Is the price the same as Vegas?
Prices are about 10% higher than vegas
thanks, I can live with that.
Other than the Vegas hype is this place really “worth” a visit?
Yes, I know worth it is very subjective, and I don’t mean price-wise.
What I mean is we have a plethora of great izakaya, Vegas doesn’t have doodly squat for izakaya.
Don’t we have many places that are better, cheaper and easier to sit the fuck down at? Why would a (former) hound bother with this?
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I echo @CiaoBob 's sentiment. I never went to the Vegas izakaya, but the hype machine made me question what the hubbub was all about?
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I asked that same question before going to the LV one and I will say while we have many izakayas that do parts of what Raku does, there is not 1 izakaya that does all of what Raku does; at least not at Raku’s perceived quality level. I found Raku much better than Torihei or any of the Little Tokyo izakayas, for instance (inb4porthos)
That foie gras chawanmushi though O_O
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No. Kinjiro comes close but doesn’t have as deep of a menu.
Ok I will have to try it I guess.
Do Morinoya first before dismissing the aburiya scene in L.A. altogether.
Morinoya chef Mori-san was working his aburiya magic at Place Yuu on Sawtelle, serving a loyal (mostly Japanese clientele) before Raku even got off the ground in Las Vegas. Once Seoul Tofu took over that space, he opened the more cozy Morinoya in the Olympic Collection down the street. I call Mori-san the Godfather of late-night L.A. Japanese dining.
Sure, no foie gras on the menu at Morinoya, but the traditional grilled ayu & shisyamo, as well as the matsutake dobin mushi are second to none. The way I see it, Raku L.A. doesn’t get a free pass from me just because of its pedigree from Vegas (and yes, I’ve eaten at Raku Vegas on several occasions). Rather, Raku L.A. has to work itself up to earn the respect I hold for Morinoya.
I should be trying Raku soon. Will report back. (Wanna hit it with me, CiaoBob?)
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I’ve been to morinoya and wasn’t impressed. I ordered the ankimo, takowasa, the grilled ayu special, soft shell crab special, ebi shinjo, agedashi tofu, yakitori sampler, and soba noodles.
Nothing stood out, and some dishes were just bad. The yakitori was bland, the soba was gummy, and the fried dishes were greasy. Maybe it was an off night or i should have ordered the hot pots or the omakase?
I enjoyed kinjiro and raku much better. I would go back to raku just for the agedashi tofu and grilled foie gras. The only knocks on raku are the slow service, which should improve, and the specials can get very pricey. Looking forward to your report @J_L_
U Bet. Will e-mail.
Starting September 1st, they’ll now be open for lunch M-F.
New lunch menu
kaisendon salmon, kanpachi, bluefin tuna, scallop, spot prawns, ikura, tamago #twoheadsarebetterthanone 
bento box - soy bean salad. tuna tartare. poached egg, uni, ikura. asparagus okaki. black cod, tuna tamago. kanpachi, scallop sachimi. grilled chicken thigh teriyaki, grilled asparagus. chicken onigiri. #twolunchesarebetterthanone
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holy shit I need that bento box in my life.
$$$?
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$26 includes miso soup, salad, and dessert
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wow that is stellar.
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you sir are a gentleman and a scholar.
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I know. It really looks great.
Just got back from having the Bento box of life. Pork cutlet was juicy, tender, and delicious. Not pictured are the spinach/potato salad dish, the miso soup chock-full of tofu and honshimeji mushrooms, and the brown sugar pudding with the hojicha at the end. Suffice it to say,I will be returning. And I think I’m having a very light supper tonight
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