EPICUREAN’S PARADISE

A Taste from the Top: Takami

BY JULIANA PESAVENTO

When I’m looking for a hot new place to dine, I typically search the obvious neighborhoods. (I admit I am a creature of habit.) When I heard about Takami, a new downtown luxury restaurant, I was surprised and skeptical. A hip sushi restaurant in the middle of the financial district? I was a little uneasy, and upon my arrival my qualms worsened. Unlike the more trendy neighborhoods of Los Angeles, there were no people dressed to impress perusing around. Rather quickly I made the journey from the valet on the side of the building into the 811 Wilshire high-rise; I went up 21 floors then arrived at Takami.

Laying the path for what I’m sure will be more restaurants to come, Takami is the first to be located in a downtown high-rise. That said, be sure to ask for a table along the windows so you are able to admire the breathtaking city view. Designed to compliment the Elevate lounge located right next door, Takami has a décor a bit different than other sushi restaurants I have seen with a sleek, nightclub-y feel. The bar is the first thing you hit as you enter and, not surprisingly, one of the things Takami prides itself on is its drinks menu. We especially enjoyed the lotus blossom: Grey Goose mixed with sake, lime, and lychee juices.

Executive Chef Kenny Yamada, best known for opening Encino’s Katsu-ya restaurant, used his Japanese cuisine background to create Takami’s sushi and robata menu and create a dining experience to be remembered. Every time we were brought a new dish, we spent a few moments admiring the gorgeous presentation. Three kitchens are used in the restaurant—one for the main dishes, one for the robata grill, and one for the sushi. We ordered from all three. We started with a perfect seaweed salad and the incredible house sauced edamame. We then moved onto eggplant, zucchini, and scallops robata-grilled to perfection with a delicious selection of sauces. My favorite dish from the main kitchen was the avocado bowl—a mix of the freshest sashimi with mangos inside a hollowed-out avocado. In an extremely close second was the pop art crab, an artful presentation of tempura Dungeness crab and avocado in the center of the plate wrapper in soy paper with different sauces all around the plate in a “pop-art” style. As for sushi we loved the takami roll—an exciting mix of spicy tuna, crab and asparagus topped with an apple sauce (sweet and spicy at the same time!).

Even if you don’t think you can muster up the ability to consume any more food, a must-try on the dessert menu is the gelato and sorbet. While you might think that this is far too typical a way to end a meal that will drive your taste buds wild, Takami serves seven different options—my favorite, hands down, was the lychee. If you’re feeling up for it, hop on over to the Elevate nightclub/lounge right next door, filled with a sexy, young, and energetic crowd.

Vital Info

Takami

811 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 2100
213-236/9600
www.takamisushi.com
Cuisine: Sushi and Robata
The Scene Adventurous diners willing to venture to the financial district for a meal and young see-and-be-seen types
Must Try Tropical Avocado Bowl and Pop Art Crab
Cost $$$

HOT PLATES

Comme Ca: The buzz around Comme Ca ranges from the Prohibition-era cocktail menu straight out of the infamous Milk and Honey modern speakeasy in NYC to the little slice of Paris found on the menu. It’s a busy brasserie that is only just settling in from the usual new restaurant kinks. It’s loud and trendy. For Americans used to space while dining, the seating area is a bit cramped but this is not a romantic little café. It’s a celebration of food, drink, and life. A Rumble cocktail along with the Mushroom Risotto is a marvelous way to get into the spirit of things. Entrée highlights include Goat Cheese Ravioli and Steak Frites. 8479 Melrose Avenue. L-D Daily (323) 782-1178 French $$$

Tangier If you’ve long fantasized about an exotic, romantic spot where Jazz and other music enchants the night amidst the star-studded shadows, look no further than Tangier. Every inch of the venue is simply gorgeous. The menu has a few inventive moments such as a Spanish Shrimp Cocktail and Wild Mushroom Pasta (which is a mushroom lusting soul’s prayer answered). The Miso Glazed Black Cod is a favorite among regulars (and for good reason). If dinner sounds too heavy and you’d like something more intimate or casual, check out the lounge. A variety of musical acts ranging from traditional jazz to rock grace the stage where you can also order small plates. 2138 HILLHURST AVE. L-D DAILY 323/660-1033 CALIFORNIA CUISINE $$$

The Bistro at the Chamberlain West Hollywood One of L.A.’s best-kept dining secrets, The Bistro, serves up the city’s most inspired tasting menu. Tucked into a sweet little corner of the hotel, The Bistro is the culinary playground for Chef de Cuisine Peter Gobin, whose French technique combined with a passion for local ingredients results in some killer cuisine. If you get the tasting menu (wine pairings are incredible, esp. the Gewurztraminer) be prepared to indulge in some rich and deftly prepared meats and seafood, such as Scallops with Orange Sauce, duck alongside a burnished strip of pork belly, and a divine New York strip. The Chocolate Orange Pot de Crème is inspirational, so save room for dessert. CHAMBERLAIN WEST HOLLYWOOD, 100 WESTMOUNT DR. L-D. 310/657-7400. WWW.CHAMBERLAINWESTHOLLYWOOD.COM. NEW AMERICAN CUISINE. $$$

Coast at Shutters on the Beach: In Southern California, many of us practically grow up on the beach, and in our youth, it seemed one could never get decent food and a good view at the same time. It’s nice to see establishments like Coast at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica bucking that trend, by offering a solid menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even brunch on the weekends. Loaded with American favorites like mac and cheese, but given variety and flair by items like Grilled Swordfish with Garlic Broccoini, and the best guacamole and warm tortilla chips this side of the Rio Grande. Coast also serves up a mean plate of plump, briny oysters, and has a dungeness crabcake appetizer that is the best I’ve had in L.A. 1 PICO BLVD. SANTA MONICA. B-L-D DAILY 310/587-1707 AMERICAN SEAFOOD $

Killer Shrimp: Either you love it or you hate it, but those fanatic fans of Killer Shrimp have been known to travel for miles just to get a bowl of the incredible Cajun inspired spicy broth covering Louisiana shrimp. (Some have even spent years trying to figure out the secret recipe to the base). Shrimp is it. Just as the name proudly pronounces, that’s what they serve. Sure, there is a Caesar salad on the menu but it’s all about the shrimp, served with or without rice, and the dipping bread. Be warned, however, this shrimp is not for the faint of heart. It’s wickedly spicy. And after you are finished, don’t miss the Pecan Pie with homemade whipped cream. It’s equally worthy of a long trek across Los Angeles. 4000 COLFAX AVENUE. L-D DAILY (818) 508-1570 CAJUN $$

Fred 62: If a diner could go on a world tour to experience other cultures, and maybe soak up a little sophistication to accent a sense of kitschy whimsy— the result would be Fred 62. Not your momma’s 1950s greasy spoon by any stretch, Fred 62 takes all the relevant bits of a diner, including the slick décor, and goes contemporary with menu items straight out of your wildest food binges—think corn flake-crusted French toast and Pop Tart a la mode. For the less manic moments, the extensive menu includes curve balls such as a tour through Asia with various noodle dishes and a Thai spin on the Cobb salad. The crowd is one of the most mixed you’ll see in L.A. with everyone from clean cut corporate types to the distinctly subculture, artistic souls.1850 N Vermont Ave. B-L-D Daily 323/667-0062 Diner $

WHERE TO EAT

Taste

Brunch is a whole new game in Los Angeles these days. Even better, it’s no longer an expensive endeavor if you are a bit of a gourmand. Taste on Melrose, a casual elegant restaurant serving up a buzz-worthy eclectic lunch and dinner, has a brunch that will knock your socks off, yet leave you with enough money to pay rent. If you are an Eggs Benedict fiend, do not miss the Crab Cake Benedict. Equally divine is the Cremini Mushroom & Spinach Lasagne. Tucked into what is literally a house, the atmosphere is stylishly laid back in that iconic California way. 8454 MELROSE AVE. L-D DAILY BRUNCH SAT & SUN 323/852-6888 CALIFORNIA CUISINE $$ —VICTORIA LANE