Revisiting downtown Berkeley: Japanese food at Ippuku

Being in downtown Berkeley has always made me feel like I'm in high school again. Those days of scrambling for crappy off-campus lunches, impatiently waiting for the hourly 65 bus, and being called a godless parasite by angry, angry bums. Enduring the mix of cal students, frumpy entitled hippies, sad empty storefronts, and bad drivers has never seemed worth it just to get to that one nice brunch. But recently a few places have popped up, creating a strip of destinations that are (dare I say it) hip, interesting, and in true Berkeley style, a little weird. Here's one:
Ippuku

Walk through the mysterious wooden doors and you're immediately greeted by an upside down Shochu bar, a hallway of cool concrete walls and natural wood tables, and the gleeful suspicion that you're about to remove your shoes and sit on heather blue cushions for this meal. The decor, down to the pepper shaker and sake cups, alternates between stone colored ceramic and rustic wood, it feels like a spa, then it feels like New York. There's a sleek, comfortable, and thoughtful vibe.

I required a little bit of help navigating this menu, but a few things were instantly clear- there's no shortage of chicken parts, mochi, or sake here. The menu is a maze of small plates ranging from $6 to $15, making Ippuku a great place for a quick quail egg fix and a drink (sake and beer), or a relaxing place to chill and eat a ten course dinner. My top picks? The gyoza to start, the negima (chicken thigh with leeks) to devour, yaki onigiri (rice balls) to fight over, the krobuta bara (pork belly) to make you smile, and the kuro goma sundae to finish. For those of you who like liver, my friend in the chicken-liver-lover-camp was highly pleased. Skip the ramen.

 Chicken liver

Pork belly

Sundae (with crispy tempura bits, mochi, and a type of bean paste)

Sake

Unless you're familiar with Japanese food (not just sushi) be prepared to walk away having learned something from Ippuku, whether it be a taste for chicken tartare or the idea that downtown Berkeley can surprise you. 

Got the travel bug?
http://www.ippukuberkeley.com/