Taiko Brentwood
Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:30Taiko is almost Japanese comfort food to me. Aside from being one of the first places my wife and I went when we started dating, their menu offers a wide range of solid Japanese food. From sushi to tempura to udon and cooked fish entrees, there’s something for everyone.
We usually stick with the Donburi combos. For around $10 you get a nice bowl of fresh udon and a rice bowl topped with a variety of choices such as tempura, chicken teriyaki or thin sliced beef. The combo also starts with a small green salad with a tasty ginger dressing.
Tempura Donburi
Beef Donburi With Udon
I like how Taiko gives you a side dish of tempura bits to drop into the udon. With careful planning, you can drop the bits in as you eat and keep them crunchy. Dump them all in at the beginning and you end up with a soggy mess.
The sushi at Taiko is good. I don’t think that it is the reason to go to Taiko, but it is a great appetizer for the rest of the meal.
I have also had the dinner bentos which are a great deal. The combinations change as different ingredients are available and usually include a couple types of fish, some veggies and rice or noodles. It’s actually a good dish to share.
Depending on what you order, a party of two can get out of Taiko, stuffed, for less than $30. A partial view of their menu shows that you can order some more “fancy” items and pump the bill up towards $100 or more with sake and beer.
Taiko also serves green tea ice cream, one of my favorites.
[update] I forgot to mention, it’s a good idea to call ahead for Taiko, they can fill up fast. If you show up around dinner time, it’s not unusual to have a 20+ minute wait.
Taiko
11677 San Vicente Bl. #302
Los Angeles , CA 90049
310-207-7782
By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.
Kristy says:
April 20th, 2006 at 9:58 am
Funny story. One of my “jobs” out of college was a part-time position at the Taiko in El Segundo. I was one of the first cadre of people there after their grand opening. Too bad I was the only Japanese American yonsei there…I couldn’t speak to the other Japanese servers. I did kick it with the Spanish speaking busboys though. They saved me out of a pickle when I clinked two open beer bottles together and the beer started to spew. ;)
M says:
April 20th, 2006 at 11:21 am
I like Taiko too. Have you ever been to Mishima near the Beverly Center? It is pretty much the same thing except no sushi (well maybe like one or two things). I like their broth the Udon comes in better then the one at Taiko.
Kristy says:
April 20th, 2006 at 11:30 am
Mishima’s is GREAT! I love their udon and handroll combo. But if you love udon, the best broth and noodles I’ve had is in Gardena at Sanuki no Sato on Western. Happy eating!
Maribeth says:
April 20th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
I’m psyched to try the one in El Segundo, actually. For a couple months I have been too busy to enjoy a leisurely meal out, so this could be a nice way to break the fast!
Jonah says:
April 20th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
The El Segundo one is good, but I think has a slightly smaller menu than the Brentwood location. I seem to remember them not having the same comdos. I did eat there shortly after they opened, I wonder if Kristy was one of my servers.
I do like the Udon at Mishima and the old Mishima at Olympic and Sawtelle, which I think is Yashima now?
Kristy says:
April 20th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
From what I remember, Taiko was a little on the pricey side for Japanese eats. Jonah, I *may* have served you way back in 2000. A friend of mine recognized me with my tie and apron, and made lots of jokes with me afterwards. But then again, I was only there for a few weeks before I decided that I couldn’t be on my feet for that long and gave in my uniform.
Lei says:
April 20th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
I’ve been meaning to go to the Taiko in El Segundo. I work down the street from it but I haven’t heard anything about it. Good to know it’s getting good reviews. I even get a 10% off my meal!
Maribeth says:
May 4th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
The El Segundo Taiko is really nice. The service was extraordinarily friendly–the waiter took the time to fix our wobbly table, and refills on our green tea were remarkably frequent. The aroma from my niku udon was irresistible! Just the thing for lunch on a gray and cloudy day.