Japanese

Mābo, Dallas, 6/26/25

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior – 6109 Berkshire Ln, B, Dallas, TX 75225

Mābo is an yakitori omakase restaurant under the direction of the former chef of Teppo, Masayuki Otaka that opened a little over a year ago.  He offers 2  seatings (5:30 and 8:30) for 8 guests of a 14-course tasting menu.   At Teppo, Chef Otaka was known as “the Yakitori King of Dallas” so this place serves more meat than seafood.  Yakitori in Japan means grilled chicken and while five chicken parts are on the tasting menu even more are offered on a supplemental menu.  This supplemental menu includes options for other meats, fish and vegetables.  The basic tasting is $200 per person, with tax, tip and drinks in addition but the chicken supplements we had were just $8 per skewer (I did find it annoying that the supplemental menu had no prices).   The small, minimal space has few decorations but it is serene and tasteful.  We took the early seating and found the door did not get unlocked until precisely 5:30.  After being shown to a comfortable seat at the counter, which has screens blocking you view into the kitchen, we ordered some sake and water and chatted with neighbors until the screen rises 10 minutes later.  Chef Otaka was the only one ever in the kitchen but a sweet server helped with information and serving.  The vent fan runs constantly, because the charcoal is going, but it does make some noise for counter conversations and in addition there is music in the background.  It was great to see Otaka back in action but I don’t think I’ll be a regular here because there’s too much non-yakitori.  The non-yakitori foods were good but didn’t get into great territory.  On the other side though, if you want a yakitori fix this would be the first place I’d direct you to. Continue reading →

Hayato, Los Angeles, 2/8/24

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entrance – 1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Hayato is the Japanese restaurant of Chef Brandon Hayato Go, where 7 lucky diners are served at a counter 5 nights a week.   The Kaiseki meal of seafood and vegetables was served by Chef himself with a couple of helpers.  The light wood counter faces the cooking area which has a number of options for finishing the dishes.  Well lit with no music it is a peaceful, calm place offering much interaction with the chef.  The menu is a surprise as Chef shops for unique ingredients with impeccable quality to craft the evening’s dinner.  “Less is more”  could be a description because you won’t find fancy sauces and decorations here.  Instead, the ingredients are so pristine that they stand on their own with elegance.  Those who follow me know I’m a flavor junky but this place moves flavor to a different dimension.  Time passed quickly, as there was no lag in service and conversations flowed easily between guests and the chef.  The meal does take 2.5-3  hours and you receive a beautiful menu at the end written in Japanese and English on elegant parchment.  Service was fabulous and it’s easy to see why Michelin has awarded the restaurant 2 stars.  The price is steep for some at $350 per person but if you can get a reservation I urge you to go.  Be aware that these reservations are in such demand that they are being re-sold but that’s a scam, just be persistent and and try and try again when reservations are released on the first of the month.  It’s a fabulous experience. Continue reading →

Izakaya Gama, Point Arena, CA., 11/1/23

~ hsnixon ~ 3 Comments
entrance – 150 Main St, Point Arena, CA 95468

Gama calls itself a coastal Izakaya, which is a type of Japanese pub where small plates are served with alcoholic beverages.   They have a large sake list as well as beer.  The good sized space was divided into two rooms by a short light wood divider.  One side has the bar seating and the other has tables.  Music was in the background and lots of windows brought in even more light than the already bright house lights.  Service tried to be helpful but our server hadn’t worked there long enough to know a lot about the food.   I was surprised that they bill themselves as highlighting local products but only one locally caught fish was on the menu.  The pair that were behind the opening were seasoned restaurant people with a desire to bring Japanese flavors to the area.   I’m not sure if it was having a server new to the place without good experience to guide us or that Japanese cuisine is mild in flavor, but this felt like an off night.  I think the place has much more potential than what we saw.   Continue reading →