There are sundry words for knickknacks in Japanese, my favorite of which is “nikkunakku.” Which could easily be the name of Daichan — a joyful, largely old-school Japanese restaurant in a mini-mall on the eastern edge of Ventura Boulevard, which is Studio City’s unofficial Sushi Row.
The single room — presided over for as long as I can remember by a pair of women who exude the pleasure of feeding their loyal diners — is a virtual museum of Japanese chachkas. There’s barely an inch of space not covered with dolls and masks and framed art and fans and miniature baskets of tiny food and the good luck “beckoning cats” called maneki-neko.
This is a tribute to small stuff. But not necessarily when it comes to the food, which can be more than sufficient. Not overwhelming, mind you, but generous enough that you won’t leave feeling hungry. Or financially abused.
Daichan may be the most reasonably priced restaurant on a street of more than a few options. Daichan is a reminder of the pleasure of dining out in the midst of fellow fressers enjoying every bite.
And there are many bites to enjoy! This is an encyclopedia of Japanese dishes, more than just about any other restaurant along Ventura Boulevard. And not only are there lots of options — there’s an education as well when it comes to sake — two pages dedicated to (maybe) everything you’ve always wanted to know about sake, but haven’t been sure who to ask. The answer is here.
Questions answered include “What is sake?” “What does Nihonshu/Do mean?” (It’s the sake meter value, pertaining to how sweet or dry it is.) “What does Nama or Draft mean?” “What is the shelf life of sake?” “Shouldn’t sake be served hot?” (Of course not, say I; hot sake is for amateurs!) “What does Muroka mean?” (Literally “unfiltered.”) “What does Genshu mean?” (Literally “undiluted.”) “What are the ingredients in making sake?” “How is sake graded?” Followed by a second page of “Seafood & Meat Pairings.”
All of which is fascinating when you consider there are just nine sakes on the menu. It’s a far cry from the sake pubs around town with close to 50 sakes to choose from.
On the other hand, the dishes to go with those sakes are abundant — and abundantly served. There is, of course, the requisite miso soup; there always is. But there’s also a fish soup, made with Asian catfish and tofu. And a far larger (and more expensive at $23) seafood soup with not just Asian catfish, but also salmon, clams, scallops, shrimp, squid and fish cakes. Not so much a soup, as it is a Japanese seafood stew.
The salads follow the same pattern — a simple green salad, a basic seaweed salad, a more complex salmon skin salad. And then, sashimi salad, with tuna, salmon, yellowtail and albacore.
And that’s before we even get to the 33 appetizers — which run from edamame and cold cucumber done three ways, to crunch spicy tuna, four tempura options, two gyoza options, deep-fried oysters and calamari legs, and chicken meatballs with tofu.
Don’t expect the traditional sushi bar at Daichan (3 stars; Eureka Plaza, 11288 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; 818-980-8450; https://daichan.menu-world.com). Indeed, there’s no bar at all. But you can’t be a Japanese restaurant on Ventura Boulevard without offering at least some raw and marinated fish — three sashimi plus a mixed sashimi platter, three tataki, 10 sushi rolls, eight sushi bowls, eight poke bowls. There was a time when that would be enough for any proper sushi bar. Now, with bars that serve more than 50 rolls, it’s just a side.
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What really defines Daichan for me is the abundance of rice bowls, plates and noodle dishes. The plates are all served with rice, edamame, steamed carrots and fruit. (And yes, I do find the steamed carrots and fruit a tad … eccentric. But tasty nonetheless.) The karaage fried chicken has enough crunch to compare with the current wave of Korean fried chicken houses.
The kalbi beef plate comes with kimchee. The Hawaiian garlic chicken plate is probably as old school Japanese as anything on the menu — a dish from the day when sweet ginger soy was the flavor of choice. The most expensive dish on the menu, at $28, is a seafood hot pot — like the seafood soup on steroids. The menu notes it doesn’t come with edamame, steamed carrots or fruit. It’s a sacrifice worth making.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
Daichan
- Rating: 3 stars
- Address: Eureka Plaza, 11288 Ventura Blvd., Studio City
- Information: 818-980-8450; https://daichan.menu-world.com
- Cuisine: A menu with roots in the days before Ventura Boulevard became an unofficial Sushi Row, it’s run by two of the sweetest women, with a loyal following for their “Japanese soul food.” Expect a very large menu of dishes that arrive with remarkable haste.
- When: Lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday
- Details: Beer and sake; no reservations
- Cost: About $30 per person
- On the menu: 3 Soups ($3-$23), 4 Salads ($8-$23), 33 Appetizers ($3-$18), 4 Sashimi Orders ($15-$24.50), 3 Tataki Orders ($16.50-$18.50), 8 Sushi Bowls ($16-$34), 10 Sushi Rolls ($5-$14), 8 Poke Bowls ($16-$29), 12 Rice Bowls ($13-$20), 17 Plates ($18-$24), 11 Noodle Dishes ($16-$20), 13 Seafood Plates ($17.95-$28)
- Credit cards: MC, V
- What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)