Ginny Kolmar: Ichiraku

Walking through the front door, my dinner companions and I were faced with a small fish tank, filled with exotic-looking live specimens. We were seated in a second room and told that both rooms combined seat approximately 100 people.

Charming fairy lights are woven through bamboo and wicker ceiling designs, and light-giving Japanese lanterns and wall sconces ensure our seeing the walls, which are filled with hundreds of Ichiraku's "favorite customers."

Since the owners are part Japanese and part Korean, the first item served is a small, iron pot filled with Korean kimchee, stew or fish soup, plus pickled vegetables with Japanese radish slivers (Sunomono with Daikon slivers) and an excellent Miso soup.

The menu is large. We chose to each order the intriguing Special Dinner Box, which at $9.95 we thought couldn't be very large. Ha! We were mistaken. This specialty includes one's choice of any three items listed, all served with rice, soup, salad and tea.

One friend ordered the box with Chicken Katsu (breaded and fried chicken patty served with special sauce), Crab Roll (sushi) and Sea Bass Teriyaki. The second enjoyed California Rolls, Tempura Vegetable/Shrimp and Chicken Katsu, while I ordered Gyoza (Japanese potstickers or ravioli), Ton Katsu (pork patty, breaded and lightly fried, served in small strips with a special sauce) and a Crab Roll.

Portions were surprisingly large and we all were able to sample each other's choices. The salad was made up of small bits of various lettuces and red cabbage with a typical Japanese dressing, all pleasingly cold and refreshing.

I made a reservation for a second visit with family members at a later time - a good thing, too, since the waiting line was out the door. We were shown to our table and again had an excellent meal. This time, one member of the party ordered sushi while another one enjoyed his Special Dinner Box. I decided on Chicken Katsu, a too-huge bowl filled with rice and topped with a mixture of chicken cubes, egg and slivered onions. This combination of food worked out well and we were able to share with our sushi eater. We were still given all those complimentary soups, sunomono and even an orange mochi or ice cream at the end of the meal. We split the bill at $15 each, which included tax and tip.

We noted two Korean specialties: Sashimi over Rice ($9.95) and Sashimi with Cold Noodles ($7.95). There are lunch specials served seven days a week with various rolls and a Happy Lunch Box, offering a choice of three items, soup, rice and tea ($6.95). Eighteen appetizers and side orders appear on the large menu, including some not familiar to us but known to the Japanese patrons. Hiya Yakko ($3.95) is a cold bean cake served with bonito, green onion and grated ginger, while deep-fried Stars consist of shrimp and crabmeat in Japanese ravioli ($3.25). Harumaki is a Japanese-style egg roll ($3.95) and a Croquette is Japanese-style deep-fried mashed potato ($3.95).

Ichiraku offers 27 varieties of sushi, including several house specials. One, Sun Rise, stumped us, until we read that it is made with sake, tobiko (egg) and quail egg ($6.95). Prices for most sushi runs from $1 (quail egg) to $6.95.

Makimono Rolls cost from $2.95 for Kappa Maki (cucumber) to $9.95 for an Alaska Roll (avocado, shrimp, salmon). Most rolls are $5 to $5.50, and there are more than 50 from which to choose! Next time I'll try Jim's Roll (tuna, shiitake mushroom, egg and onion, $5.50) and Umeshiso Roll (mint leaf with plum sauce, $2.95).

Choose from 15 kinds of Sashimi on the menu, too, from $4.50 to $8.95 for six pieces. Everything from Amaebi (sweet, raw prawn), $8.95 and Tako (octopus), $6.95 for six pieces, can be found on the menu, including Suzuki (striped bass), Albacore (white tuna), Hirame (flounder) and Saba (mackerel). A la carte dishes are served with Miso Soup, rice and salad. Prices quoted are for dinner. Four kinds of Tempura, from $8.50 for all vegetables to $9.95 for either Seafood or Shrimp Tempura, are listed.

Nine kinds of Teriyaki, eight kinds of Katsu and seven types of Shioyaki (lightly salted and broiled dishes) are here ($8.95 to $11.95). Nine varieties of Donburi (large rice bowls with meat or fish on top cooked with special sauce) go for $5.95 to $12.95, the former for Tofu Teriyaki Donburi to the latter's Unagi Donburi (broiled eel).

Even Inabe, Udon and Soba may be ordered. These are, respectively, something cooked in an iron pot, noodles soup or cold buckwheat noodles soup.

Combination dinners are listed from $13.95 to $16.95, but we defy anyone from finishing. Beverages include Hot Sake and beer ($2.75 small or $5 large); sodas and diet sodas, $1; four special Sake and Plum wines, $2.25/glass. Assorted Soju, $10 and, finally, house wines (chablis, red, burgundy or rose), at $2/glass, $5/half-liter or $8.50/liter are all on the menu.

Parking is difficult on the weekends, but persevere my friends - Ichiraku is a wonderful restaurant and well worth it!

ICHIRAKU Japanese Cuisine

3750 Geary Blvd. (at Second Avenue)

Phone: 752-9666; fax: 752-1712

Beer/Wine/Sake; no wheelchairs when full; Visa/MC

Reservations advised on weekends

Hours: Monday - Friday: lunch 11 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Dinner 4:30 - 10:45 p.m.

Saturday: noon - 10:45 p.m.

Sunday: noon - 10 p.m.

Atmosphere: ** 1/2 Service: **

Food: ***

Price: *

Overall: ***