Mike L.
Yelp
I owe you an apology, Akebono - I wasn't really familiar with your game.
Even though I've looked up a fair number of Sacramento restaurants to try, I don't recall ever seeing Akebono show up on Yelp. Which is actually rather surprising - considering how many reviews this place has, you'd think they would've shown up at some point. Then again, with a couple of friends each suggesting separately that we come here for our group dinner, perhaps it was inevitable that I would make my way here at some point regardless!
At an initial glance, when we first stepped inside, nothing about Akebono really stood out. In almost every way, it looks like your typical neighborhood Japanese restaurant. However, it didn't take long to see why they thought this place would be great for us - between how big the parking lot is and the number of tables they have for large parties, it was a breeze to get seated even without reservations. Similarly, the menu is HUGE! Granted, that's not always a good thing, but it's impressive just how much they have to offer - hot and cold appetizers, sushi and sashimi options, bento boxes, donburis, curry dishes, Japanese fried rice, cold noodles/soba, fried noodles/yakisoba, and seventeen(!) types of ramen and udon.
-- AGEDASHI TOFU - Deep Fried Tofu with Special House Soy Sauce...$8.95
This looked pretty average, but it tasted great! The tofu looked a bit pale, but the batter was crispy and the tofu had a nice bounce to it. I would've liked some grated radish and/or a bit more green onions, but this was still good as is.
-- CHICKEN KARAAGE - Deep Fried Chicken Nuggets...$11.95
One of the priciest Karaage dishes I've had, but also one of the largest. so it evens it out a bit. I don't love how the chicken was cut after it was fried, but at least they were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It could've used a little more seasoning, but it was fine otherwise.
-- WOW ROLL - Shrimp Tempura Topped with Scallop, Avocado Dip, Black Tobiko, and Spicy Mayo Sauce...$17.95
The inside of the roll felt pretty bare with just shrimp tempura in it, but this was pretty solid. The rice was decent, the scallops tasted fresh, and the avocado was perfectly ripe. In all, everything complemented each other well.
-- MIXED TEMPURA APPETIZER - Deep Fried Shrimp and Vegetables...$12.95
There may not have been anything particularly special about this, but it was pretty good. The batter had a very nice crunch to it, the tempura wasn't very oily, and there was a good mix of vegetables to go along with the shrimp.
-- SALMON NIGIRI...$7.95
As nice as it was to look at the size of the salmon, the color of it certainly wasn't. The dark tinge was a bit unsettling, but it smelled fine, the texture was okay, and, most importantly, it didn't taste off. Unlikely I'd get this again, though.
-- PINK LADY ROLL - Shrimp Tempura and Snow Crab Wrapped in Soy Paper Topped with Scallop, Tobiko, and Cream Sauce...$17.95
In hindsight, perhaps I should have got something different, as this is really similar to the Wow roll. That said, this was just as good. The snow crab went well with the scallop and shrimp tempura, though I wish there was more of it.
-- CHICKEN KATSU CURRY with Vegetables over Rice...$17.95
Honestly, did not expect this to be so MASSIVE! The portion of rice and curry is quite generous and tasted great. The katsu wasn't heavily breaded and the chicken was fairly moist, but it was odd seeing just only a few chunks of carrots and potatoes.
As far as service goes, it was terrific - all of the workers were super friendly across both of our visits (came back to try more of the gigantic menu). They warmly greeted us, came by often, and the food came out relatively quick, even for our larger group dinner.
While Akebono, presumably, isn't the most acclaimed Japanese restaurant in Sacramento (I'd guess that distinction goes to Kru?), it's got plenty of its own merits. Most of what we've tried has been solid, the menu has something to offer for everyone, service was terrific, and coming here, even if you're in a large group without a reservation, is ridiculously convenient. They may not blow anyone away, but I imagine it'd be hard to find a ton to complain about either.
All in all, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded up.