Budonoki (Los Angeles, CA)

Budōnoki Restaurant
654 Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004
323-928-2320
www.budonoki.la
Sun 12/08/2024, 08:05p-10:20p





Back in 2022, I paid a visit to Melody in East Hollywood, which was playing host to Budonoki, a "West Coast izakaya" pop-up that debuted in June 2021. I generally enjoyed that meal, and was curious to see if it'd eventually turn into a permanent restaurant. Well, it turns out yes, as Budonoki proper wound up grand-opening on September 28th last year. The founders here are Chef Dan Rabilwongse, Eric Bedroussian, and Joshua Hartley, and they've also brought on board Justin Vu (Morihiro, Budonoki pop-up, The Joint) as Chef de Cuisine, while Akita native Keita Yakubo (also Morihiro) serves as sous.


Budonoki sits on the ground floor of the Cha Cha Cha (titled so because it occupies the site of a former Caribbean eatery by the same name) condo complex in Virgil Village, a stone's throw from the Chef's childhood home in Historic Filipinotown. The space used to house a casual daytime-only spot called Bolt, and the place has been transformed considerably to a much cozier, darker-toned aesthetic. There's also an inviting patio seating area off to the side. Do note that the photo above was taken at the end of the night, with everyone cleared out. The place was pretty much packed for most of the evening.


The Budonoki menu is nice and compact, and features twists on your usual izakaya tropes in addition to more unexpected offerings. To drink, you get some pretty interesting low-ABV cocktails, a smattering of beer, and a pretty reasonable selection of sake, but there's no wine list, curiously. Corkage is $30, limit one (though they forgot to charge us). Click for larger versions.


Naem [$17.00] | thai pork sausage, crispy rice, herby slaw
Our dinner started off with a bang thanks to the Chef's take on his mother's fermented sausage recipe. The pork showed off a rustic, satisfying consistency while flavors were slightly sour, with a growing heat. Just as important were the rice balls, which I found wonderfully hearty, herby, and roasty, with a great texture to boot. Combine both elements with that bright, fish sauce-dressed cabbage slaw, and you'll be treated to some pretty magical bites indeed. Superb.


Daitoshi | Big City [$16.00] | Tamagawa "Time Machine", Cocchi Torino, Sherry, Cherry Vanilla Bitters
To drink, we began with a couple cocktails, and this first one delivered a surprising amount of depth and intensity for being a low-ABV concoction. Aromas here were all about citrus overlaid on top of fragrant brown sugar and maple. Tasting it, I got more of those sugary, syrupy flavors, combined with oxidized, chocolate-y, salted plum-like notes, all making for quite an enjoyable imbibing experience overall.


Scallop Crudo [$22.00] | hokkaido scallop, cilantro, vinaigrette, market fruit
Cool, briny, supple cuts of scallop were set against a bevy of bright, grassy, herbaceous flavors while that persimmon (I think) on top contributed just a touch of sweetness.


Grilled Pork Jowl [$16.00] | "crying tiger" sauce, mint, thai basil, sticky rice
I'm a sucker for pork jowl, and Budonoki's did not disappoint. I was a fan of the cut's interplay between fatty and lean textures, as well as how the heft of the meat was evened out by all the tart, herby flavors present. The pickles added a bit of sweetness to the mix, and the sticky rice made a bunch of sense here, too.


Joshikai | Girl's Night Out [$18.00] | Kamoizumi Umelicious, Cocchi Americano, Rice Milk, Lemon, Orange & Molasses Bitters
Served in cute mug from Salty Sea Dog Designs, our second cocktail was also to my liking. Umeshu was well-utilized, giving the drink a base of sweet-n-sour nuances, and I was impressed by how well the rice and aromatized wine integrated, injecting the drink with a savory, bittersweet complexity.


Negima (2 Skewers) [$15.00] | jidori chicken oyster, tokyo negi, galangal sauce
Given my love for yakitori, this was another must-try, and a definite highlight of the meal. The bird itself was spot-on texturally, imbued with just enough smoke, utterly delicious, and smartly set off by zesty, well-charred cuts of scallion. However, the star of the show was that galangal sauce, a wonderfully savory, spicy, pungent condiment that actually made me think of shāchá, and which I sort of want on everything now.


Washugyu Beef Tataki [$24.00] | sesame, onion, ginger-soy dressing
Slices of American wagyu arrived tender and lightly seared, and were set in a piquant, umami-laden sauce while being perked up by green onion and nutty pinpricks of sesame.


At this point, we opened up a bottle that my dining companion had recently brought back from Japan: the 2023 Jikon Junmai Ginjo Asahi Hiire (而今 純米吟醸 朝日 火入), produced by Kiyasho Shuzo (木屋正酒造) out of Nabari, Mie Prefecture. The nose here went in a pleasingly fresh, floral, fruity, and grassy direction. On the palate, the sake was soft and smooth, with refined pome fruit countered by peppery spice and umami. Very harmonious, and a lovely drink overall.


Sticky Rice [$3.00]
Glutinous rice served as a fitting accompaniment to many of the dishes tonight, and was just how I like it in terms of texture.


Curry Pan [$18.00] | wagyu, japanese curry, cheese, aji verde
The curry bread was another must-order for me due to my penchant for Japanese karē. It demonstrated all the cozy, classic curry flavors I was looking for, enhanced with gooey cheese, and I was certainly a fan of that delightfully flaky crust. As tasty as the pan was alone, it was made even better by the ají verde, with its addictingly herbaceous, zingy heat.


Seafood Pancake [$24.00] | shrimp, scallop, mussel, garlic chives, house sriracha
I can't resist a good seafood pancake, and Budonoki's version came out crisp on the outside, but with an unexpectedly chewy interior (tapioca flour?). The seafood was expertly prepared, really exhibiting the briny, oceany notes I was looking for, so the greens were key for contrast. Nice use of the hot sauce to tie everything together, too.


Dragon Roll [$25.00] | grilled unagi, prawn tempura, avocado mousse
Budonoki's known for its oshizushi, so naturally we had to try it, though unfortunately it turned out to be my least favorite dish of the night. The eel simply veered overly sweet, and I would've liked a crispier consistency on the shrimp tempura as well.


Matini | Martini [$16.00] | Koshi No Kanbai "Tokusen" Ginjo, Shochu, Dry Vermouth, Yuzu Bitters, Black Pepper
My final cocktail was this pretty convincing martini variation. I especially appreciated the back-and-forth between the citrus and the drink's umami notes, as well as how the saline components played with that black pepper.


"Budo-Gnocchi" [$30.00] | rice cakes, black winter truffle, shimeji mushroom, parmesan
We have here what could be viewed as a riff on tteokbokki. The rice cakes showed off a lovely chew, and I was rather satisfied by the plethora of salty, savory, earthy flavors going on, with everything bound together by a cheese-butter-dashi sauce. Interestingly, this dish was initially created for an Italian trattoria-inspired Halloween pop-up held at the restaurant last October, but it's somehow managed to stick around.


Pandan Coconut Vanilla [$10.00]
A serving of jade-hued ice cream was on point texturally, coming out smooth and light, and really did a great job conveying the sweet, grassy warmth of pandan.

Budonoki calls itself a "Los Angeles izakaya," and I think that's a fitting descriptor. It's a fun, lively, neighborhood-y spot, one that uses the traditional izakaya as a jumping-off point, remixing the classic Japanese pub with an assemblage of international influences, with the end result being something very identifiably Angeleno. This is a great addition to the SoCal dining scene, and I'm looking forward to returning and seeing how the menu evolves.