A new izakaya has opened up shop in the neighborhood. Called Taro San Japanese Noodle Bar, the new arrival is located at 717 Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto.

The limited menu — set to expand as Taro San gets its legs — starts with small plates like fried shrimp or oysters with tartar sauce, pork belly with a sweet soy reduction and tempura soft egg, and Japanese-style fried chicken. Udon dishes include versions with sliced rib-eye, another with duck, and a vegan version based on a shiitake stock. Ordering is done through an iPad, and sake, beer and yuzu-flavored soda are among the drink options.

With a four-star rating out of 35 reviews on Yelp so far, Taro San Japanese Noodle Bar has made a promising start.

Joel J., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on Jan. 4, wrote, "I'm a super nerd so I loved their tablet-based ordering system — you can order at your own pace and get more food at any time. More importantly, the food was fantastic."

Yelper Lyn L. added, “The restaurant is nice and clean, simply decorated as I would expect for a Japanese restaurant. The salmon and fried oyster were OK.  The belly pork, although kind of lean, was tender and flavorful.”

Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Taro San Japanese Noodle Bar is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 5–9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–8 p.m. on Sunday.