"What started with long lines has settled into a compact, high-quality concept built around a self-serve onigiri counter and tempura-focused dining. The to-go onigiri are plastic-wrapped rice balls filled with items like chashu pork, heart-shaped chicken omurice, and salmon topped with salty ikura, but the full tempura experience requires sitting down for rice bowls piled high with super-crunchy, lightly battered tempura shrimp, lotus root, squash, and maitake mushrooms. The kitchen’s seasoned batter yields exceptionally airy, crispy results, and diners can customize heat and umami with shakes of chili pepper and smoky matcha salt; wait times have eased to around 15 minutes, especially near 5 p.m." - Janna Karel