Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
What's Cookin' Behind the Curtain - If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
()
Every Friday, LAist is taking you on a trip down to Orange County to uncover the unique dining experiences that await adventurous eaters willing to explore beyond the county line.
Several years ago, I used to work in Downtown. Because I would often work through lunch, I had a certain place (Skew’s at Cal Plaza) that I would grab for takeout at every day. It was the combination of quality food (for a fast-casual place), large portions (necessary for someone that eats as much as I do), and healthy menu items (plain chicken breast, salad, brown rice) that continued to draw me back despite a plethora of other options in the area. And it wasn’t just that I went there every day, it was that I ordered the exact same thing every day (albeit getting a different sauce with the chicken). It’s not that I’m a total creature of habit; in fact, I love to try new things. But occasionally, I’ll find something that I enjoy so much that I don’t even bother to try anything else.
So about a year ago, I stumbled upon Fukada in Irvine. There are a ton of quality Japanese restaurants in the central Orange County area, so despite its lofty recommendations (it’s a Yelp favorite), I wasn’t expecting it to be that memorable. It was memorable. And even though I go back all the time and order the same Spicy Tuna Don on brown rice with sansai soba noodles (unless I order the Unagi Don), I never walk away feeling disappointed. Except for the absurdly long lines that often greet me (particularly during lunch).
Although Fukada has a full array of Japanese dishes, it is best known for its handmade noodles. The restaurant serves both udon, which are the thick wheat noodles, and soba, which are the thin buckwheat noodles, in both hot and cold form. The noodles are topped with any number of ingredients, including oroshi (Japanese radish), chikara (mochi), or kamonanban (cooked duck), and served in a soy-based broth. For the combination plate that I always order, your options are sansai (Japanese mountain vegetables) or tanuki (tempura). I love the sansai because of the lightness of the vegetables, which helps give the noodles a crispness (not to mention some color) for a wholly satisfying, but healthy dish.
Support for LAist comes from
Besides the freshness of the food, dishes are extremely affordable considering the quality. I love me some $5 ramen at the numerous spots in Little Tokyo/Little Osaka, so Fukada's noodles are slightly more expensive, ranging in price from $6-$9, depending on your selection of toppings. Where the value comes in is the combination plate. The restaurant's special is a donburi (bowl of rice with your choice of protein) and an order of noodles, a full, well-rounded meal at a highly affordable price (lunch $9/dinner $11). As I mentioned earlier, I am highly partial to the Spicy Tuna Don on brown rice. The tuna is not overly loaded with mayonnaise or Japanese hot pepper as you may get at some sushi restaurants, helping to keep it lighter on the stomach. Fukada gives you a big glop on top of a nice bed of rice (gotta have brown rice, not only for the additional fiber and nutrients, but the slightly grainy taste and texture) and some nori (seaweed) flakes. Add a little wasabi and (low sodium) soy sauce and you get more yummy goodness. My fallback is the Unagi Don, which replaces the spicy tuna with a nice chunk of sliced freshwater eel, topped with kabayaki sauce. Either way, you really can't go wrong.
Fukada is a smallish restaurant seating maybe 50 people, which contributes to the crowdedness, though the wait staff cycles tables through relatively fast. The décor is minimalist, with long wooden tables and wooden benches in the middle, and individual tables on the side. Thus, you may not only get some great food, but also some great conversation with random strangers as you bump elbows in the cramped seating arrangements.
So I've probably been to Fukada at least 25 times and tried maybe five things on the menu. For all I know, the rest of its food could totally blow (I doubt it, but it's possible). I do know that I've never misfired on my tried and true, and that's what keeps me coming back. Over and over. And over. In fact, I'm getting a little hungry right now.
Fukada
8683 Irvine Center Dr.
Irvine, CA 92718
Photo by Ryan Young for LAist
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist