425 Westport Road | 816-756-3600 | samakc.com
Restaurateur Erika Koike's Sama Zama is a kind of snack shop for grown-ups. The menu is an array of small plates inspired by the food served in a Japanese izakaya, a casual-drinking establishment. There are dumplings, of course, and the fat, savory pancake called okonomi yaki. Also, a number of alluring grilled delicacies are discounted 50 percent from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays. Vegetarian choices include garlic-infused sautéed asparagus, green beans, teriyaki vegetables with tofu. Meat eaters get a bargain with the small shared plates of grilled, plum-wine-marinated steak, a jalapeño-teriyaki steak, cha shu spare ribs, and shrimp and calamari in Koike's mogu mogu sauce. With the cash you save on the food, indulge in a potent saketini or the shell-pink Tipsy Geisha.
