Hatsuzakura

What sets Hatsuzakura apart from University Heights' other counter-service spots — the vegan pho at Loving Hut, the takeout Thai next door — is the focus on *yoshoku*, Japanese comfort food that borrows Western techniques without the fusion anxiety. The **curry** anchors the menu: thick, faintly sweet, properly spiced, over rice with tonkatsu or vegetables. It's the dish that shows up in birthday dinners and weeknight orders alike, which tells you it's built for repetition.

The **Hayashi** (a tomato-based beef stew over rice) runs less common in San Diego but gets the same careful treatment — slow-cooked, savory, the kind of thing that eats like a hug. The kitchen moves fast without cutting corners, and plates arrive hot even when the small dining room fills past capacity.

Logistics matter here: it's first-come seating, no reservations, and waits can hit 45 minutes if you miss the opening window. The patio helps absorb overflow, but this is fundamentally a tight operation built for locals who know to arrive early or order takeout. Parking on Adams is the usual street-spot scavenger hunt.

The vibe skews casual-inviting — bright but not loud, neighborhood regulars mixing with date-night couples who appreciate attentive service without the upsell. Beer and wine keep the drink list simple. Vegetarian options exist but this isn't a plant-forward menu; if you're vegan, Loving Hut's two blocks away.

The mid-tier pricing feels right for what you're getting: real cooking, small-batch execution, no corners cut on ingredients. It's not trying to be an omakase experience or a ramen specialist. It's doing one thing — Japanese comfort food that tastes like someone's mom is in the kitchen — and doing it well enough that people wait.