Daikokuya (Los Angeles, CA) – A Party of One
March 25, 2010
Most people don’t like eating alone. I’m one of them.
As much as I try to avoid it, I find myself eating alone more often than I’d like to admit. Not only do I eat alone, 90% of the time I forget to bring a book and end up sitting around watching everyone around me chow down while I sit……at a table…doing nothing…by myself. (Yeaaaaah. Sounds lame, I know. I promise you – I have friends! And social skills!)
That said, there are a very small handful of places where I will willingly eat alone as the happiness I get from that meal exceeds any discomfort of being a party of one. Of that very small handful of places, there is only one restaurant that I will willingly wait an hour – BY MYSELF – for a meal that will only take half of that time to consume.
Daikokuya.
I’ve come to realize Daikokuya doesn’t care if you’re a party of one or four – you’re going to be seated based on where your name falls on THE LIST (i.e. their wait list, which is secured on a clipboard and sits on a lone chair smack in the middle of their front entrance). See that empty space by the counter, perfect for me, myself and I? Unless you’re next on the list, it’s going to stay empty until the couple next to it leaves, when it will be then used for a party of three instead.
For me, no matter how long I find myself waiting, Daikokuya is worth the wait. The dressing on their cabbage starter salad is simply addicting. Its rich, milky tonkotsu broth washes away the troubles of the day with each warm sip. The noodles are just to my liking – not too soft, cooked just enough so it doesn’t feel like they were tossed into the bowl as an afterthought.
I can go no matter if I’m having a good day or a bad one, whether I’m with friends or by myself – it always hits the spot.
(Read my original review on Yelp.)
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-1680
Website: http://www.daikoku-ten.com/
Twitter: @daikokuyaramen
3 Comments on “Daikokuya (Los Angeles, CA) – A Party of One”
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I’m heading here this weekend for the first time with a party of five. Have I made you feel worse about yourself? I kid…
March 25, 2010 » 10:51 PM »
The blackberry comes in real handy when eating alone so that you look busy. At least that’s what I do.
April 1, 2010 » 12:28 AM »
I seriously need to try this place out. I guess living in Torrance made me avoid this place all this time, but now that I’ve moved, it’s game on!
Oh, and ya, I agree with the eating alone part, but places like this or a sushi bar, bring it on! Eating at Marea and Alto solo was kinda weird since I was dressed up and carrying a dSLR….that, I don’t think I want to do again.
April 5, 2010 » 5:02 PM »