Restaurant DaKan — Restaurant in Nevada City

(Update, third meal. Forgive my particulars— it’s just how my brain works) My wife and I visited Friday night and got the carpaccio, the ravioli, the burger, and the Panna cotta. For me the burger doesn’t flow as well as it should. Needs a touch more acidity. The patty was over cooked again and was dense, and it seems to come from quite dry aged cuts (a little funky, but not too bad). There is a lightness to recently ground beef that I am missing that doesn’t compact as much—yields to a less dense bite. My palate was yearning for housemaid pickles or something. However, the fries and aïoli were spot on this time which made it a good plate—especially their perfect house-made ketchup— but not as good as it could have been. So close. The carpaccio was perfect as was the ravioli, and the Panna cotta was delightful but it was also over cooked like the crème brûlée last time. Needed to be removed from heat slightly sooner or use less gelatin.

With some minor tweaks this place could be just as good as Restaurant Josephines. I’m really rooting for it. Service still has a slightly strange vibe.

Original review: First meal we had was phenomenal (4.5/5) and the service was great (venison was flawless, poutine was boring. Soggy fries, not enough duck, muddy flavors). Carpaccio, radicchio salad and golden milk creme brûlée made up for the poutine. Made us excited to come back.

Second meal was not great. Burger was very over cooked and tough when we requested medium rare and tasted strangely gamey (coming from someone who raises and processes his own sheep and is very used to gamey), service was extremely slow and slightly unprofessional (though the younger girl was super nice), dishes didn’t come out together when requested, and several people sitting around us were wondering where the food was as well. It was evident that there were not nearly enough servers on the floor, the place was packed and I just saw two ladies. The halibut and ravioli were wonderful. The frisée was boring and bland, as was the pomme croquettes, and the favorite thing we got last time (the golden milk creme brûlée) was sadly over cooked which caused it to lose the delightful complex flavors it has the first time. Tasted quite eggy, which is common when the eggs are overcooked. Overall we were there over two hours, sometimes waiting 35 minutes between when we had finished a dish to when the new one came. My wife’s main dish was going to be the halibut and the frisée but that was 30 minutes apart.

I would go back, hoping for improvement, but I was disappointed the last time we came (last night). First time was awesome, though it was a less...

A rare culinary gem in Nevada County: I recently celebrated my birthday at Dakan and, although I’ve dined here several times before, this visit was exceptional. The food, the ambiance, and above all, the staff, outdid themselves with their creativity, professionalism, and warmth. It’s rare to find a restaurant in Nevada County willing to take bold risks with its menu, and even rarer to see those risks pay off so flawlessly. Dakan delivers. We ordered nearly every dish on the menu and shared everything family-style. Each plate was vibrant, intentional, and beautifully executed. The wine list is eclectic and thoughtful, offering selections that elevate the meal rather than just fill space on a menu. What stands out most to me, though, is the attentiveness and genuine care the staff shows to their diners. From the kitchen to the front of house, Dakan is run by people who take hospitality seriously. Let’s be honest, most restaurants in the area rely on tired menus and cut corners with ingredients from bulk suppliers like Sysco. Dakan breaks that mold entirely. It’s clear they are sourcing quality ingredients and putting tremendous thought into every detail. As for the atmosphere: we had a joyful, celebratory night, and the staff handled our large party with grace, patience, and professionalism. I understand that not everyone comes to a restaurant for the same experience, but that’s no reason to undermine the joy of others or the effort of a hardworking team. Dakan is exactly what Nevada City needs: a fresh, fearless, and deliciously modern dining experience. It’s the hottest ticket in town...

(Four bites of duck for 40 dollars not worth waiting 3 hours ) Despite the fact that the food is alright the wait staff is incredibly disorganized and slow. It took more than 20 minutes for our waitress to even acknowledge our table. Noticing the lack of care we placed our entire order with our drinks as soon as we were asked what we wanted. We recived our premade items like soup at a resonable rate maybe another 20 minutes which felt slow but ok. Our original waitress never returned to the table nor were we checked on at all. We had to flag the door guy down to even get another drink. We then proceeded to wait another hour and 20 minutes before we told the wait staff that we were going to walk. Only then did they even place the rest of our order. After alot of convicing we gave the restraunt another chance and then waited another 30 minutes for our main dish and a salad that never came with the rest of the starters. At this point we've invested over two hours 😒 from 6pm to 8:20 pm without even seeing the main.... were still waiting and im sure we will never come back. If you want to spend three hours crammed into a small space with a smokey kitchen and next to no attention or service what so ever this is your spot. Otherwise the food is definitely not...