Miso soup, seaweed salad and california rolls: nothing out of the ordinary here. At Takusan, a relatively new all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant, the menu seemed like a compilation of all of the most “been there, done that” dishes known to the history of Japanese restaurants in America.

Despite the familiar items on the menu, Takusan tries to make something more out of the dining experience with an effort to modernize the atmosphere. Keyword here: tries.

It is hard to judge how stellar a sushi place is based only on how well everything is rolled up. So, unless you are getting take-out, the decor and overall vibe of the restaurant you eat your salmon sashimi at is very important.

At Takusan, the black granite columns topped with golden leaves matched the square tables and red frames holding old Japanese artwork. It all seemed refined and classic, maybe even classy.

After we placed our order for shrimp tempura and gyoza (unlike some other all-you-can-eat restaurants, you are waited on instead of partaking in a more traditional buffet), I noticed the music.

I was expecting to hear some sort of cabaret piano piece, because that seemed to be the norm. Instead, the mid-tempo bass thundered in my ears. I couldn’t even put a genre or time period to the unbecoming beat. It made the restaurant seem like it wanted to take on the persona of a nightclub, or at least a late-night restaurant. Well, Takusan, you are neither.

When I got over the confusion of the music, I picked up a piece of tempura broccoli and was delighted by the light and crisp fried goodness. Although the music was a misstep, the food was acceptable–though not quite exceptional.

Next on the checklist: plating. White platter, drizzled teriyaki sauce and flowered ginger. The basics–again, nothing that jumped off of the plate. Then the seaweed salad came out in what resembled a shot glass.

It was modern, intriguing and new. I enjoyed a change from the usual black-and-red bowls of other Japanese restaurants. But why not push the artistic bar a little further by plating everything in a more thought-provoking way?

The combination of the modern and the generic plating did not mix well. There was not enough of a contrast between the two styles, making the shot glass out of place instead of appealing to the eye.

The menu at Takusan was well-rounded with appetizers ranging from soups to sweet-and-sour chicken wings and a variety of sushi, plus entrees including chicken teriyaki. However, there was nothing special to the “special maki.”

And while the food pleased, the service did not. I was not sure if it took so long to get our food because they wanted to leave time for us to digest the appetizers, or just because of pure slowness.

Overall, the food was good. Just good, nothing out of this world, and the pricing for lunch at $16 a person was reasonable for the amount of food you get at an all-you-can-eat venue. However, if you already have your go-to Japanese restaurant, stick with it. You won’t find anything new at Takusan.

Sophie Rubin can be contacted at [email protected]

1223  Beacon St
Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 739-0000

Mon-Thur: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat: 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.