Japanese Restaurants – Page 13

Sushi Yorimichi

October 6, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Loco Mocos, Sushi and Sashimi

**** You can find an updated post on Yorimichi here.

Sushi Yorimichi replaced Thai Papaya back in June. While I was still working from home a couple of days a week, until the Delta variant got out of control, I managed to make a couple visits between the middle of June until the middle of July.

I visited right as the place opened on all four visits and was the only customer in the place.

The interior has changed slightly from the days of Thai Papaya' the tables a bit more spread out (perhaps for more Covid "distancing"), there're seats in front of the counter.

Like "FOY" SomTommy described to me in an email, having visited soon after they opened, "there's everything on the menu from sushi to ramen to yakitori". And Junichi mentioned that the yakitori is done over on a gas grill, so I wasn't going to be ordering that for sure.

And yes indeed, the menu has everything from karaage to katsu don, to a "loco moco", sushi rolls (of course), yakitori, yakisoba, ramen (both tonkotsu and birria), poke……. The prices though, except for one exception seem to be quite reasonable.

On my first visit, I decided to try out the Katsudon (I chose Tonkatsu – $9). The portion size was quite generous……especially in terms of rice. A good lesson as I'd order just "half rice" the next time.

This was not bad, the egg nicely doused and tender, a bit on the salty side, but that's something to be expected. The tonkatsu was decently breaded, but over-fried and the panko really dark and starting to peel off of the slightly dry pork cutlet.

The rice was decently done, no complaints there. I've had worse….

Junichi had mentioned enjoying the Dashimaki Tamago ($7), so I decided to get that and some other appetizers to spare me all the rice on my next visit. This version had mozzarella cheese and mentaiko (cod roe).

I did enjoy the mentaiko in this version of the Japanese Rolled omelet, it added a much needed savoriness to the tender egg, which I thought was on the bland side. I really didn't enjoy the milkiness of the cheese in this either.

I also ordered the Agedashi Tofu ($5).

I really didn't enjoy this very much. The tentsuyu really tasted like mentsuyu…..the really salty bottled soup base. The tofu wasn't evenly fried; half of it brown, the other half pale white which fell right off the tofu. The texture of the tofu was quite "wet-mushy"….I don't think it was drained properly before making this.

The Chicken Karaage ($5), looked pretty good and it was indeed decently crunchy.

I thought the cutting of the chicken was interesting….some small cubes, some slices where I could tell the cook was checking to see if the chicken was done. The color was dark and rich looking, but this was pretty bland.

My favorite item of the day was the Kawa-su ($5).

While the chicken skin was on the thick side and some bites were overly chewy; the sauce was quite good; balanced soy, sweetness, and sour/acidity. There was a mild spiciness to this as well.

A few days later I decided to return and actually try some of the fish; I went and ordered the Chirashi ($22), easy on the rice.

This was a mixed bag; not the best quality fish, the cutting was a bit on the "thicker" side, and definitely not even in the same league as even Chef Jun, not to mention other places. The rice was terrible, hard and dry, the sushi meshi very mild…perhaps as to not offend? That albacore was dry and cut much too thick, the maguro had a metallic finish, the scallops somewhat fishy. The uni was decent and the salmon standard issue.

I left somewhat disappointed. I guess this place is really just for rolls……

I really wanted to find something that I'd really enjoy here; so I went with one last try……I was somewhat fascinated with the Yorimichi Style Loco Moco ($9)….and you know me and Loco Mocos. I guess Justin Young is right, "You can take the boy from the island, but not the island from the boy". I'd had my eye on that from the first time I opened the menu, so I finally went ahead and ordered it.

This was an interesting dish. The rice, while still a bit on the dry side, was better in texture than what I'd had previously. The egg was decently cooked, still somewhat runny, with no off flavors. The burger had less filler than I expected, but was moist, tender, and mildly beefy. The menu claimed that the burger was topped with Hayashi Sauce, which makes me expect sort of a demi-glace beefiness, along with earthy mushroom-onion flavors, with perhaps a tangy tomato-ness. This was like across between Hayashi style sauce and Japanese Hamburg style sauce, both are similar in many ways. I believe I detected a hint of Worcestershire in this. This wasn't too bad and wasn't overly sweet. Totally Yoshoku.

In the end, I think of Yorimichi to be kind of a "diner" of sorts. There's still ramen/curry/teriyaki/etc on the menu. The prices are quite reasonable, the service efficient. I tend toward the "specialists" when it comes to Japanese cuisine, with a few exceptions. I'm not quite ready to make that exception for Yorimichi yet……

Sushi Yorimichi
2405 Ulric St.
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Daily 11am – 830pm

Takeout from CoCo Ichibanya

September 28, 2021 mmm-yoso Chains, Japanese Restaurants

I think many people were quite excited when it was announced that CoCo Ichibanya was opening in San Diego, I know that I was. And finally, in March of this past year they opened. And of course there were the lines, so I decided to wait….until they did online ordering which took quite a while. Each time I'd drive by I'd see all the folks waiting. When I saw a trend of shorter lines. And they finally did have online ordering at the beginning of this month, I went ahead and placed an order when I was in the office and was given a time.

I went ahead and drove down to Convoy. I had placed my order right at 11am and was given an 1130 pick-up time. I drove down and arrived at 1125.

As I pulled into the parking lot I received a text telling me that my pick-up time had changed to 1150-1200…..at 1125? Really? Five minutes before pickup you move the goalposts? It was a work day, so I waited 10 minutes and just walked in to check on my order. The folks working were really nice in spite of seeming to be quite harried. And guess what, my order was ready……I asked when I should have picked it up…the answer? 1130.

Ok, I figured that they are busy and still working out the kinks; I returned to the office with my Tonkatsu Curry, sauce level 2 (50 cent upcharge)….I usually order level 5, but I thought I'd just see how spicy this curry really was.

Good lord, this was terrible. From the unevenly fried tonkatsu…notice the breading was peeling off the super dry pork. To the super watery curry, to the dry and hard rice. Man, to think I criticized Zen Curry. I know of a few CI loyalists who will say, "well, because of ingredients and such you can't compare the food to Japan". Well, let me tell you, I'm not comparing this to CI in Japan. The first CoCo Ichibanya outside of Japan opened in Honolulu. In fact it was in McCully and was just a few blocks from where my apartment used to be before I moved to the mainland….the service was terrible and they only took cash, but the curry was nothing like this. Also, when I was doing work in Irvine, the folks I was working with went to CI in Irvine, which was also much better than this…..it was like a whole different restaurant.

A few weeks later the Missus told me She wanted to try CoCo Ichibanya…….so I did the online ordering thing again…….I was given a time 1215 and I went off to do some shopping where I was then sent a text telling me my order was ready……at 1120! Sheesh, so I rushed on over to pick-up my order.

Returning home we got to opening things up right away. I had ordered the Missus's Chicken Katsu Curry with vegetables ($2.80 upcharge), just in case the curry didn't line up with Her expectations. Well, that didn't help at all.

Man, that chicken was so dry…..and like before the breading was peeling off, which means really bad quality control in terms of the temp of the protein and the oil used for frying. Having a taste of a piece I noticed it was barely seasoned. I couldn't hide how watery and bland the curry was behind the vegetables. The Missus looked at me and said, "this can't be Coco Ichibanya".

I'm afraid to say it was.

I got the Karaage Curry and having had the curry on my previous visit, I went with level 5 spice ($1.25 upcharge). Opening my container I knew this was not going to be the curry from Coco Ichibanya I enjoyed.

The chicken was so pale, flaccid, the batter mushy, bland, and the flesh dry. At least the curry had some "zip", but it was watery, and lacking in all that makes Japanese curry enjoyable to me; a nice tongue coating umami richness, some beefiness, a hint of sweetness……

We didn't even finish half.

The folks here are working super hard, the prices are reasonable, it's just that there seems to be a lack of quality control. CI has been open for over 6 months now, so it's hard to blame grand opening jitters. As for a pandemic personnel shortage….well perhaps….. But this isn't the Coco Ichibanya I know.

I was going to try a third takeout visit; but in the end just decided to wait….perhaps down the line, when I'm ok with dining in again, I'll give them another try.

You can read about Kirbie's takeout visit here.

CoCo Ichibanya
4428 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Daily 11am – 10pm

Midweek Meanderings – Sushi Yorimichi replaces Thai Papaya, Matoi replaces Shirahama, El Viejon Seafood opening soon, and Pho UTC and Grill has Closed

June 9, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants, Pho, Sushi and Sashimi

Here's a collection of what I've seen over the last few weeks.

Sushi Yorimichi replaces Thai Papaya:

**** You can find a post on Sushi Yorimichi here.

This one was first mentioned to me by our "FOY" Junichi, who noticed it was replacing a favorite of ours Thai Papaya.

My photo was before our recent road trip and my understanding is that they have recently opened. A "FOY" actually visited and told me they do everything from sushi to ramen to yakitori…….

I'll reserve the rest of what was written until I (maybe) will visit in the near future.

Sushi Yorimichi
2405 Ulric St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Matoi replaces Shirahama:

Which I just noticed on one of my trips to Nijiya.

Shirahama has been replaced by yet another "omakase" place, this one run by the folks from Hane Sushi. I do have quite a story about Shirahama….perhaps one day I'll share it with you.

Matoi
4212 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

El Viejon Seafood replacing Chungchun Ssal Hot Dog:

**** You can find a post on El Viejon here.

This one really popped out at me when driving North on Convoy.

If I recall, this was the location of Chungchun Ssal Hot Dog………

Anyway, I understand this is a project from the folks that own Lupe's.

4619 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho UTC and Grill has Closed:

On a recent visit to Chicago Fire Grill I noticed a slew of "for lease" signs. One of which was for Pho UTC.

8915 Towne Centre Dr
San Diego, CA 92122

Wa Dining Okan-lunch (again)

May 27, 2021 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! at the start of a three day weekend which we all might be able to enjoy this year. Cathy is writing while Kirk (and His Missus) are vacationing.

The Mister and I have ventured out a bit more recently and have tried to visit places which satisfy cravings we have been unable to recreate at home. (Here's a link to Kirk's first Wa Dining Okan post; there are at least 20 more). The tight indoor eating space is now socially distanced with outdoor seating making up the difference.

There is a large menu board outside the door.
Once you are seated, a two sided paper menu page, including a QR code, is given. The Mister chose the Deluxe Curry Udon ($13.50) from this menu. Rich, beefy, (with a light blend of onion, potato and carrot) curry, firm udon, two tempura shrimp and a poached egg. This blend of flavors and texture was completely satisfying.

From the QR menu, I chose the Katsu pork set ($11), adding the tempura mini bowl ($6), because I wanted a different crunch.

. The mini bowl had the two tempura'd shrimp as well as potato and shishito peppers; a delightful combination. The BBQ Yakiniku set ($11) was filling with the flavorful thin sliced sautéed beef and vegetables and slaw along with the other parts of the Set (a great miso soup, white rice and varied pickled sides).
I chose the Kakuni (pork belly) Set this time. Tender braised pork belly in its sauce with a boiled egg…a perfect blend of flavors. We always order hot tea here ($2 each). It is an excellent green tea.

Wa Dining Okan 3860 Convoy, Set 110 San Diego 92111 (858)279-0941 Website

Saturday Stuffs – Mama Cinia Rice & Noodles Closes, Pho Lucky Still Closed, and Harmony Cuisine 2B1 Coming to Convoy

May 22, 2021 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

I recently decided to pick up some Filipino Food, it had been a while since I last visited Mama Cinia's and as a matter of fact; it had been a while since I'd been to this part of Mira Mesa. So I drove on over to Mama Cinia's……..to find the place closed.

Wow, I was kind of surprised, I hadn't heard that they had closed. In fact, other than the "Closed" sign there was no evidence that the place was permanently closed. So, I returned over the weekend and the place was still closed. So, I can only assume…..unless one of you has any other info, that Mma Cinia is another casualty of Covid-19.

Mama Cinia Rice & Noodles
9178 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

On the weekend visit, I decided to see if Pho Lucky has reopened, at least for take-out. But no, the place is still closed.

I'm hoping they reopen…maybe on June 15th, when California is supposed to allow businesses to open to full capacity.

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Harmony Cuisine 2B1 Coming to Convoy:

I was making my usual stop at Nijiya when I noticed new signage at 3904 Convoy…….so, I drove in.

I had noticed back in March that Sushi Hachi by Kimura was not opening in unit #117. So, looks like something called Harmony Cuisine 2b1 is opening in it's place. The onyl thing I could really find was this in SanDiegoTown.

So, it looks like another Sushi Place….interesting name……

3904 Convoy St #117
San Diego, CA 92111

Mazesoba from Hinotez

May 10, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

I was checking out the to go menu from Hinotez after they had reopened following the last Covid shutdown. Of course, I didn't expect to see the wonderful breakfast that always takes me back to my youth; after all, they were only doing dinner takeout. I did notice something I hadn't recalled seeing in San Diego, Mazesoba, basically a soupless noodle dish. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to try Taiwan Mazesoba when we visited Nagoya where the dish is said to have originated. I filed it away, meaning to order some on an evening when the Missus was working. And then…promptly forgot about it….until Kat mentioned it in a post (please check out her blog if you haven't already – it's been a favorite of mine for nearly 15 years!). Well, that must be a sign, right?

So, I placed an order online and headed on over to pick up my Wasabi Shio Mazesoba ($11).

My package was waiting when I arrived……I was a bit worried since this is a noodle dish and there was but one container in the bag….but, since this is basically a "soupless" dish; perhaps things would be fine. Plus, the folks who started Hinotez and Yakyudori are form Nagoya; so they should really know how to pack this stuff to go, right?

I managed to wrestle things in a fairly neat manner into a bowl; which I had poured boiling water into, then emptied for some carry over heat. I basically really enjoyed the flavoring, not overly salty, a pleasant hint of wasabi, the katsubushi added a nice oceany-savory component. The chashu was really good and possibly my favorite item in the dish. The egg was kind of a mess with everything stuck to it. The bean sprouts were blanched for too long and mushy.

The one item I didn't care for was a big one….the noodles. I usually enjoy thick-toothsome noodles with a nice…this however was severely overcooked, mushy, and falling to pieces as well. It was terrible. I guess there should be some "soup" at the bottom with regards to Mazesoba…..there was nothing here; I guess it all got sucked up.

Well, lesson learned on this one. I wish Hinotez would have come up with better packaging for this. I guess that having a well packaged takeout from Yakyudori didn't translate here.

I will definitely have this again; but I'll be "dining in".

Hinotez
7947 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 565-4244

Takeout From Chef Jun

May 3, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

I first noticed that Chef Jun was opening back in November of 2019, the place finally opened a few weeks later.

While "Kappo" style originally means simply "cut and cook", these days we tend to associate it with high level seasonal cuisine, or like "FOY" Junichi puts it:

"Kappo usually means higher end small plates and multi-course meals in Japan"

"FOY" Derek was also quite interested in Chef Jun; so a couple weeks back, on a day I was especially hungry, I decided to place a takeout order from Chef Jun. Because I would rather have nigiri sitting at the bar, I decided to not get that nor the ramen…..also, it seems that Chef Jun does oshizushi….though none of it based on traditional battera, kaku, or the like. And it also seems that they do aburi (torched sushi); but I'll hold off on that…….it would be interesting to see how it measures up against places like Miku.

Instead, I took a look at the non-nigi, and none of the 23 rolls presented on the menu. I decided to veer away from the stuffed jalapeno, garlic edamame, and ramen. Instead, I went with a standard, karaage ($6.50), Tuna Tataki ($12), and an interesting fusiony, item; the Yellowtail Crudo ($13.50). Yes, I was pretty hungry on this day. Everything went smoothly from the order, to the pick-up, and the presentation of the dishes was also quite nice.

The Chicken Karaage was a bit of a disappointment.

It was neither crisp nor crunchy….I think it really should have held up during a less than ten minute drive home. It also wasn't decently marinated or seasoned. It was quite bland.

I like the presentation of the Tuna Tataki; but it was on the chewy side and the fish had a metallic finish.

It was also dry and the "garlic sauce" was quite bland. Just look at the color of the maguro…..

The best item was the Yellowtail Crudo.

It was perhaps sliced much thinner than I prefer; but the fish was of decent quality. Loved the presentation; though I really didn't taste much truffle from the supposed "truffle oil" and there could have been more "kale salt". Loved the pickled cucumbers and this as a pretty good dish overall.

So, on that note I decided to return in mid-March. I just went with the Chirashi-zushi ($25), simply because I'd had the Chirashi-zushi from Kokoro the week before (BTW, Kokoro also claims Kappo cuisine). Again, ordering and pick-u was a breeze.

This was decent, though the shiromi was super dry, the ebi mushy, and the avocado starting to brown. I enjoyed the maguro-zuke, the fish was much better quality than earlier. The salmon and hamachi were decently fatty; though the amount of rice seemed on the small side; like the amount for an onigiri. Also, just having had the Chirashi from Kokoro ($3 cheaper and better quality/execution) probably had an effect a well. Still, this was not bad.

I the end; I'll probably wait to "eat in" at Chef Jun and try the nigiri/oshizushi/etc……

After all, the place has potential, so I'd like to see them at their best.

Thanks for inspiring my visit Derek. I wonder if you've had the chance to check them out yet?

Chef Jun
4033 Avati Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
(858) 886-7331
Hours:
Tues – Fri 1130am – 9pm
Sat – Sun 4pm – 9pm
Closed Mondays

Chirashi-zushi To Go From Kokoro

April 6, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

A few weeks back I was thinking how hard the pandemic has been on those mom-and-pop places that I'd visit on occasion. You know, places not in the standard rotation, but one's I enjoy for a nice lunch or dinner and Kokoro came to mind. Akio-san and his wife are getting on in years, which had me wondering how things were going for them. I went ahead and checked their website and along with outdoor lunches and dinners, they were doing takeout. It had been a while since my last visit and I'm sure that the late Ed from Yuma, who loved Kokoro would be wanting me to check in and see how things were going. Kokoro is quite "old school" and though they have their lunch and dinner takeout menus on the website; you'll still have to call in your order. Also, please note that even if you call in your order at 1030, the place doesn't really open up until 1130.

Of all the lunch items I'd had at Kokoro, I had enjoyed the Chirashi the most; so I decided to go with that.

I arrived at around 1135 tp pick up my lunch. The place had blacked out the doors and windows and for all the world looked closed. Looking closer, I noticed the door was ajar, so I walked on in.

And wouldn't you know it; my lunch was ready and waiting for me….such efficiency.

Once back at the office, I unpacked my lunch eagerly…..I really wanted to see how different this was from the very good chirashi I'd had for lunch before. Especially since the lack of business can mean supply chain issues and limits flexibility with stock, as in you'll probably only get the "usual suspects"….especially in the case of fresh seafood for sushi restaurants.

The one thing that I enjoyed right off hand was the miso soup. It wasn't watered down and was full of flavor.

The selection of fish was decent; though the shiromi (whitefish) that I'd had before in the chirashi was not present this time around. The anago was quite good, light, mildly sweet, I wish there was more of it. The maguro was of good quality, no "sugi" (connective tissue), moist and tender. The tako tender as well….the saba did well with bites of ginger before and after to help prep, then cleanse the palate of the richness. The hamachi was decently fatty.

The salmon was fine, the shrimp and kanpachi were my least favorite items both were tough and the kanpachi had a bit more fishiness to it then I enjoy.

The rice was moist and fluffy. And as expected based on previous visits, the sushi meshi here is quite bracing at times; they do like their vinegar.

I like the tamago as it was light and not too sweet; a perfect way for me to end my meal.

It was good to know that Kokoro is still in business and I did enjoy my lunch; I'll definitely be back once we're in a better position in terms of dining in. I'm sure Ed from Yuma would be happy to know that Kokoro is still in business.

Kokoro Restaurant
3298 Greyling Dr
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-4113

An Update on Sam and Sushi Yaro…….and I Dine In For the First Time in Nearly 400 Days

March 31, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

**** Sushi Yaro has closed

If you follow our little blog; you'll know that back in January, Sam, owner and Itamae of Sushi Yaro suffered a stroke. Of course my good friends kept me appraised of how Sam was doing, when he was discharged, when the restaurant was reopening, and such. I tried not to bother Sam much since he obviously had a lot going on….though the Medical Professional in the family always had a battery of questions for Sam. Once Sushi Yaro was reopened, I still waited……mainly because I wasn't ready to dine outdoors yet…..though finally, two months after I'd received my second shot, I decided I needed to see how Sam was doing and show some support. The Missus was working a night shift, so I decided to head on over to Engineer Road, and dine al fresco at the outdoor dining area I'd seen set-up in the parking lot. Except when I arrived, shortly before opening time……I really didn't want to be around too many people, this is what I saw.

The outdoor dining area for Sushi Yaro was gone! And the reason for that soon became clear. So, now there was a decision to make….yes, we're in the "Red Tier" which means indoor dining can operate at 25% capacity, yes I've had both vaccines, yes the restaurant was just opening so there were no other customers in the place, and yes, Sam called out my name when he saw me and waved me over to the sushi bar. And so it came to pass, 380 days since I last dined indoors I decided to have dinner at Sushi Yaro. After all, I really wanted to support Sam and see how he was doing.

The reason that the outdoor area is gone, besides San Diego being in the Red Tier is that Sam is running a one man show. And with all residual effects of the stroke, well, he just isn't able to handle too many customers. In fact, he told me about 8 people max.

As for what I ordered….well, Sam knows me, and after a short wait….he's moving pretty well considering, but there's obviously some motor deficits and such…..he had my dinner for me.

I'm not really going to go into the food this time around, I'll do that in a future post….except to say, it did hit the spot. Especially the sashimi which was perfect on a day when temps were hitting the low 80's….so much for spring, eh?

We spent most of the time talking about how things are going for Sam…residual effects and accommodations he's had to make after the stroke, his family and such. After all, I've known Sam for 20 years.

Soon enough, a couple of other couples arrived, when Sam hits his max, he'll ask folks if they want to do takeout and return a bit later. It's probably a good idea to make reservations if you plan on arriving after 530. There are also times when Sam's therapy and such runs late, or if he's really tired that he'll close early, so definitely, call.

Honestly, it was kind of tough seeing Sam run back and forth to the kitchen……to deep fry rolls for folks, to get ingredients, to get customers their drinks (I decided to forgo my usual Sapporo on this visit). But Sam seems to be handling it fairly well….he's a bit slower than before, but seems to be making progress, and I'm happy for that.

Soon enough there were eight folks in the restaurant; it was making me a bit uncomfortable….oh my how Covid has changed us. It was time for me to leave. I was glad to see Sam and said I'll be back soon.

As I left I told him, "take care of yourself; I'll like to be seeing you still in good health 20 years from now."

Sushi Yaro
7905 Engineer Road
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 560-1782

The “Special Bento” to go From Izakaya Sakura

March 23, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

You might be wondering why there was no post on the place that probably has the most posts on out little blog was during the pandemic. Well, to be perfectly honest, the items I enjoy the most from Sakura really wouldn't hold up that well for takeout. Add to that the rather surly and sometimes plain rude service I've gotten in recent years along with the food not being up to par at times…..well, I just didn't want to deal with that.

But my recent visit to Hogetsu had me thinking about all those days of yore, all the wonderful meals and memories…I thought, what the heck and dropped by to see what was going on.

Sakura has quite the outdoor set-up going on (this was before the recent red tier change). I took a look at the menu on the table in the doorway and saw that those dishes I really liked weren't available…but the "Special Bento", which I hadn't had in years was….and would you believe it's still $12……13 years later?

I went to Nijiya to pick up a few things and my bento was ready when I returned.

The bento did look similar to what I had back in 2007. Not as much meat based items perhaps; but overall this was still quite a bit of food.

The miso soup was even decent!

My favorite items was the chicken karaage. I was surprised it was still crisp when I got home. As I mentioned way back in 2015 when I did a karaage comparison; the version at Sakura is on the lighter side; which made me doubt that it would hold up to takeout, but this was still pretty crisp when I ate it at home.

The menchi katsu, basically a deep fried meatball had also held up pretty well; still crisp, nice seasoning, loved the katsu sauce. I wasn't as enamored with the glazed salmon which was on the fishy side and the aji kushiage, which almost looked like a shrimp was lacking in flavor. The tamago here is always a decent bet and the pasta….well, that was filler.

In the side compartment was a Japanese version of "pot-au-feu" which uses sausage and chicken instead of beef like the French version does. It's also made in dashi, which actually went well with the whole thing.

The rice was perfect; moist with just enough lightness.

While I'm fairly certain that I'll wait until I feel comfortable dining al fresco or indoors before returning, it was nice to revisit one of our "golden oldies". After all, we've lost a good number of these places during the pandemic. And still at $12….well, you can't even get a sandwich for that these days.

Izakaya Sakura
3904 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-6151