Fodor's Expert Review Raku

Seating is at a premium in this softly lighted strip mall robata, a favorite of almost every chef in town. At 5 pm sharp every day but Sunday, doors open for small-plate offerings of creamy house-made tofu, fresh sashimi (no sushi), and savory grilled meats, fish, and veggies (cooked over charcoal imported from Japan) that reflect the culinary mastery of its Tokyo-born owner-chef. An efficient waitstaff will visit your table to describe the spendy chalkboard specials and also to suggest which seasonings—which include five soy sauces, three salts, and four sugars—will best accent a particular dish. An ample list of sake (including a monthly sampler of three) and à-la-carte menu items, such as the sashimi salad, Kobe beef liver sashimi, and steamed foie gras egg custard, is also provided. Raku also offers omakase, which showcases the chef's choice of the best dishes each day. Raku Sweets, in the same shopping plaza, offers a few elaborate desserts and some savory dishes.