OTOTO — Restaurant in Los Angeles

This place in Echo Park is not the place if you're looking for white tablecloths and hushed conversations. This is the cooler, slightly more rebellious sibling to its fancier, more predictable neighbor Tsubaki. It is a warm, dimly lit space with wooden accents and a welcoming vibe. Come here for a lively atmosphere, killer sake and good food. Forget reservations and be prepared to embrace the wait.

The menu is a playful love letter to Japanese comfort food. I dove headfirst into the shaved cabbage salad which has a surprising punch and tangy dressing that proved a bit too much as it reduced the crunch some. The roasted sweet potatoes with miso butter and garlic chips was pure comfort food gold, each fluffy bite a testament to their addictive nature as you'll wish there were more on the plate. The chicken katsu sandwich was simple, breaded chicken swaddled in a pillowy bun with a touch of pickled jalapeno but the pickled jalapeno promised kick never arrived. It did have me reaching for another napkin as it was messy. Let's not forget the more decadent, less messy tonkatsu panko-fried pork cutlet—a crispy crust giving way to pork which was a bit dry even with a dollop of creamy mustard.

While the service is friendly and efficient you come here for the vibes and certain menu items. It's not fancy, but it doesn't need to be. Ototo takes Japanese comfort fare in a different direction with some thoughtful touches and surprising flavor combinations. So, try your best to embrace, sip, eat...

Sake and small plates are the name of the game here.

The sake list is extensive and most can be ordered by the glass, carafe or bottle. (A few are bottle only.) Sit at the bar and talk to the bartender about what you like and they'll guide you in the right direction. We're generally fairly sake-illiterate in this country, so the guidance and information from the experts behind the bar is much appreciated.

There's also a few Japanese beers and sojus to choose from as well.

The Japanese small plates (they call them drinking snacks) are great too. The okonomiyaki is amazing (available with corn & cheese or pork belly ... both are excellent) and the hirame crudo is not to be missed. The kaki fry (deep fried oysters) are a treasure!

The sleeper hit was the kara-age, which is Japanese fried chicken. (Think bite-sized pieces of tender chicken perfectly breaded and not greasy at all.) I'd come back for this alone.

The atmosphere is small and intimate but carries a real energy. It feel alike you're both part of a community and having a small, romantic moment with who you came with.

The staff was attentive and helpful. They want to help you discover sakes you'll like.

Prices are fair. Parking is on the street. You'll probably have to wait for a minute if you get there at a traditionally busy time (like weekends or 7pm).

Good drink, good food, good atmosphere. What's...

Came here for an early Sunday night dinner and we ordered potato salad, nigiri, filet o fish, and curry mushroom okonomiyaki. Although they have a wide selection of interesting sake, we opted for beer and a cocktail this time.

The potato salad came with a side of kurobuta sausage and one half of a soft boiled egg. We enjoyed alternating bites of cool creamy potato and warm savory sausage. Nigiri was melt in your mouth o-toro with a small side of wakame and a single shiso leaf. Filet o fish was a bit too heavy for me, I think it would be best maybe to share it between 2-3 people. At this point we were too full to eat the okonomiyaki so we took it to-go and had it for lunch the next day. It was delicious and densely packed with cabbage and mushroom filling, with just the right amount of curry seasoning in the batter.

The service was friendly and efficient, we never had to wait too long for anything. We were in and out in less than an hour. I think valet was $12, which is worth it because parking in this area is really annoying.

The ambiance here is good. The dim, warm lighting gives a feeling of relaxation at the end of a long day. It’s a nice place for a date, or dinner with a few friends. I’d be happy to come back again soon to try other...