u/FacelessFoodCritic

Went to Kato as my usual birthday dinner spot. This time’s menu has been my favorite so far, finally dethroning the tasting menu I had experienced about 3 years ago. Sad that the yudu geng was no longer on the menu but I did like how every single dish was a new dish compared to before. Favorite was the jin sha, lobster dish. Texturally impressive with the crispiness from the salted egg and veggies and springy-ness of the lobster meat. The sauce they made brought it all together and quite honestly, I’d love to use that sauce for all kinds of seafood. Dishes were:

LIANG MIÀN - SESAME, CUCUMBER

SUÃNCÀI YÚ - LEGUME, SOURED VEGETABLES

JIUCÉNGTǍ CHO GÉLÌ - BASIL, RICE WINE, SOY PASTE

JIN SHA - SALTED EGG, SCOTCH BONNET, LIME LEAF +55

MÁYÓU JĪ - DATE, SESAME OIL

SHAO WEI - MAGAO, BLACK PEPPER

SUÃNNĂI - MEYER LEMON, OSMANTHUS

QING CǍOMÉI - GREEN STRAWBERRY, FIG LEAF

TIÁNDIĂN - ORANGE, POTATO, YUANYANG

My biggest problem and probably also the biggest complaint about Kato (plus what most people suspect was gatekeeping them from their 2nd star) was their service and abysmal wait time in between dishes. Last year, my entire meal from sit down to leaving was a total of 3 1/2 hrs with my longest being 4 hours 2 years ago. This time was way different. Pacing and service were very much on point. My reservation was at 5:30, sat down 5:32, 1st dish arrived at 5:46, last dish arrived at 7:46, and I was out the door around a little past 8:10. Roughly start to finish 2 1/2 hours which matches the same time as my all time favorite Restaurant Ki experience. I think having that consistent pacing contributed to making the meal much more enjoyable. Can’t wait to go back next year.

I posted about Kojima a while back and now I’m here posting again after their recent inclusion to the Michelin Guide. The dishes I got this time were:

1. Cold somen noodles with bafun uni in a dashi stock

2. Kangawa prefecture beltfish and fava beans tempura

3. Grilled free range chicken hearts

4. Rice straw seared kinmedai with daikon radish and squash blossom

5. Sakura shrimp with hokkaido white asparagus

6. Heartshell clam with clam dashi chawanmushi

7. Shimane prefecture king mackerel marinated in soy sauce

8. Hokkaido Horsehair crab with lily bulb turned into a croquette, snap peas

9. Hokkaido whelk clam and daikon radish

10. Aichi prefecture freshwater eel cooked Kansai-style ajiyaki with cucumber underneath

11. Bluefin tuna handroll, akami inside negitoro on top

12. Nagano prefecture Shinshu wagyu with Kojima salad

13. Oita prefecture wild sea bream with japanese pepper and rice

14. Got a second serving of the rice

15. Ibaraki prefecture strawberry

16. Chef Hayato Kojima

Every time I come it gets better and this time has been by far the best of my visits. His grilled dishes have always been spectacular and once again he gave me an extra piece of wagyu. Out of all the Japanese restaurants I’ve eaten in LA, this is the only one that still retains the feeling of lightness even after eating grilled and fried foods. Many dishes were flavorful/smoky/crispy, but my stomach didn’t feel that oily and greasy sensation I usually get at other fried/grilled restaurants at all. Highlight this time was definitely the wagyu. He cut off all the fatty parts to keep the wagyu tasting meaty texture and flavor wise yet still has that very slight melt in your mouth.

He has also hired more people to help him out and the pacing has gotten much smoother, less downtime. The service aspect has gotten less clunky (placing dishes, taking away dishes, drinks management, describing the dishes in English) amongst the servers too. Chef Kojima himself is still as funny as ever and can speak/understand more english now. Every time I come, the ambience is always relaxed and never feels stuffy. Aside from maybe one time where I had a group of entitled disruptive diners sitting at the non counter table, it’s been an incredible experience every time. For $200 per person, it’s an absolute steal. There used to be an $80 option that’s a shortened menu but I don’t know if they serve it anymore.

Overall, food isn’t as refined as places like my other favorite Hayato (see what I did there), but Kojima takes the cake for overall experience. From food to cost to ambience to enjoyment, Kojima has everything I’m looking for and is my most recommended spot. 100% the best spot in Sawtelle too.

Jacaranda opening by Chef Daniel Patterson who used to run Coi in SF. I went to Jaca Social Club a while back and got invited for their early opening. Very much a fine dining restaurant but without that stuffy fine dining vibe. (Rock music plays in the background and decor inside feels homey) Also free parking on the surrounding streets past 6pm, major plus.

The tasting is a nice breath of fresh air for LA’s fine dining scene that is very heavily seafood focused. Most memorable dishes was their artichoke dish and duck dish. The artichoke dish felt more like a meat dish than a vegetable dish with its texture and fullness feeling but very much with the taste of an artichoke and other vegetables. One of the best duck dishes I’ve had in LA with Restaurant Ki’s maybe being just slightly better but honestly easier to rank both the same level. Texture, tenderness, crispiness of the skin, all of that plus a complementing sauce and a swig of rich duck broth. Desserts were a nice light end to the meal.

The tasting menu was very heavily vegetable focused, the only of its kind right now. Maybe I’m feeling the fatigue of back to back to back seafood fine dining meals in the past months, that the meal stood out to me way more than the others. I’m not a big vegetable guy, but if my veggies were prepped and cooked like this everyday I’d turn into a vegetable guy. Either way, just wanted to share and congratulate them for an incredible and memorable opening.

Newest addition to my collection. Runs on a YN77. Dial is made of mother of pearl.