Although this place bills itself as an izakaya restaurant, I have actually tried very few dishes here, and the dishes that I did try were mainly to compliment my real reason for going — Sake.

Japonica has an excellent selection of sake and some great flights to help introduce you to the world of sake. This isn’t the place to come if you want to get really drunk, but a good buzz can be had from drinking a few rounds with your friends.

My favorite sake is “jozen mizunogotoshi”, which was introduce to me by a very cool waiter here. It’s a junmai ginjo sake that is easy to drink and won’t kill your wallet.

The ambiance is very relaxed and a bit trendy. The style is a combination of modernism and japanese sensibility, but is not pretentious at all.

I’m not much of a breakfast fan. I usually don’t wake up for it, and eggs sort of make me sick after a while. However, my favorite way to start my weekend is with a saturday afternoon breakfast at Ocean Diner.

The decor is vintage diner, with a collection of old newspaper clippings on the walls and antique appliances on display. The tables and counter are clean and there’s plenty of natural light to chase away any lingering grogginess.

The service is very amicable and prompt. They use large glasses for drinks, so they don’t come by to refill that often, but I never had an empty cup either.

Although I tend to order their omelettes, I always quickly check their daily specials, which have some pretty awesome offerings from time to time. My favorite is the lemon ricotta pancakes, which sadly have not made their way into the specials rotation in quite a while (or maybe I go on the wrong day).

The portions are large enough to fill you up, especially if you opt for cornbread or a muffin with your meal. My only gripe is that there is inconsistency with the quality of the breakfast potatoes. Sometimes they’re overcooked, sometimes totally burnt. It seems to be a crap shoot. Maybe a side of fruit is a better option.

Overall, this is a great place to try if you’re in the south bay area.

There is nothing exceptional about this place really. It sort of reminds me of Denny’s, but maybe that’s because I usually go late at night. Actually, I prefer this place to Denny’s, in terms of both food and ambiance. The food is okay in taste. They give large portions and they also offer a body builder (healthy) menu.

If you find yourself in the area, you might want to try this no frills diner.

This is one of my favorite eateries. The food isn’t special, nor is the decor, and the service can be quite slow at times, but it has a nice family feeling and the food is always tasty. At times the dishes can be a bit salty, but I always leave feeling satisfied and very full—the portions are huge.

The menu is also great if you have a mixed crowd. Half of the menu is Peruvian food and the other half is Chinese food. You might think it odd, but I’ve been told it’s because the owners are a married couple, where the wife is Peruvian and the husband Chinese. ohhhh…it makes sense now.

Overall, this place is definitely worth a try.

This is my favorite ramen shop. Without a doubt, it’s the best ramen I’ve had in my life.

When you first enter you’re greeted with an enthusiastic traditional japanese greeting, so don’t be too startled. Seating is somewhat limited, so you might have to wait ten minutes or so, but turnover is pretty fast. I prefer the counter or a table as opposed to the more traditional Japanese tables, where you sit on the floor. If you do end up sitting at the Japanese style tables, make sure you wear your good pair of socks, since you’ll have to remove your shoes. (The staff is often nice enough to neatly arrange your shoes, should you just quickly kick them off.)

The menu is pretty simple, they’re a ramen shop, and pretty much everyone orders ramen. In fact, everyone orders the “Hakata ramen” with whatever toppings you choose.

When you order, the waiter will ask you how you like your noodles (soft, medium, or firm), how strong you like your soup base, (weak, medium, or strong), and how much oil you like in your broth (weak, medium, or strong). I usually order all medium because I’m lazy, but feel free to play around with the combinations.

Speaking of combinations, they have some pretty good combination meals. These usually include Hakata Ramen, rice, gyoza, a special dish (check the daily special board), and a beer/soft drink. Beer goes great with most japanese food and ramen is included. If you’re in a good mood, order a round for the servers, they’ll gladly drink with you.

The service at Hakata is great. The staff is always friendly and very accommodating. Sometimes they can be a little slow bringing the check when it’s really busy, but a gentle reminder will set things right. Actually, I’m not sure if they’re slow because they get bombarded, or because they don’t want to look like they’re rushing you out the door to make space. In either case, it’s not a big deal.

On a side note, they serve cold tea or hot tea by default (free of charge), which is very refreshing, especially since I love tea.

After your meal is done and paid for, the staff will generally shout a loud thank you for you, as one of the servers kindly holds the door open.

Overall, this is my favorite place for ramen for both the food and the service. Check it out if you’re ever in the south bay area.

P.S. They stay open till 5 am every New Year’s Eve. It’s a great place to go when you’re starving after some late night celebrating. The vibe is very festive and I’ve ended all my New Year’s celebrations there the last several years. Warning, they’re very popular on that night, so the wait can be in excess of 30 minutes. They seat on a first come basis.

Mako is the place I save for special occaisions or when I just feel like the perfect balance of flavor, presentation, and ambiance.

I have had several memorable dining experiences here that have woven this restaurant into that special place between my stomach and heart.

The dining area is fairly relaxed and rather informal, but you’ll still see people in degrees of dress from suits to country club attire to business casual. Being that this is LA, a trendy pair of jeans and a button shirt will suffice. Just make sure you’re not wearing sandals or sneakers.

The service is polite, informative, and very welcoming. The waitstaff seems to have little turnover, which is something I look for when judging the service at a restaurant. For those of you who use refills as an indicator of service attention, glass are promptly refilled when the glass gets low, but not with such frequency that the servers are constantly at your table to refill everytime you take a sip.

This is a tapas/izakaya type restaurant, where you order small dishes and share them with your fellow diners. The dishes are quite small, so don’t expect much from an individual dish, however, I’ve never left the restaurant still hungry. I guess it just depends on how much you’re willing to spend to fill up. For two people, I usually spend around $150.

The flavors are wonderful and varied, so each dish is an experience unto itself. The sauces are what give life to an otherwise common dish, such as tuna sashimi or carpaccio. And thankfully, the sauces are unique to each dish, so there is plenty to sample from.

Overall, this intimate eatery hold many fond memories of great conversations and fun times over delicious dishes.

Reservations are not a must, but are highly recommended, especially on Friday and Saturday.

The first thing people say when I tell them about Border Grill is, “what? how can it cost that much?!” It’s true, Border Grill is no cheap eatery, and neither is its sister restaurant Ciudad. But, if you’re willing to pay, you’re in for a treat.

Border Grill is a loud, fairly spacious restaurant that has both an upstairs and downstairs. There is plenty of funky art all around to stimulate your visual cortex, while your palate waits for its turn to be stimulated. I’ve been there quite a few times this year and the two Hot Tamales (the owners, Susan and Marysue) have never disappointed.

The first thing you’ll get at your table is a basket of chips with a selection of 3 salsas that are pretty dang tasty. Next, the waiter will ask if you would like some guacamole. Be forewarned, this guacamole is not free. In fact, my only gripe with this place is that they will often suggest you purchase the more expensive dish or side. I guess they’re used to serving customers who aren’t looking for cheap eats.

In addition to food, they have an extensive Tequila selection and variety of mixed drinks. The mixed drinks are on the pricier side $10+ and are often small on volume, but I heard they’re good. They did not seem to get mirabell_19 drunk, so I don’t know how much alcohol they contained.

The service is great. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. Please see below for my food ratings.

I would definitely come here again.

This is your typical ramen shop. Lots of Japanese patrons, which adds to the authenticity, and lots of ramen choices.

I would suggest Hakata if you’re looking for some great ramen, but, if you’re in the mood for some average ramen, then Eboshi is the place to be.

Actually, Eboshi is also good for groups of diverse eaters. The ramen selection is quite large and they even have non-traditional dishes, such as “jya jya men” and Chanpon. I guess “jya jya men” is the Japanese version of a Korean interpretation of Chinese noodles in black bean sauce. I love it when cultures collide.

Overall, this place is decent and authentic, but authentic doesn’t always mean great.

Spaghetti at a Japanese restaurant? Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it’s good.

As with much “reinterpretted” cuisine, the results can vary, but most of the dishes offered at Spoonhouse are actually pretty darn tasty. They have a wide variety of dishes to tempt your palate; from the foreign squid & wasabi spaghetti to the classic spaghetti & meatballs, they have a dish to please anyone who likes pasta.

In addition to variety, Spoonhouse likes to boast about their perfectly cooked Al Dente noodles, which are actually just as they claim. Supposedly some intricate system or contraption ensures that the noodles are consistent. This love of precision, gadgets, and precision gadgets further reinforces my theory that the Japanese are the Germans of Asia.

The portions are hearty and the price is low, so head on down and try some Japanese spaghetti. Just be prepared for a small crowded dining area.