N/Naka

Chef Niki Nakayama is renowned for introducing modern kaiseki to the U.S. at N/Naka — the two-Michelin-starred LA restaurant. Since N/Naka opened in 2011, chef Nakayama has honored the traditional 13-course Japanese-style dining while incorporating her Japanese American background by including nontraditional ingredients like pasta and artichoke. Following the Japanese concept of mottainai, avoiding waste, she demonstrates how to use every part of the squid — preparing the body as sashimi, grilling the sides, and frying the legs for tempura. The seafood and vegetable-forward menu also highlights ingredients like sea urchin, golden eye snapper, abalone, clams, white asparagus, and yuca chips.