Akasaka

Every neighborhood ought to have a good sushi or Japanese restaurant. Akasaka has been around for quite a long time and they have the pictures to prove it! I love it when family-owned restaurants take pictures with their regulars and put them up as decoration. Shows that they'd care about you on a personal level.

This is my second time at the restaurant, but apparently my family frequently has lunch there. THANKS A LOT YOU GUYS. From what I hear, the sushi bar is top-notch. Comparable to Sushi Go 55 on Alameda (Little Tokyo in Downtown LA). Today though, we sat down for their lunch plates which are a real bargain. I guess most people in the area know Akasaka has a steal of a meal during lunch hours. The place was packed when we arrived.


Albacore:

This huge bowl is offered as an appetizer for $25. My brother made it his lunch instead. Generous chunks of avocado, crisp Japanese cucumbers, and a slather of hot sauce adorn a bed of sliced albacore and julienned radishes. There is also a good amount of sauce at the bottom of the bowl. I've tasted something similar to it before, but sorry I don't know what it's called. I've often seen it drizzled on albacore, though. The taste is savory and mildly tangy. Akasaka is extremely generous when it comes to fish, and this "appetizer" is no exception. We are big eaters in my family and even my brother had a hard time finishing a huge bowl of albacore. The bowl is huge. HUGE. A must-order for albacore lovers.


Lunch Special:
This plate cost a mere $12. Wow! The grilled fish of the day was yellowtail. Last time I was here I had salmon teriyaki and was extremely impressed with both their sauce and grilling technique. The fish today did not disappoint. As for the sashimi, you can clearly see how generous Akasaka is with their portions. And of course, I guess it goes without saying that the sashimi was really fresh. Ya can't stay in business if you don't serve great fish! (Oh wait...Todai, Puente Hills is still in business...)


Rainbow Roll:
In retrospect, the picture would look nicer if I angled the roll, but like I've mentioned before, I take poor pictures when I'm hungry! Hell, I do nothing right when I'm hungry. Anyway, Akasaka is reputed to serve some ginormous rolls, so my mother took the plunge and decided to order the rainbow roll. Holy cow this thing was a beast. True to Akasaka's style, huge chunks of yellowtail and salmon are sandwiched inside the roll along with avocado etc etc. They even managed to sneak in some tempura batter in there somehow to give a delightful crunch with every bite. The contrasting textures of soft fish and that fried batter was quite fun.

I've had quite a few rainbow rolls in San Diego with friends and I have to say: Akasaka makes the best one! To be fair though, the few times I've eaten rolls in San Diego are at mediocre joints with mediocre fish. (That's why I never let those guys & dolls choose restaurants anymore. They have let me down way too many times!) I didn't know rainbow rolls could taste this good until I had it at Akasaka.


Akasaka totally rocks. It irks me when chefs are stingy with sushi and charge a huge premium. (I'm looking at you, Sushi Ota.) Akasaka serves fish that is just as fresh as any great sushi restaurant and charges a very reasonable price not only for sushi but also for entrees as well. Akasaka is the Sammy Sushi of Hacienda Heights. Kirk of mmm-yoso knows what I'm talking about.


Akasaka

14926 Clark Ave
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
(626) 336-0871