Hidden under charming trees and vines, My Porch feels like a secret lair for the neighborhood’s Japanese residents. On a Sunday night, they are there in pairs, dining quietly, or as a large group of housewives, enjoying a mini-party on the coveted second-floor balcony. We might take this as a seal of authenticity, but the menu is almost entirely yoshuku, Japanese twists on Western dishes like soups, pastas and steaks. We give them a couple of points for thinking outside the bento box, but we can’t help but think that the appeal is largely nostalgic, and we are irrevocably out of the loop. Still, there is a lot that is good about My Porch: a cozy, popsanova-free vibe and sweet, if occasionally frazzled, service. As for the food, we struggle to give it the benefit of the doubt. Some choices demonstrate a commitment to quality and others a weakness for shortcuts. The presence of ratatouille with boiled egg on the menu is impressive, but more disappointing is it being served out-of-the-fridge cold with the tomato sauce overpowering the otherwise attractive egg. The Caesar salad takes a lot of successful liberties, coming with high-quality avocado and imported ham—in addition to home-toasted croutons and a fresh, garlicky dressing served on the side. But we’re baffled by the little condiment jar of processed, powdered Parmesan cheese. For mains, we like the fried shrimp which is huge and juicy and comes with a generous salad. It’s impossible to finish, though, because the batter, while crisp and non-greasy, is just as thick as the meat. The sea urchin spaghetti has a silky, golden cream sauce, and the noodles are the paragon of al dente; yet the actual sea urchin meat is absent and the flavor evokes memories of pen ink to us. Just when we are on the verge of writing off My Porch, out comes the revelatory custard, firm but soft, eggy but sweet, served with a berry jam and amazing, woody caramel. If you’re a Japanese person, you’ll probably have a grand old reminisce. For the rest of you, have a salad and a pudding and try to beat the ladies to the balcony.
