Meal Ticket: Ku Raudo Sushi & Bento, Dublin 2

With seating for just 15 people, this tiny new Japanese restaurant has moved into a somewhat doomed location. This premises seems to change hands every other week, never with any success.

KiRaudo seems different though. A complete facelift, excellent staff, and the ability to eat in, in comfortable – if cosy – surroundings all help to make this look like a place that will stick.

They cleverly launched with just two menu items, giving them a chance to find their feet. There’s a regular bento and a vegetarian version. Both are €8.99. Both boxes include a bowl (or take away container) of good miso, some fried gyoza, a couple of pieces of norimaki, a hot main dish and a secondary meat dish or salad. Kyoto ribs were a little too fatty but the spicy sauce is good.

A chicken kaarage (tasty morsels fried until the battered coating is nicely crispy) is good, although strangely served on a salad with mustard dressing. Stir-fried vegetables are really good – fresh and still crisp and full of bite. A Thai-style vegetable dish is too bland. Better to stick with the Japanese favourites.

A new menu launched this week, and includes sushi, ramen, some fried soba dishes and a couple of curries. As a nice touch, a green tea is given to everyone waiting for take-out, although we’re not sure how long that will last, considering there was a queue to the door on our visit.