soba + kinoko mushroom

after finding so much success at ramen yamadaya, we realized there has been a good japanese restaurant even closer to us. it’s hard not to go to a new place and not order everything on the menu, but we managed to contain ourselves to a few pieces of sushi, hot nabeyaki udon and hot soba with chicken and kinoko mushroom. “kinoko” means mixed in japanese but here at taiko, it means “massive amount of mixed.” i had shiitakes, enoki, maitake, bunashimeji, oyster. would you like some broth with your mushrooms? it was overwhelmingly meaty from all of the fungus, but i ate every single one. m’s udon was pillowy soft; not glutinous or hard or chewy. each noodle was softer than a marshmallow. her broth was more subtle and perhaps less sweet but no less flavorful. the sushi was acceptable according to our standards. they didn’t have mackerel, but we did enjoy our spicy tuna, and tuna and yellowtail nigiri.

taiko | 11677 San Vicente Blvd # 302 90049 | 310.207.7782