Budonoki Review: The Virgil Village Hot Spot Is the Most Playful Izakaya in Los Angeles | Eater LA

"Entering feels like stepping into a cool party: neon LED wall art lights up the room, 2000s R&B hits are bumping, and the inviting vibe permeates all corners. Helmed by executive chef Dan Rabilwongse with partners Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley, this 2024 Eater Best New Restaurant winner is an adventure that combines Japanese precision with bright Thai flavors and French techniques, set on the first floor of an apartment building that once housed Cha Cha Cha and transporting diners to a sake den in Brooklyn or Tokyo with bumping tunes and swift service. Start with the naem, a fermented Thai pork sausage whose recipe Rabilwongse learned from his mom; it’s eye-wideningly spicy and sour, and pairing it with red curry–flavored crispy rice balls (and cabbage slaw) evokes crispy tuna rice while being wholly its own. The "budo-gnocchi" submerges toasted, chewy rice cakes in a luxuriously silky shimeji mushroom and Parmesan cream sauce blanketed with freshly grated black truffle, while the scallop crudo is reliably fresh and changes seasonally—the current version includes figs and a pomegranate and coconut mousse; don’t sleep on the flame-seared pressed sushi, either. The most iconic drink is Girl’s Night Out, a sweet, citrusy plum wine cocktail in an adorable animal-shaped mug—half the fun is discovering which whimsical creature you’ll get, from otters to whales to penguins—and there’s an extensive sake list to explore. Best for a birthday party (book a large patio table or the round table with a lazy Susan that foregrounds the host’s stand), a meal out with friends, or a date night that doesn’t feel too fancy but still impresses. Insider tip: save room for dessert—the soft serve’s rotating flavors are never cloying, and it arrives with a cute shovel-shaped spoon you can take home." - Kat Thompson