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

PorkyBelly · June 14, 2016, 11:41pm

Another great dinner at Raku, unfortunately they didn’t have the crab and clams that @Chowseeker1999 ordered. However, I did order the following off the specials menu: sea bream two ways (sashimi and fried), kobe filet, chicken liver, iberico pork, and a bowl of uni.

Kanpachi

Ken salad

Sea bream sashimi

Agedashi tofu

Chicken thigh

Chicken wing

Chicken breast wrapped with skin

Pork cheek

Fried sea bream

Tsukune

Iberico pork

Foie gras custard

Bowl of uni, just because

Kobe filet, so hot al gore is using it as evidence for global warming

Green tea soba

Fluffy cheesecake

tailbacku · June 23, 2016, 10:07pm

is it just me or does that chicken thigh look raw?

Ns1 · June 23, 2016, 10:32pm

It doesn’t look like its cooked to death if that’s what you’re asking.

I had med rare chicken breast at a yakitori place in NYC - it was amazing. My understanding is there is minimal risk for super fresh chicken.

tailbacku · June 23, 2016, 10:38pm

no it looks raw in the pic. Like it was just seared. Could be an optical illusion though.

Chowseeker1999 · June 24, 2016, 12:40am

Hi @tailbacku,

I think it’s just the lighting / shadows at that time of day. I’ve been to Raku numerous times, the chicken is definitely not raw. It’s perfectly cooked through, so it’s juicy, not dried out / overdone, etc.

PorkyBelly · June 24, 2016, 1:11am

I don’t remember it being raw, just tasty and delicious.

Chowseeker1999 · July 13, 2016, 2:45am

Update 3:

Had another fantastic dinner at Aburiya Raku.

Ordered most of the favorites (we had one friend who had never been and wanted to try what we liked), so I’ll keep it short since they were consistently great as before.

Ken2 Salad (Arugula Salad with Organic Chicken Breast, Pine Nuts, Grilled Corn, Sun Dried Tomato, Organic Chicken Skin and Wakame Seaweed):

Still as wonderfully savory as before, with a bit of sweetness from the Grilled Corn, herbal notes from the micro herbs and the ridiculously crunchy, fragrant Organic Fried Chicken Skin.

Tedorigawa Kinka “Gold Blossom” Daiginjo Nama Sake:

A huge thanks to @beefnoguy for the strong Sake recommendation! K K, the Tedorigawa Kinka was definitely aromatic and had a nice round bouquet and flavor. It wasn’t as dry as I like, but it was dry enough, and more importantly, it paired well with everything we ordered tonight! It was pretty fantastic.

Kanpachi - Amberjack - Sashimi:

As flawless as before. Their knifework remains very consistent, and tonight they gave us some of the Kanpachi Belly as a bonus!

Asajime Chicken Breast wrapped with Chicken Skin:

Their Yakitori skills remain consistently excellent. Lean, juicy free-range Asajime Chicken Breast, wrapped in Chicken Skin and then cooked over Japanese Charcoal until the skin is crispy and the fat rendered.

Juicy Deep-Fried Asajime Chicken:

Enoki Mushroom Wrapped in Bacon:

Asajime Chicken Teba Wing:

Crispy Asparagus Okaki:

Shima Aji - Striped Jack - Sashimi:

Seriously, top-sushi restaurant execution at this Izakaya. It’s pretty mind-boggling how great their Sashimi is here and how fresh the fish is.

Pork Intestine:

I don’t eat offal very much and I really can’t stop ordering this skewer each time we dine here! It is pretty amazing. Crispy outside, tender, soft, inside.

Kurobuta Pork Belly:

Tsukune Grilled Ground Asajime Chicken:

Steamed Foie Gras Egg Custard:

Kobe Beef Tendon (from Oregon):

So good! One of the best Beef Tendon dishes we’ve had this year.

Teriyaki Kurobuta Pork Rib:

Agedashi Tofu (1/2 order):

Oyako Bowl (Asajime Chicken & Egg):

Somehow, we’ve never ordered this dish before. Raku makes their version of the classic Japanese comfort food dish, Oyakodon, using their freshly dispatched Asajime Chicken perfectly cooked, tender, savory, slightly sweet from the Mirin, and tied together with Eggs, Onions and topped with some Seaweed. This simple Rice Bowl is warm and comforting, and brings a smile to everyone eating it.

Grilled Rice Ball:

Aburiya Raku continues to deliver, and tonight was even more fun with a good friend visiting and the excellent Sake pairing with Tedorigawa Kinka (thanks again @beefnoguy).

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

PorkyBelly · July 13, 2016, 4:48am

Thanks @Chowseeker1999 looks great, what were their specials for the day? You reminded me i forgot to add my most recent visit here, excellent as always.

Daily special oyster

Shima aji, outstanding. Chef Matt is killing it.

Grilled salmon belly, highlight of the night, crispy fatty, smoky and just melts in your mouth.

Pork cheeks and iberico pork, so porky it started stuttering

Portobello stuffed with asajime ground chicken

Deep fried asajime chicken

Teba wing

Agedashi tofu

Foie gras, the skewers helped me shove this down my throat.

Udon with foie gras egg custard

Ns1 · July 13, 2016, 5:34am

oh my god I need to go back here.

Chowseeker1999 · July 13, 2016, 1:32pm

Hi @PorkyBelly,

Nice report back as well! Wow, that Salmon Belly looks amazing. It wasn’t on the specials menu that night, boo.

They had another 2 fish (whole fish only) that I’d never seen before, which was tempting, but my visiting friends wanted me to order the known hits / “best of” so I held off.

They also had a fun version of the classic Japanese “Hambaaga (Hamburger) Steak”, but done Raku style: Wagyu from Japan and Kurobuta Pork ground together and gently stewed with a Housemade Mirin & Shoyu Sauce.

It sounded so tempting, but at the same time my friends really wanted to try all the known hits (their first time)… but seeing it at another table, I regret not ordering it.

They also had Hamo (Japanese Conger Eel) served Deep Fried or another method. I really like Hamo a lot, but usually as Tempura, so again, with the first timers there, we decided to wait till next time.

Chowseeker1999 · July 13, 2016, 1:33pm

Hi @Ns1,

Definitely! It’s so good, I’d rather save up and go here once than go to a few other so-so Izakayas instead.

beefnoguy · July 13, 2016, 4:13pm

Glad you enjoyed the Tedorigawa Kinka Nama Daiginjo! Unpasteurized sake is wonderful to enjoy 1) during summer season when it is served chilled and 2) with excellent savory grilled fare (generally anything izakaya) as well as braised proteins and stews. It’s definitely a lot more floral and has a very typical thickness and body of that of nama sake, and yes super enjoyable with the food here.

The only other nama sake on the menu, unless I am mistaken, is the Amabuki Junmai Ginjo (made with strawberry yeast), hence the name “Amabuki Strawberry”. That one I quite enjoy too and at $47 a bottle it’s super reasonable considering retail is $20 to $30. Plus it’s brewed with Omachi rice. And, if Aburiya Raku has any strawberry desserts, save a little to have with it together, it should be quite heavenly.

If you find this at your local Mitsuwa/Nijiya/wine shop (and is properly refrigerated) it would also be damn good with the food here, but you would have to pay corkage and bring it

It’s the best of all worlds…unpastuerized, charcoal filtered, and undiluted (slightly higher % alcohol). It’s very sweet on first sip and progressively gets even better as you eat.If you like Kinka, you will really enjoy this one too. Can’t say which one I like more (I know you will ask).

Great report, by the way! I miss Aburiya Raku already.

PorkyBelly · July 13, 2016, 4:42pm

I believe they have the grilled fish belly on their regular menu. It was really delicious.

tailbacku · July 13, 2016, 4:44pm

are reservations still tough to get here?

Chowseeker1999 · July 13, 2016, 5:31pm

Hi @tailbacku,

It’s gotten better. They’re on Resy now, but also if you call during mid-afternoon and speak to one of their servers I’ve been able to talk and work out reservations when I needed, maybe a few days in advance.

PorkyBelly · July 13, 2016, 5:49pm

it’s really easy to make a reservation on resy now.

Chowseeker1999 · July 14, 2016, 4:48pm

Hi @beefnoguy,

Thanks for the Sake recs!

I’ve tried the Amabuki Junmai before. The Tedorigawa Kinka was far more to my liking, and it just paired better with most of the dishes at Raku.

That Born Sake sounds pretty wonderful. Have you found any restaurants in LA that serve it?

It sounds familiar though. I’ll check my notes and see if I saw it anywhere previously.

TheCookie · July 14, 2016, 9:47pm

That is smart. I really like your reports on Raku. You can tell you love it.

J_L · July 15, 2016, 12:49am

Shunji, if memory serves…

beefnoguy · July 15, 2016, 4:25pm

Shunji’s sake menu April 2015

Worth calling to find out what’s on their special sake list (and ask to see what else they have that’s not listed).

Looks like they stock the “Gold” regularly

which I think was what JL had. Didn’t realize until I saw the link, that the Gold is not only a single pasteurized (nama zume) but also a Muroka (no carbon filtration). Though personally not a big fan of “Gold”, but it’s very good value for retail.

Personally I’d vote for having the Nama Muroka Genshu at a place like Raku, over the Gold.

And the Hakuro Suishu single pasteurized Junmai Daiginjo, for almost the same price, is far superior performer than the Gold. This is a must try for all you sake loving drinkers out there.