Izakaya Sozai

• Cuisine(s): Japanese
  Hours: Sun,Mon,Wed,Thu 5:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm
  Price: $, $$, $$$
• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards, cash
  Features: Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly
  Serving: Dinner
• Alcohol: Beer/Wine
  Reservations: Accepted, Recommended
  Parking: No Parking, Street

Description

Ritsu and SueMee Otsuka's small, bustling restaurant models itself on the izakayas of Vancouver and Los Angeles - a Japanese gastropub, emphasis on the gastro, where the the focus is creativity rather than the illusion of authenticity. The Otsukas' small plates include wasabi-marinated octopus, bacon-wrapped mochi, and beef tataki with ponzu sauce. While the diversity of the menu is appealing, the food is uneven. The exception is the tonkotsu ramen, a constant source of pleasure, though only a limited number of bowls of it are made every day. The pork-bone broth is creamy and opaque, belying its two days on the stove, and its pronounced meatiness intensifies when you chase down droplets of pork fat huddling around the edges.