Restaurant: N/Naka [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Location: 3455 S. Overland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034. 310.836.6252
Date: July 22, 2011
Rating: Awesome
N/Naka opened only three months ago. It’s the brainchild of chef/owner Niki Nakayama and is a rare entry (along with Urwasawa) in the Kaiseki category of Japanese. This is a traditional style of extended meal of small highly ornate dishes that is simultaneously traditional and modern. Originally it was a form of Imperial cuisine from Kyoto, but in the hands of Nakayama it’s received a bit of a modernist twist ala infusions of ideas and techniques from Ferran Adrià, the Spanish genius responsible for many modernist trends in cooking.
The unassuming frontage is on Overland just south of the 10 freeway.
Inside is minimalist, Japanese inspired, and very attractive.
Small attractive details are very Japanese.
Be warned, this restaurant has no ala carte menu at all (yay!). There are three options. A 10-13 course Modern Kaiseki, a nine course smaller Kaiseki (still long), and a ten course Vegetarian Tasting. All three options can be coupled with wine pairings. Below I will present the long Modern Kaiseki and the Vegetarian.
Modern Kaiseki (w/ wine pairings)
Graham beck sparkling, south africa. A nice dry champagne style pinot.
Saki Zuke
(A pairing of something common and something unique)
Cauliflower tofu, marinated salmon roe, uni butter, micro greens.
A wonderful blend of textures and flavors. The tufo was soft and gelatinous, the uni is… well uni-like, and the bits of Ikura (salmon roe) burst in the mouth as little flavor morsels. Delicious.
2008 — brooks riesling, williamette valley, oregon.
Zensai
(Main seasonal ingredient presented as an appetizer)
Soft shell crab, avocado sphere, scallop “dynamite”
Seared bluefin toro avocado rice, miso marinated black cod
Soft shell crab, avocado sphere, red pepper sorbet. The nicely friend crab and the sorbet played nicely off each other.
miso marinated black cod. Pretty much the Matsuhisa classic!
Seared bluefin toro avocado rice, caviar. Seared toro is always good, nice pairing.
scallop “dynamite.” This was pretty delicious. The soft, slightly chewy, bits of scallop played deliciously off the rich dynamite.
2009 — erbaluce di caluso, favar, piedmont, italy. Parker gives this 88 points. “The 2009 Erbaluce di Caluso is an unusual white that in many ways recalls Pinot vinified off the skins. Flowers, red berries and minerals come together nicely on a mid-weight yet generous frame. Clean, mineral notes reappear on the finish, giving the wine its sense of proportion. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2012.”
Modern zukuri
(modern interpretation of sashimi)
Tuna and escolar checkers, ponzu reduction, italian black truffles
A delicious blend of little sashimi cubes and a richer more European sauce, plus the truffles. Very nice.
2010-shesbro roussanne, carmel valley, ca.
Owan “Still Water”
Lobster “shinjo” mousseline, chef’s garden momotaro tomato broth
You break up that little lobster thing into the soup, and eat that way. The soup had a delicious and light tomato dill thing going on, and the lobster added just a touch of richness.
Sake-kimura junmai daiginjo, akita, japan. This was a spectacular sake, tasting strongly of anise. This is the kind of sake where they shave every rice kernel down before making it!
Otsukuri
(Traditional Sashimi )
Big eye otoro, shima aji , sea bream, santa barbara sweet shrimp,
Kumamoto oyster with uni
Some classic sashimi. The fish was all first rate, the wasabi hand ground.
Rw draft sake, suehiro syuzo, aizu japan. This was a fresher, younger sake.
Yakimono
Japan sazae butter yaki with maitake mushrooms
Japanese conch (like we had at Matsuhisa), but even more delicious as it was mixed with really yummy mushrooms and quail egg.
2007 — slumberger gewurstraminer prince abbes. Medium sweet.
Yakimono 2
Foie gras with eggplant, miso balsamic, shiitake mushroom
Double yum! Fois gras done up like BBQ eel (with some eggplant and mushroom).
2009 — elke chardonnay- anderson valley.
Shiizakana
(Not bound by tradition, the chef’s choice dish to be paired with wine)
Spaghetti with abalone, truffles, pickled cod roe, abalone liver sauce
This was a pretty amazing pasta dish, blending east and west. I’m not usually a huge abalone fan (although I have it often enough). It’s usually too chewy, but this wasn’t at all. There was a combined truffle and briny taste to this dish, not unlike a good spaghetti botarga, but also a truffle and butter/liver influenced richness.
2009 — evening land vineyards blue label pinot noir, eola amity hills, oregon. “Evening Land Vineyards is a group headed by movie magnate Mark Tarlov that also owns Pinot vineyards in the Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills and is making wines in Burgundy. They gained control of one of the Willamette Valley’s prized properties, Seven Springs Vineyard, and created an immediate sensation by signing on Dominique Lafon of Comte Lafon in Burgundy as consulting winemaker. The Evening Land group is also making a major effort to restore the health and vitality of Seven Springs. The most recent development is the addition of renowned Master Sommelier Larry Stone as President and GM of the group in August 2010. Over the past 2-3 years there has been an awakening among some of the Willamette Valley’s most distinguished vignerons that their region is capable of producing world class Chardonnay. With Dominique Lafon and Larry Stone on board, there is no question that Evening Lands will be playing a starring role in this drama. There are now two serious Gamay producers in the Willamette Valley, Doug Tunnell of Brick House being the other.”
Niku
Snake river farms kobe beef kushiyaki skewers, baby corn
A small portion of yakaniku, ala Totoraku (see here). Delicious and rich. Not quite the beefy effect of the mega secret beef meal, but a nice note in this complex dinner.
Sunomono
Halibut fin ceviche
Yuzu omoi, yuzu blend sake
A tasty little intermezzo.
Sake- shichida, sago japan. This apparently is an ultra-ultra rare sake.
In the glass. It was darn good. Darn good. So were all the sakes, but I liked this one and the first one the best.
Housemade ginger.
Some traditional sushi. Jeju island hirame, o-toro
yellow tail belly, shima aji
live scallops, uni shinkomaki. Overall the sushi was good, but not quite at the level of the very top dedicated sushi places. Still, it was very very good sushi.
Shokuji
(Rice dish)
sea trout and roe chazuke
It’s traditional to end the savories in Japan with a “rice dish.” On the left we have a very traditional bit of salmon like fish, rice, and nori. Refreshing and stomach settling.
On the right were two pickles cut roll pieces. I loved these. I’m a huge Japanese pickles fan and really enjoy the crunchy vinegar thing.
Dessert
Black sesame crème brulee, fruits
A very nice crème brulee with a soft sesame flavor.
There was also a dessert wine, a light medium sweet late harvest wine, but I forgot to get a photo of it.
Dessert
ice cream on cornbread
Tasted of corn, and ice cream — big surprise. Light and yummy.
Vegetarian Tasting
Saki Zuke
(A pairing of something common and something unique)
Cauliflower Tofu with Truffles
Zensai
(Main seasonal ingredient presented as an appetizer)
Chilled chef’s garden kabocha soup, braised wakame seaweed with shiitake
Lotus root “kinpira”, grilled eggplant, shiso tempura with tofu & avocado
grilled eggplant
braised wakame seaweed with shiitake
shiso tempura with tofu & avocado
Chilled chef’s garden kabocha soup
Lotus root “kinpira”
Modern Zukuri
(Modern interpretation of sashimi)
Compressed watermelon, cucumbers, baby yellow squash, baby zucchini, yuzu
Kimchee air
Otsukuri
(Sashimi )
Arrowroot konyaku, whith konyaku, spinach, kabocha, baby taro
Nanohana ripini, carrots
Owan “Still Water”
Potatoe “shinjo”, chef’s garden momotaro tomato broth
Shiizakana
(Not bound by tradition, the chef’s choice dish)
Spaghetti wild mushrooms, truffles
Yakimono
Lotus root mochi, spinach teppanyaki
avocado, Sushi-eggplant & shiso
shiitake, grilled konyaku
Maitake roll, cucumber and plum
Shokuji
(Rice dish)
ocha zuke with wasabi nori
The desserts were the same as the Modern Kaiseki. Overall a pretty spectacular job of approximating the full range of proteins using only vegetable sources. Vegetarian (or otherwise protein restricted) foodies should delight in this.
I was extremely impressed with N/Naka, and you can bet I’ll be back soon. The food is highly elaborate and offers a full suite of flavors meticulously prepared. I very much enjoy even the fully traditional Kaiseki dinners, but this slightly modernist take was even better. Sometimes chefs with inferior pallets will introduce modernist techniques into traditional meals and create uncomfortable taste pairings. Niki Nakayama clearly has a very sure and confident palette, as I found every dish harmonious and balanced.
I just hope the somewhat adventurous and all-tasting format doesn’t make it difficult for the restaurant to thrive (and I wouldn’t change that at all for myself, but some might be intimidated). I have the feeling that the menu changes up frequently, and is very seasonal, and I hope that’s the case — because I’ll be back! (And I was, click here for a second meal)
Or here for other LA Japanese restaurants.
