Went with two friends. Two or four might be a better number given the way the dishes are portioned.
First and best bite of the meal, fish cake tempura. This was exactly like something I’d hope to get at a really good izakaya. Score one for In Situ. (We asked for a third, the normal order is two.)
Very similar to if not actually Acme levain. Brown butter (topped with chives etc.) was great. Two for In Situ.
Salmon: all hat and no cattle. In Situ, 2-0.
Asparagus with fried maitake, house-made tofu, and sesame mayo. This was great and again things I’d hope to get at a really good izakaya, albeit with the asparagus maybe not plated so fancily. In Situ, 3-0.
Octopus was surprisingly spicy with fun textures from rice and seaweed crackers. Reminded me of takoyaki, so again solidly in izakaya territory. In Situ 3, Peru 1.
Wasabi lobster with mango jelly, OK but kind of watered-down Japanese flavors compared with the previous dishes. Germany still no points.
Halibut, for me this was a hard fail. If I’d been alone I would have sent it back. Foul for Germany.
Jokbal, this was really good, especially that fermented barley whatever-it-is. There was actually a pretty solid amount of pork in the bowl, though we’d have liked more of the skin, cartilage, and fat like you’d get at a traditional place. Pickled perilla was too sweet for my taste but it was gilding the lily anyway. One point for Korea.
The cheesecake is really good. The filling’s savory and the only sweetness comes from the marzipan covering.
Final score In Situ 3, Korea, Peru, and Spain 1 each, Germany 0. The restaurant’s original dishes surpassing the rest puts the curated menu concept in doubt.
That was plenty of food for three, would have been fine with a dish or two fewer.