Tako Grill, Japanese in Bethesda - Reopen in The Shoppes of Bethesda at 4914 Hampden Lane

[deangold]

Tonight.... left the restaurant at 9:30 and bopped over to Tako Grill.

Perfect Toro sashimi. Like jelly, melt in your mouth smooth with real wasabi and nuta sauce. Well worth the 17.00 price tag

Ankimo Sashimi- big cuncks on the first order, thinner center slices on the second. Orange soy reduction with green onions and baby ginger shoots. Again, perfect.

Grilled things- tongue, eggplant, asparagus, fried tofu, garlic cloved- good to great items. The tongue especailly.

Takua Shisho hand roll, Ume Shisho hand roll, two pieces of Uni. The Uni was serves without the traditional cup of seaweed to support it- it was that firm. The tow handrolls were superb, tangy pcikles and the perfect balance of stuff to rice.

Ichinokura and Suishin Sake - 3 tokurri of cold sake, very flavorful Suishin won the night.

Total bill just $100, well worth it for the exquisite stuff we had. Tonights meal was a bargain compared to our last meal at Kaz (way more expensive) and Kotobuki (way cheaper but no where near as good). Good value doesn't always mean cheap. I'd rather drop $100 at Tako than $60 at Kotobuki. I feel more pampered and more satisified.

[DonRocks]

Ankimo Sashimi- big cuncks on the first order, thinner center slices on the second.  Orange soy reduction with green onions and baby ginger shoots.  Again, perfect.

I hadn't been to Tako Grill in years, but I went a couple weeks ago and had that ankimo. It was plentiful, but not of high-quality, and didn't seem very fresh. A red snapper sashimi special was edible but not interesting, appearing on a large, busy plate and drowning with peripherals. Two different cooked whole fish were very inexpensive (in the teens), but for a reason: they were tiny, dried out and flavorless.

Cheers,

Rocks

[Pool Boy]

I used to work in Bethesda and I've hit this place probably half a dozen times. Maybe 2-3 times since. I've always enjoyed my meals there, but never been blown away by it.

[baczkowski]

I used to work in Bethesda and I've hit this place probably half a dozen times. Maybe 2-3 times since. I've always enjoyed my meals there, but never been blown away by it.

In the mediocrity of Bethesda, Tako Grill does a slightly better job than the "We won't offend you so you will come back" mentality of most restaurants there. There was a time when I liked Tako Grill better than Raku b/c I thought the menu offered more variety (if I wasn't getting sushi), but we went to Raku about a month ago and my interest was rekindled in their variety. We'll go there again soon, especially since we recently moved to Bethesda. It's probably been over 6 months since we last went to Tako Grill, and I don't feel any emptyness for not going.

Pax,

Brian

[ALB]

Anyone been here of late? Anyone have any better suggestions for sushi in Bethesda? Is Matuba still nay good?

I don't spend a lot on sushi- some rolls, maybe a few nigiri- and almost always take-out.. so you can take that as you will. but I think that Tako is definitely the superior sushi restaurant in Bethesda. I've had wonderful tuna.. salmon. I think the quality has always been higher than Matuba. For cheap eats sushi- I also really like Hinata. but that's take-out only and closes at 7.

[MarkS]

Any recent experience

[DonRocks]

Any recent experience

This is one restaurant I can't imagine recent experience will be relevant - it's been the same forever!

[Simon]

Actually, the restaurant has slipped significantly since Chef Kudo went back to his hometown in Japan. I know there are a number of less than glowing reports upthread, but in the past, if you knew what to order, you could get far above average fish for good value. Not anymore.

[deangold]

I agree. They were out of 3 sakes ordered from a much reduced list and the cuts were large and not well done. We always ate well there when we asked chef what to order and stuck tot he special fish from Japan. No more.

[ALB]

Recently went to Sushi-Ko Chevy Chase for the first time. Our go-to local place is Matuba in Bethesda. After having a markedly better sushi experience in NYC (not in a particularly notable establishment), we've been looking for an upgrade locally, hence the Sushi-Ko trial, which didn't cut it. The nigiri were no better than anything we've had at Matuba and the prices were higher. It didn't help that we were seated at the equivalent of the family thanksgiving dinner kiddie table -- a souless room down a few steps furthest from the entrance.

If you are in Bethesda- I really like Tako Grill (tako as in octopus). The prices are great and the fish I've had has been very good.

[Pool Boy]

I noticed today that Tako Grill has temporarily closed because they are relocating to the Shoppes at Bethesda (I think, did not walk over there just google mapped it) sometime in April 2015 (4914 Hampden Lane, Bethesda, MD)...

[cheezepowder]

Has reopened at 4914 Hampden Lane in Bethesda according to Robert Dyer.

[Pork Belly]

Went there on Monday night not knowing that it was their first day open at the new location. They were remarkably well-organized for the first day -- I assume much of the staff remained the same although I never ate enough at the old location to know -- and everything we ate was good to very good.  All in all, a solid option for dinner post-Bethesda Row if Raku et al are too crowded. It's only another half-block away but because it's hidden from view of the main drags fewer people will think of it.