Best izakaya los angeles

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Small, sharing plates are a modern dining trend—and depending on the culture of origin, this tradition is called mezze, tapas, antipasti, or banchan. Now, the newest craze is izakaya, which translates to "stay sake shop" in Japanese. A traditional izakaya in Japan is a casual, reasonably priced gastropub or tavern, centered around drinks first, then small plates such as yakitori skewers, tofu, vegetables, rice balls, soba noodles, and more drinks. Los Angeles restaurateurs are now putting their personal stamp on the izakaya concept with regards to style, menus and cost. Discover unique izakaya destinations that have opened in the last couple of years, plus one that's opening soon. Named after a 19th century statesman who is said to have brought food and happiness to Japan through agricultural development, this intimate, upscale izakaya opened in January next to Sushi Gen at Honda Plaza in Little Tokyo. Bottles of sake and wine line the walls of the modern space with window views to the kitchen where you can glimpse chef Yoshikazu Kondo at work.

Best izakaya los angeles

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Skewers, noodles, small bites: they all go really well with beer and sake. When we think of Japanese food in Los Angeles, the first food stuff we think of is sushi or ramen and hopefully not Yoshinoya. The izakaya trend left almost as soon as it came, with a myriad of closures following the initial boom in the mid-aughts. But with an infinitely beer-worthy array of tasty Japanese skewers, noodles and fried foods, it's plain to see that the humble, unassuming Japanese pub is still here to stay. Go ahead, look down your nose at the next person who equates Japanese food with sushi or ramen, and expand your culinary horizons with a group of friends and a cold glass of Sapporo or shot of sake. If you want optimal pairing for beer and sake, skip the sushi and opt for the kara-age, agedashi tofu, charcoal-grilled skewers and pork za sai. The menu boasts the usual fried food suspects tempura, tatsuta age and a pretty solid Okinawa Soba, and the creamy popcorn shrimp is a guilty pleasure. This trendy Little Tokyo spot boasts a full bar and perhaps more importantly, the sherry cask-aged Yamazaki 18 year as well as an impressive beer list. The menu also has some affordable, smaller steaks in addition to braised Japanese spare ribs and unagi fried rice. The beef tongue at this South Bay favorite is raved about, and with good reason: It's perfectly cooked medium and surprisingly tender for such a muscular cut. Crab croquettes and gobo chips round out an absolutely stellar and slightly eclectic menu that proves that the South Bay is still the undisputed king when it comes to Japanese food in Southern California. Carpaccios and small plates seem to be the name of the game at Sasaya, but the chicken kara-age is undeniable, the udon more than serviceable and a highly selective sake and shochu list is there to help diners forget that Sasaya puts way too much sauce on just about everything else.

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Small, sharing plates are a modern dining trend—and depending on the culture of origin, this tradition is called mezze, tapas, antipasti, or banchan. Now, the newest craze is izakaya, which translates to "stay sake shop" in Japanese. A traditional izakaya in Japan is a casual, reasonably priced gastropub or tavern, centered around drinks first, then small plates such as yakitori skewers, tofu, vegetables, rice balls, soba noodles, and more drinks. Los Angeles restaurateurs are now putting their personal stamp on the izakaya concept with regards to style, menus and cost. Discover unique izakaya destinations that have opened in the last couple of years, plus one that's opening soon. Named after a 19th century statesman who is said to have brought food and happiness to Japan through agricultural development, this intimate, upscale izakaya opened in January next to Sushi Gen at Honda Plaza in Little Tokyo. Bottles of sake and wine line the walls of the modern space with window views to the kitchen where you can glimpse chef Yoshikazu Kondo at work. Specials of the day are listed on a floor to ceiling chalkboard in back. Expect the unexpected and you will be both surprised and content.

Best izakaya los angeles

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Nice job. Quickly took away finished plates to bring the next dish. Leave this field blank. The cold broth made it somewhat difficult to eat since the noodles were also cold, so minus a star. Excellent LA outpost of this essential Las Vegas restaurant. Start planning. Sides were flavorful. I guess people come for the value. I will continue to ruminate over this meal. Just how big is it? They have been particular about how to cook sumeshi, vinegared rice for sushi, and how to make sushi rice ball since its founding in Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Skewers, noodles, small bites: they all go really well with beer and sake.

The Raku tofu is truly beautiful and a must-have. This modern restaurant provides a course modern kaiseki meal, showcasing seasonal ingredients, including organic vegetables from its own garden. Discover Time Out original video. The place is not large enough so that it is crowded while the waiting time is enough long. Six bar seats are available to view the kitchen action, while another six seats have a view out to Sunset Boulevard via a street-side window counter. The best meal I have ever enjoyed. Limited serving of 20 orders per day lunch-time only. Map view. The food was incredibly overpriced and the quality of some of the dishes were questionable. Mentai Squid Butter Udon: Definitely has a strong seafood flavor and they are generous with the squid pieces.