Izakaya Hachi Kurobuta Pork Shabu Shabu
Not all successful restaurant groups have celebrity chefs or a big name owner. Global Meat Company operates 10 brands in Japan and Los Angeles, most notably Manpuku and Izakaya Hachi. In Japan, brands like...
Yoichi’s Sashimi
For awhile, Viticole Wine founder Brian McClintic MS had been telling me that Yoichi’s is Santa Barbara’s best restaurant. Since I trust him, I bookmarked Yoichi’s and hopped for an opportunity to go. Finally,...
Tempura Matsu Karasumi
Repeated efforts, which ultimately included pleading, resulted in a prized table at Kyoto’s Tempura Matsu, a kaiseki-style restaurant in Kyoto near Arashiyama that trusted advisors highly recommended. Chef Toshio Matsuno took over Tempura Matsu...
Venice Ramen Tonkotsu
By the beach, people preach a healthy lifestyle, with clean air, prodigious exercise, and low-fat fuel, but don’t be fooled. No matter where you go in L.A., flavor is what the public actually craves....
Yakitori Taisho Pork Neck
Yakitori Taisho, a 16-seat, dinner-only Japanese restaurant in a San Diego strip mall, is not what I’d describe as user friendly. Yes, staffers take reservations, but only during service, since they’re too busy prepping...
Kinjiro Seared Uni
Izakayas, Japanese pubs with food designed to go well with beer and sake, have progressed significantly in L.A. over the past decade. Ingredients and composition have advanced, as has the restaurant design. At Kinjiro...
