anybody try this place? review forthcoming @nicnash?
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My review forthcoming…
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was tryin to remember where i saw the associated la bombance, and it was on this takefumi hamada (OAD #1 reviewer if that means anything) list. quirky rollout feels very japanese (idk could be a very ignorant statement haha).
I was in Japan a few months ago, and as I was looking at the website and socials I thought the same exact thing. The design of the website, the communication style…it’s definitely authentically Japanese! Traditional kaiseki is not my favorite Japanese cuisine, so I will probably hold off unless this place gets rave reviews.
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Ok! I’m finally tapping in…I personally had a delicious (worth trying IMO) keiseki meal at Asakura. It’s on the westside, in the old Yamakase space, close to, but not in Sawtelle. Also where Shunji was doing his takeout boxes during pandemic. I didn’t personally interact with any of the 3 chefs (Mack, Taiki, and Yama), as they only spoke Japanese but were very enthusiastic. Cohesiveness among the 3 in the kitchen was evident. Yama San is acting as GM and is a wonderful host. I found the dashi dish to be quite well made, with a lot of depth to it. The sesame tofu was one of the best I’ve had. They utilize a small wooden smoker box for cherry wood smoked caviar (that later accompanies a cold, delectable, veggie and noodle dish). Dessert included a unique “white coffee” blancmange with delicate flavors. There are some “kitschy” items that lack the level of refinement we see elsewhere but flavor and quality still shine through. I hope to see this restaurant gain some traction (especially for this area!).
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I have mixed feelings about all this caviar and truffles stuff.
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That was MY issue with Yama-san’s omakase - years ago. Trying to remember who took me there….
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I can also agree with this … it was the one thing that I was “iffy” about … a little “kitschy” for my taste. Can’t say I have ever had smoked caviar though, and it did present and taste beautifully with the dish at least
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I was easily impressed by the glitzy stuff back then 
but have grown so much more sophisticated, thanks to mon ami @CiaoBob
Still, it was always great time at Yamakase, in large part, due to Yama’s fun personality.
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I was trying to be tactful when mentioning the ghost of Yamakase, but yes…
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While truffles and caviar can sometimes be a crutch, they can also make nice dishes when treated right with intention. I get that in Japanese cuisine, they don’t seem to really fit at first glance, particularly in washoku, kaiseki, or sushi, but, some free-spirited kappo / Japanese-French / Japanese-Italian, maybe Japanese-Chinese places can use them to great effect. It really depends on how skilled and intentional the chef is. 95+% of the time imo, truffles aren’t applied all that nicely in Japanese food, but there are exceptions.
The most obvious would be Azabu Kadowaki. Chef Toshiya Kadowaki uses luxury ingredients like truffles well - he invented the famous truffle takikomi gohan. It’s about the quality of shaved truffles yes but also about the takikomi sauce. Outrageous aroma and really nice taste. Truffle can overpower sashimi, and it doesn’t make much sense to me at all on silver or red fish, but on whitefish it can work for texture. It’s about truffle slices not scrap shavings / microplane grating because you’re instructed to wrap the truffle in pillowy whitefish with pliant chew. That textural impression is real nice with a slight “snap” when you get to the truffle center, especially after fried shark’s fin, which had a different kind of delicate crunch and snap to it. For dessert, there’s kotoka strawberries draped in ricotta and truffles marinated in honey. Nikuya Tanaka Ginza had a very good dessert that was similar.
FWIW, I believe that Shunji’s Japanese Cuisine (Santa Monica) borrowed the truffle gohan pot from Azabu Kadowaki and Asanebo (Studio City) borrowed the truffle whitefish (but they sometimes grate the truffle on top when it’s not a picturesque specimen, but in any event, you need a lot of good quality truffle slices and quality, toothsome whitefish to achieve the right textural balance imo).
Also I saw that the La Bombance chef came from Japanese Cuisine Kamogawa. Chef Kadowaki also came from Kamogawa apparently? Not sure if there’s an indirect connection there in lineage.
I haven’t been to Asakura. And my one meal at Yamakase I think wasn’t bad, but not somewhere I’d return to. If I make it to Asakura, I’ll try to evaluate it separately.
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Aware of your point (and I have had the nuanced experience of Azabu Kadowaki)… But my Yamakase 1.0 memories included toro, topped with uni, then truffle, then caviar, topped with gold flake. Granted , I probably possessed a less sophisticated palate back in those days, but even then I thought it was solely luxury added for luxury’s sake.
Admittedly, the truffle in Asakura’s signature dish was thoughtfully contributing to the overall gestalt. Yet there were several other occasions that same meal where the shaved truffle was there only to impress. And many of us Angelenos have smarter palates than that in 2025.
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Thanks!
Great info.
I have had Shunji’s truffle Gogan, and he used a variety of fresh truffles for a pretty spectacular visual, olfactory and gustatory effect. I have also been lucky enough to have some height of season white truffles in Italy, and here, shaved over simple pasta and egg dishes. These kinds of things, as you point out, are very different from the way most chefs use truffles today.
Fair enough, I haven’t been to Asakura! I’m not advocating for more truffles or caviar in Japanese food at all, just saying their success depends on how well a chef uses them (admittedly it’s a very rare thing to have such dishes turn out well). Hoping for the best for new businesses and was hoping that maybe Asakura is doing things right.
Yeah, gold flake to me is a red flag. I did think Yamakase was gilding the lily and it was rather unbalanced with a lot of ostentatious luxury ingredients at times. Going off of memory not pictures but that does sound similar. Like wagyu flambeed with Macallan or something…times have changed indeed. Toro/uni combo is 99.99% of the times a no.
To be fair, I would try to evaluate Asakura without any notions of a Yamakase connect.
I wouldn’t put Yamakase in the same league as Azabu Kadowaki.
Shaved truffle for effect is a red flag. Yes, as you point out, we’ve progressed and now don’t fall for such tricks in 2025. (Grated truffle can work in pasta for surface area and aroma).
This is probably the best way to enjoy them.
Agreed!
I didn’t realize he spoke English. I sat next to him at a sushi dinner once and wish I chopped it up with him a little bit. I’ve been meaning to visit Nakajyo.
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One of the best uses of caviar in a dish I’ve had was surprisingly at Kanjo, Just very good high quality Soba and high quality caviar. It somehow worked very nicely. Great juxtaposition in textures, but the flavors worked in unison.
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I have enjoyed chilled capellini with caviar at Terra in Napa.
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I went on Friday and it was really great. Not too much use of caviar and truffle, just enough to keep things interesting. Look forward to a writeup on Eater LA soon.
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Had a great experience here a few weeks ago. Opted for the $200 menu and was pretty happy with it. The truffle felt unnecessary at times, but never overtly distracting IMO
Opening Bite: Seared wagyu + uni + white summer truffles + sweet soy
- palette cleanser of wonderfully cut pickled cucumbers + king crab + ginger
- A very intense opening bite with great ingredients. This is incredibly indulgent, but very well appreciated by the pickled cucumbers + crab. The cucumbers had a wonderful fluffy texture and crunch to it that was just a great contrast to the indulgence.
Second Bite: Chilled Smoked Japanese Eggplant w/ Uni + Ginger Vinegar Jelly
- This was a highlight bite for me. I love eggplant, but I’m typically only eating it in heavily seasoned contexts (marinated in miso, yuxiang, any middle easter prep with a ton of add-ins)
- This was a very nice alternative prep to what I’m expecting but still hits many of the elements I’m craving in a more minimalist approach.
- The creaminess and slight funk of the uni is wonderfully contrasted by the aromatic and astringent ginger vinaigrette jelly.
- This is so unbelievably refreshing, and something I really appreciate especially after the indulgent opening bite.
Third Bite: Sampler of Small Bites: Nigiri, Ankimo Cream Croquette, Sesame Tofu
- The ankimo cream croquette and sesame tofu were standouts for this course
- The nigiris were competent, nothing to highlight or dismiss. Akami and buri with plenty of cuts to keep the chewing experience really enjoyable, but nothing mind-blowing. Solid!
- The ankimo cream was molten in texture, but perfectly warmed in texture to not scald your mouth at all.
- The crust gave so slightly to the weight of its internal contents, but still provided a nice contrast to the otherwise velvety interior. Highlight bite!
- The housemade sesame tofu perfumed of sesame fragrance and had a very nice chewy mochi texture. Simply dressed with freshly grated wasabi and soy-dashi. Wonderful bite!
Fourth Bite: Seared Skin-on Buri Soup w/ Watermelon Radish
- Wonderfully fatty buri has crispy skin and comes in a simple salt-seasoned dashi. No notes, clean and great!
Fifth Bite: Signature Dish- Chawanmushi with Butter Seared Scallops, Crispy Puffed Rice, Some kind of Ankake Negi Sauce
- This was fantastic to me, precisely because of the textural contrast of silken chawanmushi, crispy puffed rice that is a little sticky and sticks to your molars, and really springy and beautifully butter-seared scallops, and the slight flicker of crispiness from the negi in the ankake sauce,
- The truffle while voluminous, did not detract or steal the show from the other ingredients and was used very tastefully here
Sixth Bite: Gyukatsu with Freshly Shaved Horseradish, House Potato Chips and Shishito
- This course was OK to me. The cook on the beef was great, the horseradish was nice, but just didn’t stand out to me compared to the other courses.
- The garlic chips were a touch burnt and definitely had a bitterness to me that detracted from the dish.
Seventh Bite: Nabe Gohan w/ Bok Choy + Shirasu + Ginger
- Just perfectly cooked rice with wonderful texture all around, and you can have multiple servings of.
- A whisper of salt from the shirasu, a welcomed bitterness from the bok choy, and a slight ginger aroma throughout.
- The pickled celery was a standout accompaniment here and helped bring out some hidden flavors within the rice. The pickled celery was the only thing I could not get refills for!
Dessert: White Coffee Pudding
- This was awesome simply because of its simplicity and the fact that it has such great coffee aroma despite its white color.
All-in-all, pretty great experience here and hope it continues to succeed and thrive! 7.5/10
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