A second outpost of the popular ramen house Rakiraki and its sushi burrito sister concept Pokirrito have 'soft' opened at the base of the Olea Apartments building at the north end San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood.
After training with some of Japans most renowned ramen masters, Chef and owner Junya Watanabe first opened the original Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen in the heart of Kearney Mesa's Convoy District in 2012. The restaurant became an immediate hit due to its stylish design and izakaya-style menu of authentic Japanese cuisine, including curry, tsukemen (dipping noodles), rice bowls, a variety of ramen soups, ramen burgers, specialty sushi rolls, and some of the best chicken karrage we've ever had. Watanabe took over the space adjacent to Rakiraki for the flagship location of his Pokirrito concept, which unveiled this past Spring, offering a counter service menu consisting mainly of poke bowls and giant sushi burritos. Watanabe intends to continue expanding both concepts to new sites.
The Little Italy branch of Rakiraki & Pokirrito are both housed in the same 2,000 square foot space, designed by Satoshi Ikedo of Ikedo Design. In addition to the regular menus, the new location will also add yakitori options, as well as craft beer, wine and sake. The restaurants are in their soft opening phase for the time being, meaning that the staff is still getting into the swing of things, opening hours may be inconsistent, and the full menu may not be available.
Rakiraki & Pokirrito are located at 2254 India Street in Little Italy. For more information, visit rakirakiramen.com and pokirrito.com.
