Sakura for lunch

mmm-yoso, the blog, is never on vacation.  Cathy is writing.

Hi.  This sort of is a repeat post, except I have never talked about Izakaya Sakura .  Kirk has blogged the Bento Lunch recently.  He has enjoyed a meal or two with Ed here and blogged it a few other times and all three of us recommend it to friends, co-workers and complete strangers online and, well, it is assumed and known that it is just good. The first time I met Kirk (and Captain Jack), it was here, for lunch... Gosh almost a year ago.

This is it-click onto the photo- see the "open" sign?  That is all the outdoor advertising you will ever see here.  Not on the large billboard on the street nor on the building (it is in the back of the parking lot where the Original Pancake House is located).

Very friendly, not too large, a limited menu- which they will give while explaining what is sold out already.  They do have sushi rolls at lunch on weekends and the lunch menu is good until 4:30 on Sunday (opposed to 2 p.m. the other days of the week) and, as always, everything is wonderful and fresh.

We started out with a cold tofu appetizer ($2.50).

I forgot to take out my camera and had to re-assemble this beauty..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 (tasted like wasabi) and surrounded by a lot of large bonito shavings.

I liked the tofu plain but then when mixing bites of it with the wasabi and bonito and onion (the okra like vegetable was not pickled, not salty..it was sliced thin but could be considered crunchy but otherwise added not much flavor-wise) it brought out so many flavors.  It was just "fancy tofu" for me.

The Mister wanted something crunchy for his meal, so he got the "mixed tempura" ($7.50) Two pieces of shrimp and one piece of fish, along with 

tempura'd green beans, kombucha squash, thinly sliced Japanese eggplant and onion.  Light, crisp, fresh. Served with Japanese pickled veggies, salad with a homemade fresh ginger based creamy dressing, 

rice, fresh made (hot) tempura dipping sauce and some really good fresh made miso soup.  I assume the soup was made with a miso paste; it was so rich/deep flavored and had two small pieces of the firm tofu in it along with fresh seaweed.

I would like to add that piece of watermelon must be one of those Dulcinea seedless personal sized ones that costs quite a bit at the grocery store-it was packed with flavor.  The Mister put it aside and saved it for us to share for dessert.

At this time of year, Hiyashi Chuuka ($8.75) is available.  I had to...(in fact, I had to yesterday when we went to Chopstix for lunch...but I digress). Cold ramen noodles on the bottom in a light rice vinegar based sauce, topped with cold pork, bean sprouts, corn, shredded cucumber, sliced cold egg, ginger, fresh seaweed and top-topped with dried seaweed seaweed shavings and served on the side, a squirt of Kewpie Mayonnaise and hot mustard.  You basically mix it all together and eat.  Kind of upgraded leftovers and a real treat.  When you consider I do not crave noodles yet I will eat this two days in a row...well, you know I must love the stuff.  Oh, I got  side of pickled vegetables also.

The one thing we always get at Sakura- night (Izakaya) or at lunch (side order) - is Karaage ($3).  A simple, unassuming tidbit of 4 pieces of skinned chicken leg meat deep fried in a light flour breading and served in a bowl of fresh made sauce (not as salty as the tempura sauce) and a pile of shredded daikon radish.  At dinner it is not served with the sauce, but I enjoy mixing the remaining tart daikon with the sauce and slurping it up.

That's it.  Lunch. Sakura.  Good.

Izakaya Sakura 3904 Convoy, #121 San Diego 92121

Comments

[Carol]

Yum! Hiyashi chuuka is a perfect dish for this hot weather (ugh!). The Karaage looks really good, but then I love anything fried! Think it's time to make a visit for lunch this weekend!

[RONW]

is the restaurant aware that half of their customers are food bloggers??

[hi]

Hi I love this web-site. I knew many many good places from here, thank you. I realized one thing from the today's post caz I m japanese. I think it is SHOUGA on cold tofu caz we usualy dont use wasabi on it...

[Cathy]

Hello again, Carol- Everything here is absolutely perfect. It is the best around. You will like it. The Bento Box is always good, when it isn't sold out...Karaage is something simple and done so well here (although if you are wanting a bunch of it, walk around the parking lot to the next parking lot south and stop in at Nijiya Market on the weekend; it is sold by the pound on the tables across from the to go Bentos and sashimi).

Ron-It was kind of funny, seeing two other people taking photos of their food...The Mister commented that "all the other people in here must read the blog". The nice ladies who work at Sakura seem to always be there and may just think that all people go out to eat and take pictures of food...

Hello, hi- Thanks for the correction. I changed the post. I am the token White Girl who blogs here and don't know all the correct terminology, just describing what I eat...I am glad you like the blog and appreciate the nice comment about our site.

[ed (from Yuma)]

As the token white guy, I gotta thank you for the Sakura lunch post. That place is so good. I love the tempura/cold noodle combinations - something about the hot/cold, crunchy crust/noodle contrasts. The unagi donburi (eel on rice) and chirashi are also good.

[Cathy]

I actually have not had the chirashi here, ed...usually walking in with something on my mind to eat. The last time we came here for dinner it was about April 17-a sort of celebration... :) So, it has been mostly lunches this year. Never had the unagi here either...but it when I am back into my 'rice' mode...
It is the best, isn't it?

[hi]

Hi i came here gain, thank you and sorry to make it changed on your post. SHOUGA in Japanese is ginger I didnt tell above. It is not a big deal anymore hahha... I dont know if you already visited the restaurant Yumeya in Encinitas which is also Izakaya style. I went there few days ago and like it. If you are interested in and have an oppotunity, please try...I think you would like it.

[Cathy]

Ah, hi- I looked it up on wiki and saw shouga was a topping on sushi and stopped reading- loking again, I ee it is ginger...and this stuff was definitely wasabi tasting and shredded...therefore had to be shredded horseradish of some sort. Either way, I am learning and appreciate the help. I will be in Encinitas fairly soon and have heard of Yumeya and will see if I can go there for a meal. It will be a good comparison. Looked at your website. It has nice photos but I can't understand most of the writing (ha). I am slowly learning, in my old age...

[Trent]

I love their iced tea, especially this time of year. It's not the watery, low-quality, tannic, or crazy-sweet crap that you see everywhere.

[Freddie Sirmans]

Just browsing the internet, your blog is very, very interesting.

[Mike]

Don't you just love Convoy St? You can start at one end and run the gamut of Asian cuisines with Jack-In-The-Box to IHOP to break the monotony!
Supped at Souplantation on Fletcher Pkwy the other day and walked it off down the sidewalk to Fix Me A Plate Cafe where I noticed they were on vacation. Still plan to check them out?
Thanks for the great posts !

[Nicole]

Hi, I scrolled and I scrolled but couldn't find a way to contact the owners of this blog.

I'd like to recommend a restaurant for your adventures. No, it's not a personal plug for a restaurant that I own, it's a restaurant we just recently discovered in our new neighborhood, in Sherman Heights/Grant Hills area, a soul food restaurant that has been there for over 40 years, called Sister Pee Wee's Soul Food. If someone can get back to me at the e-mail address I entered when filling in this comment, that'd be great.

Love this blog, it's definitely bookmarked, I love food adventures.

[Kirk]

Hi Nicole - If you look in the left sidebar right above "Site Meter" you'll find the link to email. BTW, I like Sister Pee Wees on Imperial Ave...haven't been there in a while though.

[Captain Jack]

Almost a year huh? Man time flies.

[Cathy]

Hey, Tent- I saw lots of people with the ied tea, but always get hot tea with the food here. Thanks for the tip. I don't like sweet, so this might be just as complimentary.
Thanks for stopping to look and welcome, Freddie. Its just food and meals we ate around town. Your blog is interesting too.
Hi, Mike. We were just going to try Fix Me A Plate the other day and ended up at Souplantation, too. I love Convoy Street. I jokingly tell people..."you know, that Chinese place over there on Convoy, the really good one, do you know it?" Sometimes it takes them a while...
Hi Nicole- I sent you a note off line and will be trying Sister Pee Wee's again, this time with a camera. Glad you like the blog, and welcome!
Hi, Kirk. Thx.
CJ! Yes...Kirk went on his Hawaii vacation last October. Wow. I suppose we have all had a birthday or almost a birthday in that time...yet, I don't feel older.

[farrah]

this restaurant is owned by my neighbor -- seriously! he says to go at night, it's more fun & good food! we've yet to go at night though.

[Cathy]

Hi, farrah- Oh Sakura is *the* best place at night and basically all of the posts we have done have been about dinner...I was just trying to show a different view of the same place. Nice neighbors.

[Jay]

This is a great site! You really should check out Yumeya in Encinitas though..

[cathy]

Hi, Jay. Thanks for the nice words. Both Kirk and I live and work closer to Convoy Street, but I will be in Encinitas in the first few months of 2008, and will make every effort to find and go to Yumeya. I promise!