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Realizing that Japanese food was not all ramen, teriyaki, and tempura, I wanted to sample other parts of Japanese cuisine. One of my friends who had recently spent a year in Japan told me about izakayas. In a sense, they are Japanese tapas bars. Serving small plates (but bigger than those at tapas bars) and drinks, people in Japan go there after work to unwind. But they also make for a great place to go for dinner because you can sample a lot of different dishes.

Raku is basically an izakaya except that it also serves some Korean dishes. It is located in a small strip mall next to a shabu-shabu house, which makes it hard to spot. However, this non-descript location is deceptive. It houses a place where food and relaxation is emphasized. Nothing made me realize that more than when I first walked in. I immediately noticed a kindly older woman working behind the sushi bar. Nothing spells homecooking like an elderly cook.

Looking at the menu, I was almost overwhelmed. They have over one hundred offerings not including what they wrote on the dry-erase board. Most of the dishes range in the $6-$8 range. Settling on four dishes for my girlfriend and I, we chose the fried calamari, the stewed beef tendon, the somen noodles, and the japanese pancake (known as okonomiyaki).

The calamari was excellent. The meat may not have been as fresh as those one might find in an Italian restaurant, but it was still very good. They used very little batter since the key to the dish was the tonkatsu dipping sauce. The sauce is almost like a more viscous version of Worchestire sauce with a hint of sweetness.

The stewed beef tendon was soft to chew but still had that firmness of the tendon. It came in a slightly spicy sauce that I believe was nothing more than the beef jus flavored with some chili. Letting the meat soak helped to accentuate the flavor.

I had never had somen before and soon found out that it they are thin noodles made from wheat flour, basically a smaller version of udon. The somen came in a chicken-based broth with some shiitake mushrooms and a stick of crab meat. It was a very simple dish but it was surprisingly subtle in the variety of tastes.

Finally, we had the okonomiyaki, i.e. Japanese pancake. For me, having eaten it for the first time a year ago, I was looking forward to this dish the most. The base is a mixture of flour, cabbage, and egg. Here, they added bits of cooked ginger and octopus. They then topped it with fish flakes and okonomiyaki sauce. It was nice that they didn’t put too much mayonnaise on top. This allows for a lighter and less filling dish.

Overall, we had a great experience. We were both stuffed but didn’t feel bloated. Even better was that the meal came out to $15 dollars a person including tax and tip. Given the variety of food as well as the excellent service and environment, it was money well spent. Of course, I now have to try some of the other 100+ dishes, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Raku
11678 W. Olympic Blvd.
Open daily, except Tue.

By Jeff (see more of his posts).