At Little Belly Izakaya, fried bites like Yuzu Lemon Pepper Pork Katsu and Karaage share menu space with fusion plates such as Ribeye Au Poivre and Miso Caesar Brussles, while pi\u00f1a coladas come served as Matcha Coladas in vintage Benihana mugs.<\/p>\n
The Brookside concept from Chefs Marco Herrera and Sheamus Feeley embraces what the pair call a \u201ctraditionally untraditional\u201d approach to Japanese-American fusion \u2014 one built less around strict authenticity and more on fun, frivolity and the kind of food people genuinely want to come back for.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The concept, open daily from 5-10 p.m., fuses food styles together to create Japanese-American fusion dishes.<\/p>\n
Michelle Pollard<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing about Little Belly that is traditional,\u201d Feeley says. \u201cIt pays homage, and it gives a tip of the cap to a lot of things, but no one is trying to be traditional. All we want to do is create something that is delicious and uniquely ours.\u201d<\/p>\n Herrera describes the food simply as \u201cJapanese-American pub food and pub culture,\u201d pairing Japanese techniques and flavors with Oklahoma personality and a playful sense of humor. The restaurant\u2019s \u201cOkiemiyaki\u201d riffs on traditional okonomiyaki with smoked brisket from Mac\u2019s BBQ, while cocktails like a Brown Butter Miso Old Fashioned are poured tableside from a soy sauce bottle. Miller High Lifes can be found alongside Suntory whiskey and Japanese highballs, creating a restaurant that feels intentionally approachable rather than overly precious.\u00a0<\/p>\n A dish at Little Belly Izakaya<\/p>\n<\/p>\n