Gold Dig #64

Aburiya Raku is a West Hollywood branch of the much-talked-about Japanese izakaya restaurant of the same name in Las Vegas. The cozy spot apparently has a very different feel from the Las Vegas original, but the food is just as good and it makes Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. Aburiya Raku also has an extensive sake menu, and they let you choose your sake cup at the start of the meal, which is a fun added touch to the experience.

The Dish

According to their website, “Aburiya Raku” means “Charcoal Grill House Enjoyment”. They serve a variety of Japanese dishes, with the menu broken down into the categories of housemade tofu, salad, cold dishes, hot dishes, robata grill, rice/noodle/soup.

Oyaji Tofu

We asked our waitress if there was anything not to be missed, and she suggested the housemade tofu. We were actually planning to skip right over that section, but took her suggestion and tried the Oyaji Tofu, which is Raku’s tofu with a side of chili garlic sauce and Japanese mustard green. I’m glad we tried it, as the tofu had a texture unlike any I’ve had before – almost cheesy.

Amberjack Special

I’m not sure it it has always been the case and I’m just now noticing it, but amberjack seems to be everywhere in Japanese restaurants these days. Either way, it’s fine with me, as I really like amberjack. The fish was clean and sweet, and presented beautifully.

Pork Ear

Our first selection from the robata grill section was pork ear. It was a great combination of crispy and fatty. None of the unpleasant chewiness you might expect when eating ear.

Tsukune

The tsukune is grilled ground asajime chicken. Ground chicken would not have been my first choice (or even my tenth choice), but we had heard that people raved about this dish. It was surprisingly good, light and fluffy with a great savory sweet sauce.

Butter Sautéed Scallop with Soy Sauce

The butter sautéed scallop with soy sauce was incredible. The scallop was a perfect vehicle for the buttery salty goodness of the sauce. And oh my what a sauce it was… when nobody was looking we picked up the shell and poured the remaining sauce straight into our mouths.

Kurobuta Pork Cheek

The pork cheek. Was. Amazing. For days after eating at Aburiya Raku, we talked about the pork cheek. I’d wake up thinking about eating pork cheek. Occasionally we text each other nothing but “That pork cheek!”. Enough said.

Steamed Foie Gras Egg Custard

The egg custard is infused with foie gras, as well as having a crisply grilled slice of foie gras on top. The custard was smooth and rich. The foie gras topping had a more substantial texture than foie gras I’ve had in the past. Very nice!

Poached Egg with Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe

I thought I’d love this because I am a big fan of sea urchin and I love a good poached egg. But I found this dish to be generally too slimy. Between the sea urchin, salmon roe, egg, and mushrooms, everything was too soft and slippery. And the flavors of each element were nice, but I didn’t feel that they came together well.

Steak Special

We wanted to try another special, and went with the steak. It came in a sweet peppery sauce and had a stripe of wasabi. The steak was tender and full of flavor from the sauce and grill – I usually like spicy, but found I didn’t even want the wasabi.

Fluffy Cheese Cake

The cheesecake was indeed fluffy, and so gorgeous, with a subtle flavor. I am a cheesecake fanatic, so I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had, but it was nice to finish off the meal with a touch of sweetness.