Saketini

02/17/08

Exquisite Valentine's Dinner

by savvyeater13 at Citysearch

I have been going to Saketini for almost 2 years now and they have never failed me. So I knew they would not fail me on Valentine's Day! They had the most amazing set menu and my date and I fully enjoyed it. We definitely did not leave hungry after the five course meal!! I've been there on romantic dates, girls? night out and just hanging out with a group of friends... Their cuisine is authentic japanese-korean fusion with a flare of Californian familiarity to it. Very good and exotic flavors...The food is amazing!! I'm not a big drinker but their saketinis are definitely something to explore... They always have prompt seating and rapid, knowledgeable wait staff! They did change the decor a little bit when I went there on Valentine's day... They took down their paper shade decoration in the front so the chef can look out the window to see the restaurant. I think that was a bad move... The restaurant loses it's ambiance and mood with the bright blinding light coming from the kitchen. Not to mention you can see the take-out containers and baskets in the window... Probably not a good move. However, this restaurant is worth checking out!

• Pros: Great food, amazing value and fantastic for all occasions
• Cons: the ambience is lacking due to practicality

12/29/07

Best in the West, or Anywhere Else

by jrosenphoto at Citysearch

I first went to Saketini for a social gathering a couple years ago, and I have been going regularly ever since. I have yet to have an item on the menu that didn't completely satisfy. Not only do I drive out from Hollywood on a regular basis to enjoy the fine cuizine and serene setting on my own, but I always bring dates and friends to show them this fantastic restaurant. One friend who is a food connoisseur (ok, food snob) and worked at another upscale Pan Asian restaurant on the West Side said Saketini beat her restaurant as the best tempura calamari she has ever had. The Lunch Specials menu is an amazing deal for your money (the specials are also available for diner Sunday through Thursday), and the menu is written with hilarious sincerity. The California Rolls are stuffed to the brim with genuine crab meat. And the butterfish is to die for (try it in sushi or carpaccio form, either way you will love it). You don't even need soy sauce or wasabi with it! If you're interested in drinks, they have a fine selection of Japanese beer, wine, and sake, including some hard to find examples. The "saketinis" are made with real fruit (not just fruit syrups). The lyche saketini uses imported lyche fruit, and the apple saketini is made with real fuji apples, and the strawberry saketini always gets rave reviews. Owners Miki and Sung and the rest of the staff are always kind and welcoming, and they take care of the regulars and new clientele like they're family. I have no hesitation in reccommending Saketini to anybody who values fine cuisine, intimate settings, and good service. Oh, and don't be surprised or starstruck by the random famous faces you may see dining alongside you.

12/24/07

Hidden Gem!

by johnblake at Citysearch

Drove by this little neighborhood spot for the past three years. The other day I finally decided to check this whole in the wall out. When I say whole in the wall, i mean "Brentwood" whole in the wall. From the moment I walked in, I knew this place was the real deal. Who ever the owner is he or she knows a restaraunt is all about the food. My background is in design and I can tell you this little space is used to it's last square inch efficiently. I ordered a rare beer I've only seen in a few places in the US. Sapporo reserve, very nice. I had a vegi potsticker to start, nice. Then a mango avocado salad with what the waiter called their secret ginger dressing, super nice. Then I had the Jumbo Lava cod, off the chart. This spot reminds me of what I miss so much about Manhattan. Every corner has a gem. In LA it's about flash more than heart. Folks this spot has heart. If you want the real deal, this is your spot.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Closes early