My California-based friend who took me around the Bay Area (San Francisco, Napa Valley, Oakland, Dublin, Berkeley, and Half Moon Bay) during my trip to the US in May 2013, was so frustrated when he found out I don’t really eat vegetables or fish. Okay, fine, not that I don’t eat them AT ALL, but more of, if I can avoid eating them, I would. I think my lack of love for vegetables can be self-explanatory, as almost every other young person (haha!) hates vegetables, but as for fish, let’s just say I’ve grown to not look for them due to recurring childhood traumas of getting tinik!

So, he made it his mission to “educate my palate” during my stay in the Bay Area. While I don’t think he really succeeded in making each of my meals “educational,” especially since I barely even ate, he did succeed in educating my palate in general, and giving me renewed appreciation for vegetables, fish, and other sorts of dishes I wouldn’t normally try.

He took me to dinner one night to one of his favorite spots in Berkeley: Ippuku, a Japanese Izakaya-style dining bar, which means it’s primarily a sake shop that’s conducive for drinking, with dining areas ranging from tatami mats and low tables, tables and chairs, or even seating by the bar.

As we waited to be seated, he ordered his favorite beer, Hitachino White Ale (whose light, smooth, fresh taste I instantly fell in love with), to get things started as we browsed the menu from the bar. He took charge of selecting our dishes, which are mainly Japanese pulutan, challenging me to eat whatever it is that he orders.

Soon, we were seated, and as we got our second bottle of Hitachino, the dishes started arriving. Click through the gallery below for my comments on each. Next time you visit the Bay Area, make a side trip to Berkeley to visit this place on a night out. Order some of the things I tried here, or dare yourself to try something else—the more unusual, the better. I guarantee, it’s loads of fun, and will surely be one of the highlights of your trip—it certainly was one of mine! To book a hotel in Berkeley via Agoda, click here.

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Ippuku is located at 2130 Center Street, Berkeley, California 94704, USA.