Welcome to the first Japanese restaurant post for Otakify’s Otaku Field Guide!!
We will be sharing our experiences about different things otaku in Otaku Field Guide!
We are pleased to have expereienced Udon at Sanuki no Sato! This spot is easily discovered by a simple yelp search for “Udon” in the South Bay Area (Southern California).
So after work I scooped up Thomas from his house and we jumped onto the freeway. Opps, forgot about the traffic during the late afternoon in the SoCal. Red lights, the sun going down and G**gle maps telling us that it’s going to take a whole 5 minutes to get to the spot, uggh lol.
Here’s a picture of the front door!
Next here’s a picture of the menu.
Personally I found the menu a bit tricky to navigate. I didn’t really know what dishes were grouped together or not. I didn’t worry though because I knew I was there to get some udon…but first beer and hot shochu!
Tamago!
Now to the Udon!
I had their Nabeyaki Udon. If I may describe what I experienced in non-flavor terms it would be like getting tucked into a warm memory foam bed (heat from the soup) that was soft but supportive (udon noodles) and tasted like a lightly warm summer afternoon walk though a well tended and blooming backyard flower and vegetable garden. In other words, it was very good. The Nabeyaki Udon has a variety of vegetable ingredient toppings (the best part imo), two pieces of shrimp tempura, fish cake slices, and mushroom.
Thomas had the Karanabe Udon. How he described the flavor is that it was a rich hot broth of meaty savory flavors being held up by a body of seafood. On top of that, it was full of spice and serviced at a temperature of molten lava that it would instantly burn his mouth. The udon contains the traditional noodles with different types of greens that help absorb all of that delicious flavor leaving your mouth full of…dare i say it, UMAMI.
Parking wasn’t bad at all at the time we got there (5:30-ish) but the plaza and Sanuki no Sato itself gets full more towards 7:30-9:00 PM. I suggest going earlier on the weekdays to beat the rush. Price-wise we both agree that it’s more of a nicer-teir meal but the serving size was also large and filling.
If you are in the area or are able to drive out you will be able to experience wonderful udon at Sanuki no Sato.
Now its time to put Sato on the list of places to visit in Japan.
Kampai!
Restaurant Info:
Sanuki No Sato
www.sanukinosato.com
18206 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA, 90248
(310) 324-9184
Fun Facts: Sato means village.
Nihongo practice! “Toriaizu nomu biru onagaishimasu” = “I’ll have a draft beer for now please.”
