Here’s a change likely to make Raku fans (such as Mary Sue Milliken and ourselves) more than a little nervous. In June, we reported that the small strip mall Japanese restaurant was under new ownership, but still needed to pass a grace period before making any dramatic transitions.
Today we learn that Raku has officially become a new restaurant named Waraya Japanese Korean Izakaya, open from 5:30 P.M. to midnight daily. While the future of our beloved beef carpaccio and infused sakes is still unclear, one early Yelp review offers that the new owner spends three hours daily at the North Hollywood farmers market and includes a vegetarian menu with a minimum of 20 dishes, including watercress and grapefruit salad, cooked fern, and the fried Camembert featured at Raku.
So far, it sounds like the changes are more cosmetic than drastic. Here’s hoping raw beef, tendon, tongue, and pork belly tonkatsu still fit into the equation here. If not, there’s always Raku in Downtown still keeping the torch lit.
Waraya, 11678 Olympic Blvd. West L.A. 310-478-3090.
