TBD Izakaya

General Notes

One of the best restaurants that I've been to in a while. I think this restaurant was previously known as "Akiko's Restaurant" but there's been a change in name recently. It's a "Japanese fusion" restaurant, and it executes on that really well. A lot of the key elements are Japanese but there's a lot of flavors and influences from other cuisines that gets melded together well. The food is really, really good. It's definitely on the pricier side, but it's a great option for a special occasion.

Negatives

> They have this hot stone A5 wagyu dish ... which you cook yourself. Every time a table cooks it, it generates a ton of smoke. I found that my clothes were pretty smoky after the fact.

Dishes Tasted

• ★★★★ hojicha tiramisu
• ★★☆☆ chazuke -- chicken dashi, corn silk tea, madai
• ★★★★ chicken oyster -- oyster of chicken, duck liver, ponzu. Such an amazing combination
• ★★★☆ kawa set -- I really enjoyed the one in the middle, the bonjiri tail. It was super savory and a bit more substantial
• ★★★☆ offal set -- gizzard, liver, heart. The liver is INCREDIBLE. The heart was just ok, the gizzard was solid.
• ★★★☆ veggie set -- romesco, white asparagus, daikon.
• ★★★★ hot karaage -- The BEST fried chicken that I've ever had. It's super crispy. It has two layers of crispiness, which I have no idea how they do. There's the skin on the inside, and a layer of batter on the outside. It's boneless, which makes it convenient. The flavor (especially with the yuzu hot sauce) is so good and with just the right level of spiciness.
• ★★★★ okonomiyaki -- king crab pancake, sauerkraut, kewpie, aonori, and smoked trout roe. Love the flavor contrast of this dish
• ★★★☆ kakuni mochi -- slow braised pork belly set over a mochi donut, crowned with cured egg yolk. Super savory and satisfying.
• ★★☆☆ sasami -- chicken tenderloin duo -- cherrywood smoked jerky / medium-rare tataki with ponzu wasabi. This just tastes like sashimi, to be honest. Probably wouldn't get again
• ★★★☆ crudo -- The flavor is decent, I like the crispy rice, it adds a nice textural contrast