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N/Naka on the Nose

Oct18

Restaurant: N/Naka [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Location: 3455 S. Overland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034. 310.836.6252

Date: June 16, 2021

Cuisine: Modern Kaiseki

Rating: Awesome

ANY CHARACTER HERE

N/Naka served as the host location for the second of our 3 epic June “Fred” dinners, this one being themed around Coche-Dury Les Rougeots.

1A4A8183-Pano
The empty interior. This was actually the first night that N/Naka reopened after the long lockdown closure.

Our table — before we got to it.
1A4A7968
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. BH 97. A distinctly reticent but elegant nose with a purity of expression that is truly impressive to experience as it’s relatively high-toned and while the yeast comes up with air, it’s relatively muted at presence, combining with intense, precise and superbly detailed and complex flavors that culminate in an explosive and wonderfully long finish. This may very well rival the sublime ’90 in time even if it’s not quite as concentrated. This is still a baby so there is absolutely no rush whatsoever.
1A4A8015
2015 Hubert Lamy Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Cuvée Haute Densité. A rare bird!
1A4A7976
2005 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 94. A strikingly pure nose of white flower and spice aromas complements perfectly the delicious, intense and stony flavors that are wonderfully vibrant and gorgeously detailed on the transparent and equally pure finish that explodes with more minerality. This is beautifully balanced and understated with a Zen-like sense of calm. I very much like this and it’s very Perrières in character. In a word, brilliant. (Drink starting 2013)
1A4A7967
2007 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 94+. Bright pale yellow. Soft citrus fruits and crushed rock on the musky, slightly reduced nose. Rich, perfumed and tightly coiled, with a terrific core of acidity intensifying the orange, floral and mineral flavors. Offers compelling cut and concentration but this infant will require several years of aging. Wonderfully refined Perrieres of grand cru class.
1A4A8012
1993 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. 94 points. Signature coche gunflint, popcorn, dried extract, and smoked yellow fruit on the nose and palate. While the mid-palate did not have lots of substance, the flinty and popcorn-ish palate more than offset that shortfall. With the fresh acidity in the backdrop, the wine stayed energetic and interesting throughout dinner.
1A4A8019
1996 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. VM 94+. Complex, lively aromas of lime, minerals and vanilla. Structured and almost shockingly intense; great material here. A step up from the ’97 in density. Extremely fresh and vibrant. A tactile, mouthfilling wine to drink and to eat. Palate-staining finish. I kept raising my score as I came back for more.
1A4A7965
2000 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. BH 93. A completely different expression than any of the foregoing wines, which is interesting since the vineyard abuts Chevalières. This is classic Meursault in style with round, rich, generous, “warm” fruit and flavors, offering toasted nut and butter aromas plus fresh sliced peach, apricot and apple scents but gorgeously complex, intense, refined and beautifully precise flavors of terrific focus and cut. But it is the superb depth on the finish that really set this apart and this delivers such quality that it is almost a match for the Perrières, a compliment in anyone’s book. Simply beautiful wine that has just now arrived at its apogee though it should be capable of holding here for at least a decade. Tasted several times with consistent notes. (Drink between 2008-2010)
1A4A7972
2008 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. VM 92+. Classic aromas of lemon, lime, minerals, hazelnut and grilled almond; smells rich in dry extract. Then dense and superconcentrated, with terrific inner-mouth energy to the flavors of peach, orange blossom, lemon and crushed stone. Time-capsule Meursault, finishing with superb length. This too should age very well.
1A4A8077
1972 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes!
1A4A8623
1A4A8625
Our menu.
1A4A7988
Starter Tea.
1A4A7979-Edit
Sakizuke. Uni, Cauliflower Puree, Carrot Coconut Ice, Trout Roe, Nori Sable.
1A4A7991
Zensai. Uni, Eggplant Dashi, Kabocha Roll, Oyster Lime, Flounder Hasamiage, Wagyu Beef Roll, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Carrot, Burnt Chickepea and Miso Puree.
1A4A7997
Uni.
1A4A7999
Wagyu Beef Roll.
1A4A8001
Cucumber, Cauliflower, Carrot, Burnt Chickepea and Miso Puree.
1A4A8003
Eggplant Dashi.
1A4A8005
Oyster Lime.
1A4A8009
Kabocha Roll.
1A4A8010
Flounder Hasamiage.

1A4A8037
Modern Zukuri. Japanese Fluke, California Nori, Pistachio.
1A4A8046
Owan. Hope Ranch Mussel, Summer Squash, Citrus Fern.
1A4A8051
Otsukuri. Traditional Sashimi.
1A4A8063
Yakimono. Tasmanian Sea Trout, Artichoke, Preserved Meyer Lemon.
1A4A8071
Mushimono. Tomato, Lobster Shinjo, Tomato and Fennel Mochi.
1A4A8084
Shiizakana. Spaghetti, Abalone, Picked Cod Roe, Truffles.
1A4A8102
Niku. A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef, Baby Corn.
1A4A8111-Edit
Sunomono. Nopales, Golden Kiwi, Cucumber, Aloe, Chia Seeds.
1A4A8116
Yuzu juice intermezzo.
1A4A8120
Pickled Ginger.
1A4A8122
Miso soup with shrimp heads.
1A4A8132
Nigiri sushi flight 1.
1A4A8139
Nigiri sushi flight 2.
1A4A8145
Blue crab handroll.
1A4A8151
Mizumono. Lychee Sorbet, Shiso Lime Granita. Super bright and delicious flavors with a really nice textural contrast.
1A4A8157
Mizumono. Peaches, Caramelized Pastry, Lavender Honey Ice-Cream, Hojicha Jelly.
1A4A8164
Petite Fours.
1A4A8170
So pretty!
1A4A8173
Roasted green tea.
1A4A8175
Burnt Basque Cheesecake Gelato — Milk steeped with Tahitian Vanilla Beans and Valencia Orange Peels and then blended with Cream-cheese and Egg Yolks, layered with house made “burnt” Caramel and topped with house-made Caramel Brittle, finished with the torch! — created by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #lemongrass #ginger #CremeBrûlée #basque #cheesecake #caramel #brittle #orange

Matchacchio Latte Gelato — Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea and Sicilian Pistacchio di Bronte DOP gelato base. I was skeptical the first time I made it, but it turned out to be a lovely flavor. And the green is all natural! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pistacchio #bronte #matcha #GreenTea #Sicily
Vietnamese Hazelnut Coffee Gelato — Cafe du Monde coffee milk with Piedmontese Hazelnut Paste swirled with Sweetened Condensed Milk — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vietnameseCoffee #coffee #CafeduMonde #SweetenedCondensedMilk #hazelnut

1A4A8181
A little take home snack for the morning.
1A4A8186
Post dinner lethargy.

The setting is elegant, minimalist, and very Japanese. N/Naka really is a very special place. All the meals I had here were spectacular (here for the first, here for the second, here for the third). Plus we even did an amazing all foie gras meal here once. The place keeps getting better and better. This is thrice wonderful because often one finds a slight bloom to come off a place on repeat meals. At N/Naka everything is seasonal and constantly rotating.

Coming back to N/Naka after the pandemic I thought they were really firing on all cylinders. This was the best meal I’ve had there since the incredible Foie meal. I think her sushi has gone from “okay” to “great” and with regard to other dishes she has toned down a bit of the “theatrics” slightly but really upped the flavor balance and intensity. There weren’t some of the more interactive dishes of years past, like cooking your own item on hot stones, but the cooking was even more on point.

Service is also spectacular, highlighted all the more by the extremely low understaffed standard currently found in LA.

And what can we say about the wines? Awesome labels, awesome wines. All the coches were flawless, although the 93 was my favorite. So good!

1A4A8080

Click here to other LA Japanese restaurants.

Or other Foodie Club extravaganzas.

Related posts:

  1. November N/Naka
  2. N/Naka Reprise
  3. Knocked out by N/Naka
  4. N/Naka Birthday
  5. Nothing like N/Naka
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Champagne, Coche Dury, Foodie Club, Gelato, Japanese cuisine, Les Rougeots, N/Naka, Niki Nakayama, Sushi, Wine
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