tokyo table

After reading some tepid reviews, we went to Tokyo Table with another couple and low expectations. That said, we were very pleasantly surprised.

On La Cienega's Restaurant Row, the space is modern, clean and well decorated. The giant take on mid-cent modern white chandeliers that hang over the large booths and black and white paper barrel shaped lanterns throwing soft light through the room coupled with sexy white leather chairs and booths and natural stone surfaces make for a very appealing interior space. In the short hall that joins the bar, entry and main dining room, are some very nicely done, subtle water features and we also noticed a number of private dining areas for parties and groups.

The bar area was dim lit and inviting, with b/w photos of Japan flanking the walls. The long list of asian inspired vodka cocktails was a refreshing change from the pseudo martini culture that seems to have taken hold elsewhere around town. I found they were more than happy to replace the vodka with shochu to make the sour highballs I fell in love with in Japan. They were so good, the (very down to earth and friendly) bartender actually gave us a couple on the house before we headed off to our table.

The menu reads like asian fusion tapas, so we were expecting small plates of this and that, but by the time the food rolled out we were thankful to be seated at one of the huge round, booth tables. The plates bordered from substantial to large and we ended up with an obscene amount of food. I think we ordered close to half the menu (it certainly looked that way!) and the only thing we weren't thrilled with was their version of shabu shabu and sukiyaki (but to be fair, spending a month in Tokyo will skew your perspective). Everything else was yum and pleased even the pickier palates at the table.

Later on, we discovered the desserts were just as deceptively huge. From the menu photos we expected them to be smallish and good for sharing, so we ordered a few. Wow, we had no idea. Their signature dessert toasts were the size of my head and the four of us barely put a dent in one. The flambe bananas they light at the table were also tasty and huge. The green tea shaved ice was a bit lack luster given the other options, but it was gigantic. They sloshed it into a giant to-go container for me and out of the freezer the next afternoon it was fantastic.

Entertainment was also in abundance - between the barely legal self-proclaimed "OC girls" toddling around in long tops they were trying to pass off as dresses (no shit, they were walking around in barely hip length, slit dresses with panties in full view that even had the hot, hollywood hostess laughing out loud) and our server in-training trying to contend with our deliberate drink induced obnox, and our table being lit along with the bananas due to some libation spillage - there was no shortage in laughs.

Bottom line, no, this isn't traditional Japanese or sushi, but it's a beautiful space, with very good fusion fare at reasonable prices, great service and a welcome addition to our restaurant row. We had a great evening here and will definitely be back.

50 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 657-9500