On my first exploration, Kirala showed good potential. However, the potential was marred by some real problems. I went specifically for the robata. What I had was fairly good, though 1) the ume chicken was described as basted where in fact ume paste was squirted a la ketchup a grilled chicken piece. 2) the bacon used in bacon wrapped asparagus was too salty, marring an otherwise nice bit of texture and flavor. My nigori (unfiltered) sake was so thick im guessing i got a whole bottle's worth of sediment in one glass. Which suggested they didnt know to shake the bottle with each pouring. Service was extraordinarily slow; 45 min between a 4 pc order and service. With all that, they showed enough promise that I'd give them a second chance.
Pros: intruiging menu, robata grill, varied sake selection
Cons: overworked grill chef, very slow service
more