January 2005
The red-and-teal dining room can get frenetic when the dinner masses descend, and service is not always what it should be, but Tako offers an array of choice morsels for the budget-minded. Sushi and sashimi lovers have all the usual rolls and platters to choose from, plus smaller, less pricey options like tuna nuta, four pieces of tuna artfully arranged with thin-sliced cucumber and seaweed. Tempura options go beyond the run of the mill to oysters and tofu–the semi-virtuous have tempura on cold green-tea noodles as an option.
Ginger pork is the best of the stir-fries, and classic deep-fried pork tonkatsu is a winner, too. Tako also has a roster of grilled morsels such as asparagus, scallops, and ginkgo nuts called robatayaki. Green beans in sesame sauce make for a nice change from Japanese seaweed and spinach salads. It's easy to get carried away with the extensive and beautifully put-together boutique-sake list, but you'll strain the Cheap Eats budget if you sip too avidly.
