n/naka - a successful modern take on japanese kaiseki

I had recently returned from a two-week tour of Japanese cuisine in Tokyo and Kyoto, but my Japanese food adventure was not yet over.  Before my trip I was fortunate enough to score a reservation to n/naka - a lovely prix fixe restaurant located in Culver City.  I had seen an episode of Chef's Table on Netflix which showcased the chef of n/naka - Niki Nakayama - and my husband and I were determined to check this place out (and to show a fellow Angeleno our support)!

I was admittedly jetlagged upon arrival, but my excitement for food kept me going.  We were whisked into a modern and sparse room with minimal decor.  It was sort of like being back in Japan again!  

When our friends arrived, we enjoyed some sake that we brought back from Tokyo (corkage - $35) and then the courses began!

Conch with bubbly foam.  Fabulous presentation and the conch was pretty tasty.

A sashimi flower - very subtle and light.  This was closest to a traditional kaiseki dish in my opinion.

 A teakettle of mushroom soup - incredibly comforting.

 A selection of little bites - the mini quail egg created a dipping sauce.  The fried treat (i don't remember what it was) was a tad bland, but the miso cod was tasty.  Overall this platter was the least interesting in terms of flavor, but pretty to look at.

Tasty piece of what i presume is wagyu beef.  This was good, but not extraordinary.  But to be fair, we had just recently tasted two fantastic wagyu beef (real Kobe beef) meals in Japan so we were a bit spoiled.  No wagyu/Kobe beef I've ever had in the United States has come close to what they serve in Japan.  I'm not sure why...
 

 Very fresh and tasty sashimi and oyster.  Simple and straightforward, but very good.

 Sweet lovely foie gras - my husband who normally dislikes foie gras ate his portion even though I was hoping he would give it up.

 Nice little tempura of veggies from n/naka's own gardens.  Light and crisp.

 Crazy good pasta with mentaiko sauce - which i believe is cod roe (aka fish eggs) with butter.  mmmmmmmm

Sushi - the uni was particularly tasty.  Unfortunately my husband now likes uni so I can't count on eating his anymore...

A little sashimi bite with greens and a sweet cherry tomato.

The toro was fabulous!  And the soup broth was nice and briny, but the langoustine was a little bland.

I think this was scallop and mackerel - both delicious!

The sorbet was too radish-y for me, but the matcha (green tea) was nice and soothing.

Desserts were ok... I think I enjoyed the weird little cube jelly the best because it reminded me of those lychee jelly treats they used to sell in asian markets before they became a child hazard.

Finished off with some tasty truffles!

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Each course was beautifully and thoughtfully presented and the ingredients were fresh and bright.  The standouts for me were the mentaiko pasta, the soup (served in a tea kettle and pungent with fresh mushrooms) and the sushi.

We had just had a traditional kaiseki meal in Kyoto and it was interesting to be able to compare the two styles - traditional versus modern.  Both were outstanding in terms of beauty in presentation and freshness of ingredients.  In terms of taste, I have to say I did prefer the bolder and more flavorful cuisine at n/naka.  Traditional kaiseki is very subtle in flavor and my taste buds are simply not that refined.  In terms of service, nothing can beat the elegant service in Japan.  (You know what they say about a bulldog in a porcelain shop?  I felt that way during my entire trip to Japan!)  But the service at n/naka for Los Angeles was superb.  The chef came out to greet all the diners at the end of the night which was a nice touch.

All in all, n/naka was a lovely dining experience and recommended if you (1) love Japanese food and (2) are looking for something special.  It is pricey ($185 per person plus beverages, tax and tip) so unless you are loaded like midas, this will likely be a special occasion restaurant.

On the Mind of a Chef, they suggested that n/naka tries to customize the meals to the diner so that you don't get the exact same meal in your future visits.  I will have to test that out in the future and report back!