n/naka Omakase Refined Again

Omakase continues to grow on fine Japanese diners. n/naka has to be one of the best. It’s not sushi, but it’s a hybrid Japanese kaiseki restaurant with a name that is easy to remember, perhaps it’s just me.

Chef Niki Nakayama preps everything to perfection. No, really. Look at the photos. I can’t get into describing each of the 13 courses (one of two of the photos weren’t part of the 13) or the beverage pairings (wine from all over the world – sake from a brewer, “Shichida” who only recently distributed outside of Japan), but the wait staff are like story tellers, they’ll explain each dish or glass of “wine and or sake” to it’s final details. Our particular waiter who worked in Italian food for years described the pasta dish (third photo below) which contained truffles and abalone as the greatest ever. He might be right. Each portion arrived immaculate and had perfect balance. The simple sushi was also perfectly created. Nothing over or under seasoned. Many of the small details, including the baby cucumber flowers are grown in Niki’s own backyard. She even made an appearance at the end to say “thank you.”

See a little more about n-naka and make sure you make a reservation. n/naka 3455 S. Overland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90034 310.836.6252

-thanks Julia Huang!