Pranjali Sharma
Google
Our experience at Arario was great! I'm glad that we made a reservation for Friday night because the restaurant was very full. We got seated right away, which was nice. Parking is an issue in the area because you have to find street parking so make sure to get there with enough time to make your reservation. The server was nice and friendly. The ambiance is chic casual so whether you are dressed for a night out or in hiking clothes (like we were), you won't be out of place.
We ordered a Sapporo and a German Reisling for drinks. They have cocktails but I thought they were a tiny bit overpriced for cocktails. For food, we ordered the fried mackerel as an appetizer and the Ikaika bowl and the traditional beef bulgogi.
The food came out pretty quickly and the portions are big. The mackerel was different and interesting. It was fried but the meat was still soft. There were small bones but easy to eat. I liked the crunch skin but my husband thought it was bitter. At times, it got tough after chewing a bit, so I'd say it wasn't perfect. The dressing that came with it was soy based and added a layer of sweetness. If you're in the mood to try something different, I'd give this a go.
The Ikaika bowl was our favorite. They say it their version of a loco moco. It was very very good! The beef patty was medium well and came with a fried egg (sunny side up), black bean gravy, crunchy veggies, pita chips on a bed of rice. I should've asked for the egg to be scrambled because I hate runny yolk. But despite that, this dish was yummy. I think it needed a little more seasoning (salt) than it had. Once mixed, the gravy, the veggies, the chips and the meat really added texture to the rice. Since the portion was huge, we ended making a brunch out of the leftovers the next day.
The traditional bulgogi was decent. They gave the rice separately. The beef itself was good but the rest of the dish needed a wow factor for seasoning. The portion was also quite big and we ended up adding this to our brunch the next day with the ikaika. The table accompaniments - Mac and cheese, sweet black beans, pickled cucumbers, kimchi were very Americanized. The kimchi was not as zingy as we would like. I hated that the black beans were sweet, because a savory flavor would've added a new taste texture to our food overall.
I think for the portions, the prices are ok, but this restaurant is a little on the pricier side. It is worth a try for sure!