n/naka

When Netflix first released the groundbreaking show Chef’s Table, one of my favorite episodes in the inaugural season was the story of a female Japanese chef Niki Nakayama who quietly built a modest restaurant featuring modern interpretation of Japanese kaiseki cuisine featuring multi-course dishes that is considered one of the most elevated cuisines in the world for its style and tradition. I was very moved by the deeply personal side of chef Niki and her restaurant that over time became one of the most celebrated (and also toughest-to-book) restaurants in Los Angeles. Since watching that episode, I had always had n/naka in the back of my mind as the must-visit restaurant whenever I have an opportunity to visit LA. When my wife Jun and I were invited to a dear friend’s wedding in November, I knew this was a moment to finally check out the restaurant, and felt very lucky and blessed to get a coveted reservation during our stay in the city (more on the reservation process below). Overall, we had a very thoughtful and delicious dinner at n/naka.

Sakizuke – Japanese Scallop, Autumn Carrot, Sunflower Seed, Tosazu Gelee, Dill, Kombu Oil

Zensai – Fig Tempura, Wagyu Beef Curry, Wakame + Cucumber Nuta, Celery + Truffle Vinaigrette, Tamagoyaki + Spiny Lobster, Mirugai, Matsutake Tea

Modern Zukuri – Santa Barbara Spiny Lobster, Matsutake, Pine Nut, Spruce Oil, Sudachi

Owan – Kinmedai, Kabocha Dashi, Opo Squash

What makes n/naka stand out from any other kaiseki is chef Niki’s brilliant approach to the cuisine by blending Japanese traditions with seasonally focused California influence. Just try a bite of exceptionally fresh Japanese scallop in a beautiful display with autumn carrot and sunflower seed in the appetizer course (sakizuke), and you will know this is no ordinary restaurant. Every dish at n/naka felt like a beautiful piece of art; for instance, Jun had a hard time getting started on the zensai assortment of fig tempura, wagyu beef curry, lobster and other appetizers because each dish looked so pretty. Some of the dishes that I really liked include an aromatic bowl (owan) with kinmedai fish and kabocha dashi, another bowl (mushimono) that came later with clam and dashi made with nori and yuzu, and, not surprisingly, an absolutely juicy and delicious piece of wagyu beef with fig miso and charcoal-roasted maitake mushroom.

Yakimono – Amadai, Celeriac Puree, Tomatillo + Black Garlic, Ponzu, Cabbage Glass Chips

Mushimono – Ika + Clam Shinjo, Satoimo, Fennel, Nori + Yuzu Dashi

Shiizakana – Spaghetti, Abalone, Pickled Cod Roe, Truffle

There are some sashimi (otsukuri) and nigiri sushi (shokuji) dishes that came throughout that would beat most of the sushi restaurants in the country in terms of quality of fish. If I had to choose my favorite of the night, it was a remarkable dish of spaghetti (shiizakana) with abalone, pickled cod roe and truffle; it was a much more sophisticated and refined form of mentaiko pasta we had tried at izakaya restaurants before and I savored every bite of this beauty. The dessert courses that came after the savory dishes were similarly prepared with ingenuity and high level of execution, with the apple sorbet (mizumono) with shiso and yuzu granita serving as a terrific palate cleanser, followed by another beautiful presentation with poached pear, hojicha and vanilla bean ice cream and butter cookie crumble that was quite apt for a fall dessert.

Niku – A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef, Fig Miso, Shiitake Puree, Charcoal-Roasted Maitake

Sunomono – Shinko Pear, Fuyu Persimmon, Tapioca, Ginger Dashi, Ao Tosaka

Getting a reservation at n/naka will require a Herculean level of tenacity. The reservation for each week (the restaurant is open from Wednesday through Saturday) opens up about a month in advance at 10 a.m. PST on Tock; I literally sat in front of my computer at work and turned on an alarm clock before frantically hitting the Tock link. After I joyfully booked the reservation, I checked back on Tock and saw all the reservations in the same week were already gone. The serene and not pretentious atmosphere of the dining room was another plus to our experience, and we were pleasantly surprised to meet with chef Niki herself who came out toward the end of our meal to greet us. So, was n/naka one of the best meals Jun and I had ever had in our culinary journey? That is a bit more difficult to say; it was most certainly an outstanding meal but Jun kept wondering whether we had been too spoiled from all the finest dining experiences we had encountered to appreciate what n/naka brought to the table. It also didn’t help that the Burgundy red wine that we ordered turned out to be rather aggressive and wild and therefore was not a great pairing to our dinner. If you are a Japanese food lover, n/naka is a worthy destination to check out; whether it changes your life and your culinary outlook, I will have to defer to your subjective experience.