Combining the Best of Two Culinary Worlds

No mandatory 18% or 20% tip here 💳 But the service quality far exceeds expectations And the food is something you’d gladly pay even more for ✨ - About the Restaurant - Founder Akira Hirose passed away in LA on September 26, 2024 🕊️ He previously worked at Hotel Nikko under Joël Robuchon and was also the founder of Maison Akira The restaurant was featured in Eater LA’s “38 Best Restaurants in LA” 🏆 Current Head Chef is Chris Ono & All ingredients are sourced from the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market 🥕🌽 The server shared that the restaurant follows a farm-to-table philosophy 🌱 I’m truly impressed - The menu is a three-course set menu Changes weekly, with two options per course 📄 - Baja Tuna Crudo - Tuna / Beet / Yuzu Vinaigrette / Fresh Flowers & Shiso 🌸 Even after smelling it and before tasting, I had my doubts I’ve never been a fan of beets – in my mind, they always carry an earthy bitterness and a strange sweetness But Finding that earthy taste in this dish was as difficult as finding street parking in crowded DTLA 🚗💨 Beyond being delicious, what stood out more was that the dish knew when to stop serving – My friend and I agreed: one more piece of fish on the plate and it would have felt unpleasantly oily 🐟💫 - Santa Barbara Vermillion - Grated Grouper with Crispy Scales / Cauliflower / Cabbage / Pickled Radish / Lemon Butter 🐠 A truly memorable dish The sides were so outstanding they almost overshadowed the fish (Though the scaled grouper was still a perfect 10/10) The accompaniments were so good we wanted more (But we were too shy to ask the chef for extra veggies! 😅) All the vegetables had the texture you’d expect but flavors that surprised you The cabbage won my heart 🥬❤️ The cherry radish didn’t have that unpleasant sharpness I usually love intense, bold flavors But this dish was a masterclass in balanced sharpness ✨ If I had to nitpick – A bit more sauce would be ideal Otherwise, you might end up dry-eating the bread near the end 🥖🍋 - Meiji Soy Milk and Yuzu Panna Cotta - Soy Milk Panna Cotta / Passion Fruit / Satsuma Mandarin 🍊 First of all, this dessert isn’t overly sweet It starts with a bold, attacking acidity Then comes the sweetness of the mandarin And finally, the soothing aroma of soy milk 🥛 Maybe I’m just too used to sugary desserts My friend said the flower was sweet too – I didn’t taste it though 🌼 - Service - 10/10 – Unforgettable service From the moment we stepped in until we left, the experience was nearly perfect 🌟 Even if you’re looking for things to criticize, it’s hard to find flaws! Just sharing my thoughts — let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this review! 💬 #LA #LAFood #LosAngeles #JapaneseFrenchFusion #FineDiningLA #FarmToTable #DTLAEats #AzayDTLA #ChefLife #FoodReview #UpscaleDining #SetMenu