I have said it before, there is no good Japanese food in the valley. Most of the “Japanese” restaurants here are bad, bad, bad. I have been to most of them and Phoodies, you need to demand better. A friend recommended Taiko Japanese Cuisine in Chandler with the magic words – “they have food that tastes like food I used to get in Japan”. He had the oyako donburi (lunch) and, as he put it, “it was made by someone who knows how to make donburi”. We went that evening and it is true. Finally a place in Phoenix that has good Japanese food. The service was okay, the sushi was okay, and yes it is in a strip mall ^[1]. But who the fuck cares?!? Ramen and donburi and tonkatsu and curry made by a chef who understands Japanese food. Yeah baby! Cooper and Ray near the Bashas.