I got how she comes from money so she was able to open some restaurants on her own. He didn't really have much positive to say other than her opening her restaurant on Melrose Avenue and the San Gabriel Valley. She was a student of his while he spent time at Takao in Brentwood. I also asked about his former student, Niki Nakayama at n/naka, of Netflix's Chef's Table fame. Gold most likely misunderstood Mori-san's English. Gold made that story up and published gossip or most Mr. I found it amusing to learn that this "fact" published in the Los Angeles Times wasn't true and that Mr. I asked him about his apprenticeship with Jiro Ono of the three-starred Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo that Jonathan Gold recently wrote about in his review of Shiki Beverly Hills last year. Ranging about his opinions of certain restaurants to him growing his own rice at his farm in Sacramento before selling it along with Mori Sushi to his apprentice to the rice farm he no longer has in Uruguay which did not end up working out with his partner. I love raw foods and enjoy eating kinilaw (a Filipino dish of raw tuna cooked in vinegar) whenever I see it on the menu in the Philippines.ĭuring dinner we talked about many topics. I told him that I don't fit that stereotype. He then told me that he didn't think that Filipinos (like me) didn't like raw foods because of the temperature in the Philippines as what some Filipino told him. He asked me if I didn't like to eat anything, but I told him I'll eat anything even fishy tasting things. Hopefully you don't have any dietary restrictions and will eat anything like me. A bit more than I wanted to spend, but as a first timer, I recommend going all in. Mori-san told me it was around $180 to $200 for omakase. I didn't want to be hit with an unexpected $500 bill at the end of dinner. There wasn't a price was written on the menu for omakase, so I asked him how much it was before I went all in. I decided to go with the Biwa tasting which is described as the true omakase. Mori-san wasn't there when I arrived so I spent some time reviewing the menu curated by Mori-san. I arrived and was promptly seated at the bar. In the annex, there is the library to relax in which also contains a shared restroom with the restaurant, meeting room same and Inn Ann restaurant. This part of Japan House LA is described as an annex detached from the Japan House LA boutique, matcha bar, and exhibition space currently featuring the art of a manga artist.
Inn Ann is located on the 5th floor of the Hollywood and Highland complex facing Hollywood Boulevard with a panoramic view from Downtown LA, Hollywood toward Beverly Hills. I wanted a quiet dinner with Mori-san at the sushi bar so I can get to know him other than what I've read or heard about him. When dining solo, I try to beat the dinner rush at 7 pm and eat at an "old people dinner time" at 5:30 pm or right when the restaurant opens. Those kind of restaurants tend to attract people like me, people who enjoy dining at some of the best restaurants in the world. My most favorite so far has been at the 8-seater e by Jose Andres hidden in a backroom at the Cosmo in Las Vegas. I love the element of surprise of this experience as you never know what to expect. The entertainment is talking to the chef and watching them prepare the food. Chefs tasting menu at the bar with the chef in front of me is like going the theater or a concert. Chef's tasting menus (or in this case, omakase) are fun for me to experience, especially when dining solo.
I've cheated on Sushi Spot, trying Sushi Go, Yotsuya, and Sushi Iki. I later discovered Sushi Spot where I became a regular having enjoyed the sushi with Taku-san at Sushi Spot more than anywhere else in the Los Angeles. I have been to Michelin-rated Asanebo a few times (not impressed) and frequented Katsu-ya (both the original in Studio City and Encino. :) The Valley is home to sushi row along Ventura Boulevard. The California Roll WAS invented in Studio City. Yes, we have great sushi in the San Fernando Valley that I had no need to leave the Valley for sushi. I found that to be very intriguing, but back then not enough for me to leave my sushi bubble in the Valley. He told me of the sushi chef that grows his own rice. We were at a lunch meeting talking about the best sushi we've had in Los Angeles. I first heard about Mori-san many years ago through a vendor when I was digital marketer in the cruise industry.