Best of 2000: Best Appetizer List

Roppongi
875 Prospect Street, La Jolla
(858) 551-5252

What could be more delectable than to make a meal from small amounts of different tastes and textures that never tire your palate? Roppongi defines itself as Asian Fusion, which means that it offers dishes from China, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. Its appetizer list, called Asian Tapas, is the best in the city, 27 items, enough to keep you enchanted for nights on end. Among its offerings are barbecued mini lamb chops in hoisin sauce; beef satay; spicy Kung Pao calamari steaks; Chinese pot stickers filled with shrimp and scallops; Indonesian tiger shrimp skewers; Mongolian shredded duck quesadilla; seared ahi and crab napolean; crispy buttermilk onion rings; dumplings with chicken and porcini mushrooms; house-smoked salmon roll with cucumber, cream cheese, and avocado. A half-dozen vegetarian items are designated with stars on the menu. The restaurant setting is also enchanting, though it tends to get very noisy when crowded. Arrive early to avoid waiting for a table.