la.foodblogging

[Photo from their website]
R23 Japanese Cuisine and Art Gallery is exactly what a downtown, cool and artistic space serving fantastic sushi and exceptional gastronomic delights ought to be. Tucked away on the outskirts of Little Tokyo, in L.A.’s Arts District, this fine restaurant first opened its doors in 1991. Now, seventeen years later, R 23 [...]

Sasabune Omakase at the sushi bar: blue fin tuna, toro, salmon with sea kelp, amaebi sweet shrimp, scallop, and so much more!
In response to “Not a Penny Pincher,” I’d like to share another experience with my LA foodblogging friends.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I like a good deal. Whether it’s at a bargain price [...]

Celadon is a beautiful restaurant and bar/lounge that offers a unique experience. This is definitely the kind of romantic venue you could take someone special to, though the menu is actually skewed towards shared plates, hence ideal for groups of 4-5 or more.
Adjacent to the main bar are a few lounge rooms, [...]

For over a year I have driven past a nice-looking venue (at 11334 Moorpark, just east of Tujunga) where a posted sign promised “ZenChi – Coming 05.â€? Eventually the sign was changed to read “Ok….2006.â€?
Funny! At least these restaurateurs have a sense of humour.
Well at long last ZenChi Cafe [...]

Omakase means “Trust”, or something similar to that, so when LA internet food entrepreneur Jonah asked me to meet him at Echigo I knew this would be a great meal. What I didn’t realize was what a great deal it would also be. Omakase may mean trust, but it also translates to bankrupt. We both [...]

My friends and I headed over to Shin Sen Gumi on a Friday night for some grilled/skewered chicken parts. Absolutely one of my favorite Japanese foods. I spoiled myself with yakitori when I was in Japan in May and was bummed that I may never find a comprable yakitori joint in California. [...]

Isn’t she lovely…
Isn’t she wonderfull…
Isn’t she precious…
Less than one minute old…
I never thought through love we’d be…
Making one as lovely as she…
But isn’t she lovely made from love.
Stevie Wonder probably wasn’t singing about a girl named Karen, but that song comes to mind when I think about Sushi Karen in Culver City. Culver City [...]

Some interior photos and outside signage.
In a previous life, it used to be East Japanese Restaurant. Today it’s Irori Japanese Restaurant.
Hidden in the Villa Marina Marketplace, in between Sav-on and Vons, it’s easy to miss this little Japanese restaurant that “promotes a festive atmosphere and symbolizes hospitality, down-to-earthiness, and enjoying good food and drinks [...]