...or at least with no sign. This little izakaya is literally hidden in the busy shopping center that houses The Original Pancake House on Convoy. If you look carefully at the two armed forces recruitment centers there, between them is an inconspicuous door with no signage. That's Sakura Izakaya.
It's a great place to go for Japanese food that has not been doctored by Western influence. I've liked almost all of the items I've ordered here. Here are some of my favorites:
Tako wasabi, raw octopus mixed with miso and wasabi.
Albacore tataki, meaty, albacore tuna seared, topped with onions and scallions, and served in a light ponzu sauce.
Chicken Karaage, deep fried chicken nuggets -- nice, crisp coat and moist inside.
Buta kakuni, pork belly stewed for hours until it melts in your mouth.
Ankimo, a creamy, decadent monkfish liver pate, the foie gras of the sea. Sakura serves a generous portion for a reasonable price.
For the super-adventurous eater, Sakura serves some interesting dishes like shiokara, fermented squid guts, and natto, fermented soy beans in a sauce resembling the ectoplasm from Ghostbusters. I've tried the squid guts, and I was surprised to find I liked it (though in small amounts). It's salty and a little fishy. I haven't quite worked up the courage to try the natto yet.
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Listed below are links to reviews of Sakura Izakaya from around the web.
[ more from aliceqfoodie.blogspot]
"The fish was utterly fresh and jewel-like. Really a fantastic meal...."
[ more from clayfood.blogspot]
"Its a stewed cabbage stuffed with ground chicken/pork (no idea) topped with slices of fatty bacon. This dish was amazing, its actually a very thick piece of meat stuffed into cabbage that is nearly falling apart...."
[ more from culinarynerd.blogspot]
"I've only been twice, but the food has been consistently excellent. The chirashi above was incredibly fresh and filling. The oyster was perfect, the shiso leaf a nice touch, and I even liked the uni (sea urchin), which I don't normally prefer...."
[ more from mmm-yoso.typepad]
"three medium sized pieces of a firm, fresh tofu, topped with sliced scallion greens, a thinly sliced okra-like vegetable and some freshly shredded horseradish(wasabi) and surrounded by a lot of large bonito shavings...."
[ more from mmm-yoso.typepad]
"The spine of the flounder is removed and fried separately creating a "sail" for the fish. The bones are also one of the favorite parts, when fried with expertise like this, the bones have achieved a cracker like texture, this is why we call it &..."
[ more from mmm-yoso.typepad]
"A completely different flavor and tenderness level than what was in the yakisoba. Wonderful, tender, flavorful beef...."
[ more from radiusedcorner.blogspot]
"This rather opaque and thicker Curry Soup is what it's all about! And while a few slices of Naga Negi or even couple Snow Peas would have made it better, it was quite the tasty dish that I had hoped for...."
[ more from radiusedcorner.blogspot]
"The "Japanese Style" Wafu-Steak may vary place to place but there is usually some form of grated Daikon Radish involved. Also you may often find it lightly simmered in a sauce after it is grilled which was the case here...."
[ more from radiusedcorner.blogspot]
"Although this dish was very refreshing, I would probably order the Cold Soba next time since I really enjoy the flavor of buckwheat noodles...."
[ more from radiusedcorner.blogspot]
"The giant oblong meatloaf like Hamburg Steak at Sakura is more reminiscent of how my mother used to make them than say, a chef with a fancy tall white hat at a classy Yoshoku restaurant. But to me this is all part of Sakura's charm...."
[ more from radiusedcorner.blogspot]
"Although Sakura is an Izakaya by night, at lunch the atmosphere is much more quite and to me resembles more a Teishoku-ya, offering humble Japanese Comfort Food style dishes..."
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Listed below are lists created by FoodieView members that mention Sakura Izakaya.
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