At Ozu East Kitchen on bustling Glendale Boulevard in Atwater Village, owner/filmmaker Paul Yi and his team have carved out a user-friendly dining experience. The stylish space includes communal wood tables, benches, and cubes. The food and beverage menu features a blend of Japanese and Korean flavors that are rooted in ramen and extend to the house-made soda selection.

House-made sodas have become a more common occurrence at Los Angeles restaurants in recent years. In too many instances, sodas typically lean on sweet syrups and way too much ice. This approach results in muted flavors and quick dilution. Thankfully, Ozu East Kitchen applies a more balanced process to their soda program.

At my recent lunch in an Ozu East Kitchen window seat, I had to partake in soda with my meal. I particularly enjoyed Yuzu Ginger Soda ($3) with spicy debris and cloudy appearance. They also make vanilla green tea and star anise shiso soda, though the selection changes by season. The restaurant was apparently about to sub out star anise shiso for a strawberry cucumber soda. If soda isn’t your thing, they also have four Craftsman beers on tap and a full Caffe Luxxe coffee bar, which are both viable alternatives.