Eat Well, Spend Less

How to Dine at O Ya for a (Relative) Pittance

No way around it: This celebrated Leather District sushi spot is expensive. Really expensive. Typical budget is $125 per person, but if you’ve got a weakness for the junmai daiginjo section of the sake menu, it’s easy to rack up a $350-plus tab. Given that Dollar Wagyu Wednesdays don’t appear to be in the offing, here’s your game plan for savoring chef Tim Cushman’s rarified bites for as little money as possible.

9 East St., Boston, 617-654-9900, oyarestaurantboston.com.

1. Rice is nice.

Stick with sashimi and you'll pay dearly. Instead, load up on nigiri (like the salmon tataki with torched tomato) and capitalize on the filling boules of rice.Photograph by Betsy Halsey

Photograph by Betsy Halsey

2. Umami dearest.

Ah, the kin medai sashimi! That oh-so-pristine snapper, brightened with lemon oil and sprigs of ginger blossom! Sound tempting? Yeah, well, forget it. Go for meaty umami flavors, which make you feel full faster. Look for truffle oil and the words “torched” and “smoked” (e.g., the truffled, torched, and smoked tuna tataki).Photograph by Betsy Halsey

Photograph by Betsy Halsey

3. The richer, the fuller.

Let these guidelines shape your order, and you won’t leave hungry: Scallops are richer than fish. Mayo is richer than vinaigrette. And clam ­chowder with potato chunks, tempura crunchies, drizzled Kurobuta pork fat, and pig-skin cracklin’s is—as one might guess—richer than miso soup. Photograph by Betsy Halsey

Photograph by Betsy Halsey

4. Unpack bundles.

O Ya’s nigiri come as two pieces, while sashimi and dumplings come as three. Insider secret: You can get a single piece of any of these at a proportional savings. Photograph by Betsy Halsey

Photograph by Betsy Halsey

 $125 DINNER FOR TWO

Asahi Super-Dry Beer (2 bottles) $14
Scarlet Sea Scallop (nigiri) $8
Salmon Tataki (nigiri) $12
Hamachi (nigiri) $14
Warm Eel (nigiri) $12
Chilled Daikon Dumplings $8 (ask for 2 pieces)
Salmon Skin (nigiri) $10
Wild Bluefin Tuna Tataki (sashimi) $14 (ask for 2 pieces)
Clam Chowder (2 bowls) $18