What a refreshing find! When you walk into Izakaya 68, you notice how chic it is, but that doesn’t take away from the lovely intimacy of the restaurant. It has a lot to do with the unique touches.
As you enter you see a beautiful Japanese cherry tree in all of its splendor. Also, each booth has a valance, which gives the vibe of having a private room, or maybe hosting your own little party.
Our waiter was so friendly and knowledgeable. He was great because he gave us suggestions and cautions about what to order. It’s good to have both so you understand if you really want what you think you want. For instance, he spoke about the fish flake seasoning that is applied in some of the dishes saying that it mostly appeals to people who are looking for a more authentic rendering of Japanese cuisine.
He gave us the flavor palette so we could think about whether it was an option we might want to explore.
Another fun aspect of my Izakaya 68 outing was experiencing the robotic arm of their staff. These robots were self-rolling carts that greeted you with the cutest digitally animated face. It brought your meal to the table, and all you had to do was take it off of the cart.
Wow! I’ve been talking so much about the experience that we haven’t really talked about the food. I kept it simple and ordered ramen. However, I have to say…this was my favorite iteration yet.
Why? I’ll tell you.
I’ve enjoyed ramen in other places, but most of the time it has been served in a clear broth. This one was creamy and had so many hints of flavor as I dug in more and more. In fact, at the bottom of the bowl I got a lively dose of heat from the spicy radish.
The ramen had a slice of pork belly— browned, tender, and with a bit of crisp on the edges. The presentation was lovely, especially the halved boiled egg. I just love an egg with noodles so they had me at “Hello.”
Izakaya 68 is a great place for a girls’ night out or a date night with the spouse. I am already scheming on the next time that I can make my way back to Hunt Valley, MD and order more from their extensive menu.
Until then, if you are in the area, check it out.
Photos from Izakaya 68 Facebook page.
Multi Cultural Cooking Network 