Kikuya Japanese Restaurant

Thank you Menuism! I would never have discovered this Japanese gem without you! I have now been there 3 times in the last week or so. Absolutely fantastic.

As previous reviews have stated, their bento box lunch special is definitely their best value. We’re talking (atleast the two times I’ve had it) chicken katsu, rice, tempura udon soup, sashimi (salmon and tuna, 2 each!), and salad. Absolutely delicious!!

I did break from the special once and have their yakisoba. They had oysters in their bento that day and I’m not a big fan (though I’m sure it’s as delicious as everything else IF you like oysters). Yakisoba is like comfort food to me. I grew up on stir fry. My love of Japanese food began with (probably very Americanized) yakisoba. Very very yummy. Still yummy when I had my leftovers for breakfast!!

So any of you who haven’t tried this place despite its ringing Menuism-user endorsement, let me tell you this. If you like Japanese food, GO. Period. Just go. You’ll thank us later.

I’ve been a fan of this restaurant for many many years, unfortunately the ownership has shifted twice in the last couple of years as well as the staff completely turning over at least that many times. While many of the recipes remain the same there are times when quality suffers.

I know several regulars that have stopped going just because of the change in atmosphere and staff knowledge. It’s hard on people when you change something they’ve been used to for many many years. However, my Tuesday tradition stands.

I would still recommend the restaurant for the price and the katsu sauce at the very least. Not to nit pick, but I knew the end was near when they switched to the artificial garnish on the plates rather than a simple sprig of actual plant. However, when I did once complain about a change they changed it back. Perhaps there is hope yet.

So, I’m a little bit strange in that I like my Katsu sauce. I even like to put it on Katsudon. When the servers look at you funny when you ask for Katsu sauce with Katsudon, you know it’s an authentic place. It’s some of the best Japanese food on the Eastside, but for quality and authenticity, one has to pay the price. It is a little more expensive than other Japanese restaurants.

Each time I come here for lunch, I always order the bento or lunch special which comes with tempura udon bowl + bento box + bowl of rice.
It is very filling, very economical lunch.

Excuse my brash and perhaps politically incorrect opinion, but if I’m making the decision to eat ethnic foods, I am more prone to restaurants that have the applied ethnic customer base dining therein. It tells me that they are familiar with the food as it should be and what is interpreted “popular” by their standards.
With that all being said, the dishes were nothing short of spectacular, lush full-tasting Sashimi and sushi, well-prepared chicken (not cookie-cutter chicken breast strips from costco), miso soup was excellent. I had my order to go, which I’m sure alters the presentation of the food slightly, but it was still good.