Tasting menus are a superb way to sample a chef's range of dishes, even though they can sometimes be criticized for scant portions that don't match up with the bill at the end. But such is not the case at Tei An. Chef Teiichi Sakurai's seven-course omakase hits all the highlights of the soba noodle house with courses such as assorted sashimi, Japanese Wagyu (miyazaki) on a hot stone, tempura burdock root and creamy soba carbonara. Saving room for dessert will require some serious pacing, but the housemade soba ice cream with toasted honey and soba powder is worth the self-discipline it requires. The quality, variety and portion sizes in the tasting menu at Tei An make it one of the few places to spend $100 on a nice dinner in the city that won't exploit your savings account.