Eating & Drinking Around LA with My Boyfriend 💑🍽️

Helping a senior chef promote his new spot! 🍣 HOMAREYA (search this name on Google Maps) – located near Long Beach DT. Chef/Owner Yoya Takahashi, former head chef at Kotō Hotel, is a well-known figure in LA’s Japanese dining scene! I’d heard years ago he wanted to open his own place, and this year it finally happened! 🎉 Couldn’t get a reservation on opening day Friday, so we visited over the weekend! Even though he’s a respected senior chef, here’s my honest review: The menu clearly aims for Michelin-star ambitions—you can sense French fusion influences in the ingredient pairings and seasoning. But surprisingly, the ingredients weren’t as fresh as expected, though the quality was still decent. Yakitori is Yoya-san’s specialty, and it did not disappoint—clean flavors, perfect grilling! 🍢 The pork neck is a must-order—so, so good. The oysters were outstanding—flown in from Japan, California seafood just can’t compare 💅🏻 (lol). Each one was plump, bouncy, and silky—ended up devouring five! 🦪 The most impressive dish was the Kawa Salad—I’ve never genuinely fallen in love with a salad before, but this one is a must-try!!! 🥗✨ Also loved the Chikuwa Tempura—super authentic! Couldn’t stop popping them in my mouth. We tried almost the whole menu. Overall, it was solid, but dishes not handled by Yoya-san himself showed a noticeable gap in execution—common in the early days of a chef-owned restaurant. Still, definitely worth a visit! Yoya-san’s cooking is truly worth experiencing. If you’re visiting Long Beach, give it a try! Also, while in Long Beach, wine lovers should check out Hi-lo 🍷—though their selection isn’t huge, it’s curated with quality bottles at fair prices, and you can drink onsite in a super chill setting! #LAFood #LAJapanese #JapaneseCuisine #LongBeachEats #LongBeach #ChefOwned #NewRestaurant #YakitoriLove #OysterLovers #HonestReview #FoodieAdventure #DateNightEats #CaliforniaWine #HiddenGemLB