Rakuza Tokyo

Located steps away from Soi Thonglor at the Grass Neighborhood Complex between Thonglor Sois 10 and 12, Rakuza is partially hidden from view, but well worth the effort to find. Housed in a modern building with massive windows, two floors, indoor and outdoor seating, it still manages to communicate that it is Japanese by using excellent renditions of modern Japanese art.

Published on 04/10/2011

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Rakuza serves what it calls 'modern-style' Japanese food as it is found in Tokyo, a vibrant and energetic mass of humanity that comprises what is arguably the world's largest city. Although this sounds simple and straightforward, much of the 'modern-style' food served in Tokyo is a poorly thought out fusion of conflicting tastes, in a relatively few places the result is passable, and in a handful of restaurants, what is offered is sublimely delicious. Rakuza Tokyo, on Soi Thonglor, falls in the latter category. If you are bent upon trying the best examples of modern Japanese food while here in Bangkok, this is the place to find it.

Our favourite dish at Rakuza, and one of our favorites in all of Bangkok, is the Gindara saikyo yaki. This traditional Japanese dish is made with Black Cod (Gindara) that has been marinated in sweetened red miso. What sets the Rakuza rendition apart is the thin sheet of Japanese cedar upon which it is served. This imparts a delicate flavor that moves this dish from the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary. If you visit Rakuza, by all means try this tasty creation.

A marvelous example of a modern-style dish is a stack of Rare grilled tuna, scallop and foie gras. Served with balsamic soy sauce atop a puree of potatoes, this 720 baht creation is one of those dishes that could be a disaster, but it works because balsamic vinegar and soy sauce seem to have an affinity for one another. It is especially popular with Thais because it combines sweet, sour and salty, a mixture that is always popular in Thailand.

Perhaps the most popular dish in the restaurant is the Sashimi salad (390 baht) made with five different types of seafood, including (when we visited) octopus, lean tuna, salmon, snapper and shrimp roe. Mixed with greens, wasabi soy sauce dressing and sesame seeds, this fresh, light and piquant concoction benefits from the high quality of the seafood – much of it from Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo – used by the restaurant.

One of the more 'radical' of the modern-style dishes served is the Foie gras sushi. Here a slab of deliciously rich foie gras is served atop a portion of sushi rice and lightly covered with teriyaki sauce. It is good and the sweetness of the teriyaki melds well with the foie gras, but like all fusion dishes it is compared with other ways of serving the main ingredient. And let’s face it, foie gras served with pears and port glaze is hard to beat!

Don't get the impression that Rakuza doesn't serve traditional Japanese food. There is an excellent selection of many of the standard sushi, sashimi and other dishes served in traditional Japanese restaurants. And as in any high standard Japanese restaurant, the fish is of excellent quality, properly cut and attractively served.

Rakuza is part of a family of approximately 18 restaurants owned by Kiraku in Tokyo. Although each of the restaurants has its own personality, quality is maintained and insured by monthly visits from representatives of the parent company. Rakuza Tokyo is open daily for dinner from 18.00-24.00. It is also open for lunch on Sat-Sun from 12.00-14.30. There is parking in the Grass Complex parking lot.

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