Joining the small plates trend in Sacramento long led by tapas bars and dim sum spots is this Japanese izakaya (gastropub), which opened in August 2016. The third venture from a team of owners that also runs Bonzai Sushi in the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood and Banzai Japanese Kitchen in Davis, this new downtown restaurant forgoes the predictable (e.g. exhaustive sushi lists) in exchange for inventive bites from the land and sea, such as the deep-fried baby octopus or the incredibly tender “lamu-pops” (mini lamb chops with a house-made ginger-soy marinade). Diners with bigger appetites won’t go hungry either with Takumi’s roster of hearty ramen bowls, including head chef Phuong Vo’s showstopper that comes topped with a 1.5-pound, in-shell Maine lobster. The sophisticated interior boasts mod bubble pendant lights, exposed wood beams and a sushi counter where you can watch chefs prep sashimi or grill yakitori.