Takumi Japanese Restaurant & Bar is a suburban haven, a bit off the beaten path in a shopping center just downstream from a Foodland supermarket.

The name takumi means “artisan,” with the restaurant’s craftsmanship centered on teppanyaki, Japan’s classic grilled meals, as well as okonomiyaki, the savory “pancakes” made on the grill with cabbage, scallions, eggs and yamaimo, or mountain yam.

It’s a happy relief from the usual strip-mall takeout.

THE EXPERIENCE

A large teppanyaki grill dominates the entry, as Takumi makes clear its stock in trade. Several seats surround the grill for those who’d like to watch the chefs in action.

You can also choose a table in the cozy dining room or a seat at the softly lit bar. The room is sleek, with clean lines and tall windows that bring in natural light, although the view is classic strip mall. A spacious patio provides comfortable outdoor seating.

THE FOOD

Eight $6 plates comprise the happy-hour menu, each about right to be shared by two.

Half the dishes are vamps on karaage, Japanese-style fried chicken nuggets. The differences are in the toppings: furikake, miso, dynamite (with cheese and mayonnaise) and Osaka (drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce). The nuggets are basic, lightly dressed and designed, it seems, to provide ballast while drinking rather than show off any extreme flavors.

For more of a taste experience load up on the other dishes. My favorite was the spicy pork belly, tender strips of meat with light sweet-salty flavoring and just a bit of heat. A bit more punch comes in a lively kim chee taco poke with soft chunks of octopus tossed in won-bok kim chee.

Garlic asparagus from the teppan grill brings a shot of green to what otherwise is a very beige palette of dishes. The spears are heavily doused in garlic — tasty, but meant for the true garlic lover.

Gyoza rounds out the happy-hour choices.

Takumi’s large regular menu offers lots of choices for supplementing the afternoon specials.

For just a bit more, add one of the moderately priced appetizers. I’d go with the bacon-wrapped mochi ($8.75), a delicious row of mochi blocks wrapped in bacon and grilled.

For something more substantial, try an okonomiyaki (starting at $14.50 for pork belly) or a teppanyaki flatbread pizza (starting at $12.50 for mushroom).

THE DRINK

Happy-hour prices are offered only on draft beer ($6 by the glass, $8 pitchers). Choices are Bud Light, Kirin Ichiban or a varying special.

If beer is not your thing, turn to the cocktail menu, which showcases the bar’s selections of shochu, soju and sake. We tried the Takumi Tea ($10), a refreshing cooler of strawberry puree, lemon and lime; a good shot each of dark rum and soju; topped off with Sprite. It’s the kind of drink that seems benign at first sip, but does sneak up on you.

A passion fruit sake martini was our other choice ($8), pleasantly fruity and potent.

THE VERDICT

Takumi is stepping out into the limelight in the next few weeks, opening a takoyaki kiosk in Kapolei’s Ka Makana Alii mall. This original spot will remain, however, a comfy, unpretentious spot for an afternoon break.