Ippuku - Izakaya in Berkeley
Opened a couple of days ago, 2130 Center St., right-hand space in the the new building where the movie theater used to be.
Some of the best Japanese food I've had. I especially liked the chicken knee cartilage and minced chicken yakitori and the agedashi tofu. Reasonable prices. Beautiful space.
They're supposed to be open until 11 but last night they ran out of food at 10.
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/umamimart/sets/72157624366765944/
Not much on their Web site yet: http://www.ippukuberkeley.com/
By Robert Lauriston
on Jul 7, 2010 09:24 AM
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Five guys next to me at the bar got this drink, the bartender gives you a tall glass with ice half full of shochu and you squeeze your own half grapefrult to fill it up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/umamimar...
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Thanks, I enjoyed looking at the photos (skip to the end to see the dishes of food). I especially liked seeing the sake taps. The fresh grapefruit half for a squeeze your own soju/shochu cocktail is common in the izakayas in the San Jose area. This is encouraging.
Do you recall the per skewer price, e.g., $1.5, $2, $2.5?
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Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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I think most were $4 for two skewers. There's also a 5-stick omakase for $10.
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I went back again and the skewer prices had gone up significantly.
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Sorry to hear that. The range I stated above is typical for the South Bay places. Sumika in Los Altos is the exception, charging $3 to $4.50 per skewer, but it is probably the best of the lot and has the highest rent. Oakland's Ozumo charges from $5 to $7 for a pair of skewers.
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Sumika
236 Central Plz, Los Altos, CA 94022
Ozumo
2251 Broadway Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612
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Well they had gone up to $12. Which I think is OK. Can I say that I haven't been more excited about a place in Berkeley since the original Cesar opened? Can you sense a pattern here - superb sense of place, something only a dedicated and geeked out Gaijin could do well- plus a really great beverage list. Food ranged from middling to delicious, but looking forward to trying everything on the menu. YUM.
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Are they open for lunch?
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5pm-11pm seven days.
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We just came back from there. The food is certainly not cheap, but everything we had was high quality and well flavored. I'd say about 1/3 of the menu was $7 or over. The space is lovely, in a rustic Japanese way.
Oh, plus the woman's room has a high-tech Japanese toilet.
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You'll need to check out Ozumo to offer a comparison of the robata and high tech ladies room.
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Ozumo
2251 Broadway Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612
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How does this place compare relative to Kirala?
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Kirala Restaurant
2100 Ward St, Berkeley, CA 94705
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We had dinner at Ippuku today. An enjoyable experience. We had: whole squid; chicken skin; pork belly; beef tongue; chicken livers; shishito peppers; mochi w bacon; eggplant with bonito flakes. Most dishes were quite good. The only weak one imho was the eggplant one. A couple of dishes would have been nicer if a little bit crispier (in particular the chicken skin skewers). Overall enjoyable as I said. Extra thanks to Zen, our super nice waiter, who was very endearing. We will be back.
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Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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We checked out Ippuku on Monday night. Not at all crowded. We sat on the no-shoes side of the room, tried a few of the Sochu cocktails, a dozen of the robata skewers and a few of the other items too. Everything was delicious. Agedashi tofu was nicely done. Nihama (chicken and green onion skewer) was both crispy and juicy. Bacon/mochi skewer was chewy/fatty/fabulous. Grilled squid was one large cephalopod, artfully sliced and reassembled on the plate. A small pitcher of dry sake, poured from a larger bottle was refreshing and perfect with the meal. The bare wood and slate decor created a nice atmosphere. The staff was as friendly as could be. Food came out in a steady, unhurried stream. At one point the whole place filled up with smoke from the grill but it soon cleared up as quickly as it had arrived. We ate and drank with abandon and ended up paying $50 per person. It was a bit of a splurge but we all loved it. Hard to find a down side here other than wanting to abandon all our other local favorites so we can hurry back to try more stuff. Natto, fried cartilage, raw chicken salad will have to wait for next time.
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Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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Those last items you mention have me wanting to run there now. Raw chicken?! I've heard of medium rare... but raw? Awesome!
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We totally enjoyed our Saturday dinner. Love the decor, love the used skewer holder, have not seen them used in SF yet. Service was just right.
We had:
bitter melon tempura, grill shishito, grill abura age with natto filling,
chicken thigh oyster, grill shishamo, grill beef tongue, mini chicken ramen,
grill onigiri, spicy raw chicken, grill chicken heart, chicken sashimi,
chicken cartilage, green tea sundae.
Everything was very good except chicken sashime on the boring side.
Their grilling skill is very good. Meats were moist with just the right smoky and crunch exterior. Ramen's broth is so rich, no wonder is a "mini". Noodle is al dente. We left very very happy, finally something decent and comfortable.
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How does the pricing and food compare to Nombe in SF? I liked Nombe but thought it was too pricey for a casual izakaya.
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Nombe
2491 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
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Ippuku is even more expansive than Nombe. Nombe's dishes are too complicated. We enjoy food in its real taste. Nombe works too hard to complicate a dish.
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Nombe
2491 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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I had only two or three dishes at Nombe so it is hard to judge but one of the dishes was a little fussy(I liked the beef hearts though). I will have to give this new place a shot if only to try their raw chicken dishes. It is nice to have a true Izakaya in the East Bay and relatively close to my house.
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I went to Ippuku on Saturday with a group of about 15 Tokyo natives. What a great restaurant!
The grilled stuff was out of this world, particularly heart, knuckle and shiso maki. I agree with Soyo that the grilling technique was particularly awesome. Also had the raw chicken with wasabi sprouts, which I'd never seen outside of Japan. It was quite tasty, with a sashimi-like texture and a very clean flavor. Definitely not for the squeamish though. The goya tempura was also really well done, that's another one I'd not seen in the US. I had goya champuru in New York last month and was really bummed out at the crappy bitter melon they used, so this was a particular pleasure.
Prices were reasonable, between $5 and $12. It adds up, but that's kind of the way it works in this kind of place. Anyways, we went on to consume an ungodly quantity of shochu, including some varieties I'd never heard of - two shochus made from soba and one from carrots! The restaurant design and service were both terrific, and the location is a block from BART. Definitely a new favorite for Japanese food in the Bay.
I've not been to Nombe because of my dislike for the original Sozai but if it's in the same league as Ippuku I will eat my hat.
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Sozai Restaurant
1500 Irving Street, San Francisco, CA 94122
Nombe
2491 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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Outstanding. Everything we had was delicious. My dining partner felt as if she was back in Japan. Nombe pales in comparison.
We had mostly yakitori, which were all grilled and seasoned perfectly, with a wonderful smokiness from the coals. My favorites were the tsukune (meatball with yolk), chicken skin, and chicken hearts which absorbed the smoke the best. We also tried the eggplant, the slow cooked egg, a delicate fish dish, and natto in tofu pocket.
Loved the spices on the table, and was surprised to discover ground Sichuan peppercorn. I asked about it since I felt the numbing sensation after a heavy hit of it.
The shochu and other "strange cocktail" selection is impressive. Everything was clean and refined despite the high alcohol content.
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Nombe
2491 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
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Wow I wonder if their yakitori is as good as Sumika or Sumiya in the South Bay. Talking about Sumika, I'd love to try their oyako don for lunch. If you have tried that, please comment!
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Sumika
236 Central Plz, Los Altos, CA 94022
Sumiya
2634 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051
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I haven't been, but my dining partner's been to Sumika twice and felt Ippuku was superior.
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Sumika
236 Central Plz, Los Altos, CA 94022
Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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I've only been to Ippuku once, but based on that experience it's definitely better than Sumika and Sumiya which I've been to many times. In fact, it's good enough (again based on that one visit) that I wouldn't say there's really a difference between it and an okay/moderately good place in Japan. I cannot say the same about Sumika and Sumiya.
The yakitori selection is a lot more extensive and actually highlights the chicken (cartilage, shoulder blade, neck, tail, etc) whereas other places will go about it the cheap and disingenuous way by focusing on skewers wrapped in bacon in its many forms. The seasoning is also decent and the grilled flavors are not bad, either.
I also really like the space, but I'm not sure why some people say it reminds them of Japan though. If anything, this place is so cavernous with such big restrooms that it's nothing like what you find in the homeland.
It definitely seems like Ippuku wants to be serious about yakitori and it looks like it's on the right track.
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Sumika
236 Central Plz, Los Altos, CA 94022
Sumiya
2634 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara, CA 95051
Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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do they take reservations? does anyone have their phone #? i can't find it on their website.
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Reportedly they do. 510-665-1969.
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Only for parties of 5 or larger.
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Sadly, I would have to disagree with these posts. While I loved the concept and the space, I did not feel many of the dishes I tried were up to snuff, especially for the price. Now, I can appreciate people wanting to eat rare chicken, and the menu is good at pointing out dishes that feature this item. I thought. However, the chicken oysters which were not so advertised arrived rare, chewy/slimy and not terrific, IMO (I'm not a lover of rare poultry of any stripe, though, truth be told). The thigh skewers fared better, but not a lot better than I could make on my grill at home. The livers were amazing, though.
The heirloom tomato salad was very plain and overly tart. The tuna dish with miso and wakame was bland. The smelts with eggs were nothing like I remember from Japan (or even Japantown)--mealy interior versus crunchy, bland and bitter flavor versus fresh and smoky. The uni dish was hit or miss depending on the piece of uni--either sublime or iodiny. And, the sake list was more limited than expected, although I did enjoy what I drank.
I was really looking forward to a non-sushi-oriented Japanese food experience, but left underwhelmed and feeling a bit overcharged for the experience.
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We tried Ippuku for dinner on Sat 9/18/10. It's only 1 block away from Downtown Berkeley Bart and to the Right of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream on Center.
Don't wear anything that need Dry Cleaning if you sit by the Open Kitchen or the table near the Kitchen. It'll stink like smoke!! Be prepared for a long wait to get your food on a busy Sat night - up to 2hrs to eat a big dinner, less if you don't order too much. If you get those rice balls -Yaki Onigiri- know it comes at the End of the Meal - Last Course!!
We ordered lots:
Omakase Gushi - grilled mixed meats chef's choice. 5 sticks for $14. Tasty, glad they didn't have Liver that night.
Chicken gyoza - small & tasty.
Fried tofu in broth & bonita flakes - B. liked it, I thought it was ok.
Fried bittermelon - huge pile of it. I didn't try it, B. loved it.
Green beans w/ sesame - I liked it fine, wish it was warm/hot, not served cold.
Beef tongue - good.
Mushrooms - fine, nothing special
Grilled eggplant - fine, nothing special.
Grilled quail $10 - Delicious, get it!
Yaki Onigiri - grilled rice balls 2 for $6 - ok, nothing special. Wanted it earlier in the meal, but they serve at the very end of meal - last course.
Sake - B. tried 2 cheap glasses over rice. He liked both.
Credit cards taken. Our total after tax & tip over $100 for 2.
Separate bathrooms in the back. Women's is single toilet/sink. Heated toilet w/ the other fancy gadget (didn't try). Frog drawings along the tiled walls.
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Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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Has anyone tried the chicken tartare yet? I am very intrigued after reading about it in the Bauer review
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isaac1972 posted about it above.
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Once you get past our cultural taboo against raw chicken (remember the time, not so long ago, when "raw fish" was considered a health hazard) this dish is really not so out of the ordinary. Slivered raw chix breast, quail egg (for extra slimy-ness), soy sauce, lots of chili and a sprinkle of micro greens on top. Pure, simple, tasty. Great with a shot of sochu too!
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Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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The chef also blanches the meat briefly before chopping it to eliminate any possibility of contamination.
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/micha...
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went last night, and i'm in agreement with the consensus on this post. it's probably the best yakitori i've had; yes, it is a little pricier, but you're paying for top-notch ingredients. i enjoyed nombe, but ippuku is on a completely differnet level.
shared:
chicken tartare
quail
chicken skewer omokasa
chicken/rice soup.
all cooked perfectly (which often meant rare, and i was fine with that).
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They need to lighten up on the salt, but otherwise the yakitori is definitely acceptable -- even by Japanese standards.
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Well Nombe uses a gas instead of charcoal grill, and so that's why
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Nombe
2491 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
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Just went to Ippuku for the first time with a bunch of friends, 8 of us in total.
After actually finding the front door (no, not the apartment complex), I was favorably impressed with the look of the space. We were seated at two connected tables (which for two 4-tops would be divided by a screen).
After making some provisions for my husband who doesn't eat seafood, we ordered:
* 5 chicken skewers (thigh, breast, hearts, gizzards, wings)
* Chicken gyoza (small but good)
* Chicken tartare (I liked this)
* Mochi wrapped in bacon (a little chewy)
* Charred rice (my mother would be appalled that we paid good money for this)
* Pork belly (too chewy)
* Salad
* Chicken with green onions skewer
* Shitaake mushroom
* Fried tofu (I still fondly remember Saigon Seafood's fried tofu with shrimp on top)
Maybe ordered a few other dishes too. To my surprise, my favorite dishes were the grilled chicken hearts and gizzards. Everything was at least decent, and the bill came to only $30 per person (although with no real alcohol, just tea).
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Saigon Seafood
740 Story Rd 1, San Jose, CA
Ippuku
2130 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704
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Went back last night for the first time in a while. Everything was good, but the chicken hearts were exceptional.
They have a "shochu school" happy hour 5-6, all shochu half off.
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Will definitely have to try this place!
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They recently started lunch service centered around housemade Soba. Over a dozen hot & cold soba dishes.
story in SFGate
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2012/05/09/ippuku-opens-for-lunch-with-a-soba-focus/
menu
http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/files...
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