra sweetness to the meat.