Fantastic Japanese Tapas (Izakaya) hits West Hollywood - Aburiya RAKU - pictures

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Hi @Wakko11,

As at @attran99 said, $70, however it’s a great value. To give you some perspective, it’s probably ~175% the size of Sushi Tsujita’s Bara Chirashi if you’ve had that on Sawtelle. Plenty of food. :slight_smile:

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It’s definitely enough food to feed at least 2-3 people. I was so full halfway through…thankfully, my brother was around for the assist.

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That sounds great. Now I just need to stop thinking about it for a week before I can order one :drooling_face:

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Update XX (To-Go, Part 3):

Aburiya Raku’s Assistant Chef Jimmy Sugishita has a new variation on his Bara Chirashi Bento Box this week.

(Special Order) Bara Chirashi Bento Box:

As before, the presentation is gorgeous and feels like a special occasion, being wrapped up in cloth, and then the actual laquerware that the dish is packaged in is yours to keep. :slight_smile:

This week’s Bara Chirashi includes:

Akami-Zuke (Lean Bluefin Tuna Marinated in Soy Sauce); Ohtoro (Fattiest Tuna Belly); Kinmedai (Splendid Alfonsino) Seared with Binchotan Charcoal; Ni-Anago (Sea Eel); Hotate (Scallops) Glazed with Sweet Soy Sauce; Kegani (Japanese Hairy Crab) Mixed with its Miso; Bafun Uni (Sea Urchin); Ikura (Salmon Roe); Atsuyaki Tamago (Japanese Egg Castella-Style); Kyuri Sunomono (Pickled Japanese Cucumbers); Freshly Grated Wasabi:

To understand how dramatic a change the taste is for this week is to appreciate the seasonality of what Chef Sugishita is doing. This week he was able to source incredible Hotategai (Scallops) from Hokkaido, Japan. They were pristine: Bright, sweet, silky! :heart:

In fact thinking on this week’s Chirashi, it was a celebration of the Northern Island of Japan, with the Kegani (Japanese Hairy Crab) also fresh from Hokkaido, sweet, lightly briny (in a good way), delicate and another highlight! :heart:

And then the Bafun Uni (Sea Urchin) also from Hokkaido:

It was ridiculous! Perfectly fresh and sweet, stunning! For a “To Go” item, the fact we’re getting Bafun Uni this fresh and perfect shows how blessed we are and lucky to enjoy things like this during the pandemic. The best Uni we’ve had in 2020! (@J_L @PorkyBelly @TheCookie @A5KOBE @beefnoguy @attran99 @Ns1 @Sgee @paranoidgarliclover @JeetKuneBao and others!) :heart:

The Akami-Zuke (Lean Bluefin Tuna) and the Ohtoro (Fattiest Tuna Belly) were also bright and outstanding, but the Kinmedai (Splendid Alfonsino) this week that was seared over Binchotan Charcoal didn’t have as much smokiness as last week’s Chirashi, just slightly less, but otherwise tasty. :slight_smile:

Sugishita-san’s Atsuyaki Tamago (Japanese Egg Castella-style) was still fluffy, lightly sweet and helped balance out the Chirashi as well. And the Cucumbers and Freshly Grated Wasabi were spot-on and great for contrast. :blush:

The Rice was also seasoned better this week, still not as standout as a Sushi Rice, but seasoned enough to support the Chirashi. :slight_smile:

Kameizumi - Eternal Spring - Namazake Genshu Junmai Gingo Sake (Kochi, Japan):

We were going to pick up a different bottle for this, but one of our dear friends picked this bottle up from True Sake and shared it with us. With it being a Namazake (Unpasteurized Sake), and being bolder, we weren’t sure it would go well, but it actually paired fairly well. This was sweet, bright, a touch fruity, a bit more funky but to be expected, this was tasty. :slight_smile:

As before, for the Bara Chirashi Bento, you should contact Chef Sugishita via his Instagram to pre-order, and then you can pick it up at Aburiya Raku.

Aburiya Raku
521 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90048
Tel: (213) 308-9393

http://aburiyarakula.wixsite.com/weho

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Methinks I ordered a few weeks too early. This looks amazing! Was there an up-charge with the crab, scallops, and uni?

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Nice @Chowseeker1999! I messaged Chef Sugishita yesterday on IG but didn’t here back. I’m thinking he is busy with Mother’s Day this weekend… but for future is there a secret code word? :grin:

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We picked up a couple on Saturday evening for Mother’s Day. It was as great as you described. I can’t take food pics worth a darn and I’m no writer, either, so your post is about as perfect as the chirashi :slight_smile:

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It was $120. Chef said it was a little more for the special Mother’s Day ingredients. Worth the cost.

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Hi @attran99,

Thanks. :slight_smile: Yes as @Wakko11 mentioned, it was $120, but worth it for the quality of the ingredients. The Bafun Uni from Hokkaido was seriously the best Uni we’ve had in 2020 so far, outstanding, and it was Takeout. The Kegani (Japanese Hairy Crab) was very good as well. Loved the Scallops from Hokkaido. :blush:

And it was the same amount of (a lot of) food, so that and some Bulgarini Gelato (Hazelnut) for Dessert and we were full from that 1 Bento! :heart:

But don’t feel bad, no one knew Chef Sugishita was going to have this this week (it’s all seasonal, what he can get from his suppliers each week).

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Hi @TheCookie,

Yah, we placed our order like on Monday and he mentioned in a reply he was “really busy with Mother’s Day orders, sorry!” I’m guessing he was swamped. But check your inbox. :slight_smile:

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What’s the Raku bang play these days? I gotta pickup a chirashi and want to make the most of my trip. Debating République but may want to keep that for a separate day.

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A pizza from Jon and vinnys

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Antico’s gelato (particularly strawberry if they have it)
Porridge + Puffs

And since traffic is a bit easier at the moment, I’d go into downtown for:
Superfine
Pearl River Deli
Howlin’ Rays

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gem lettuce, spicy fusilli, meatballs and la woman from jon & vinny’s

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Hi @Ns1,

Nice! I hope you enjoy your Chirashi from Chef Sugishita. If that’s your only pickup from Raku, you might also consider some highlights from Raku’s regular menu:

  • Kamameshi (Salmon & Ikura (Salmon Roe) Iron Pot Rice): Absolutely delicious! They are now offering this officially on the menu. Not sure how they package it for To-Go, or you can BYORC like we did. :blush:

  • Raku Bento Box: If you’'re OK enjoying this in your 4 Person Dining Room (your car), then get it with the Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken), otherwise, you can try their Steak, Pork Cheek or Sea Bass options.

  • Inari / Chillled Tofu: They also have Side Orders of their Inari (love this), or Housemade Chilled Tofu for a light appetizer.

Otherwise, in the area:

  • Chaumont: Legendary plain Croissant and Almond Croissants! :slight_smile:

  • Republique for sure, but you said you might do it on another day.

  • Loqui (Culver City) - For their amazing Handmade Flour Tortilla Mushroom Taco.

And as @noddles mentioned, traffic is so light these days you can easily get to K-Town, Downtown, etc. quickly. So maybe…

  • Langer’s Deli - Pastrami Sandwich. :slight_smile: Corned Beef & Beef Tongue Sandwich combo. Egg Salad Sandwich. Tuna Melt (so good). Patty Melt (decadent). :slight_smile:

  • Porridge & Puffs

  • Superfine Pizza

  • Guerrilla Tacos

  • Howlin’ Ray’s - I mean, @CiaoBob Inc.'s Far East Plaza Branch. :wink:

  • Wax Paper (Chinatown) - Across the street from @CiaoBob Inc.

Or if you’re heading back West then up North, maybe hit up Gjusta for their Italian Sandwich and some delicious loaves of Bread and other items. :slight_smile:

Or, keep heading south and make a visit of Little Saigon. :smile:

Enjoy!

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Adding another option: Unagi-don from Toku Unagi.

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We ordered the kamameshi for Mother’s Day (along with Chef Sugishita’s chirashis) and came in a plastic bowl-type container. My in-laws reported it as being quite good.

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Mozza to go - butterscotch budino and salted peanut butter gelato :heart_eyes::heart_eyes::heart_eyes:

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Thanks for the reminder! Their kamameshi sounds like the ultimate comfort food right now, and that’s amazing how they’ll put it in your rice cooker for you.

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