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Akio Ishito is the owner and master chef of Kappo Ishito in Little Tokyo’s Weller Court. The small restaurant is always quiet, the better for its dedicated stable of learned customers who come seeking one thing: omakase. Or better yet, “Ishito’s cuisine”—it is the very meaning of Kappo Ishito, after all.
Omakase literally means “entrust,” but in food terms think of it as “chef’s choice.” To the uninitiated or the control-freaky, omakase can indeed be intimidating: potentially unfamiliar food, direct and prolonged interaction with the chef, a seemingly strict code of conduct and, of course, prohibitive pricing. But the idea behind the tradition is that chef and diner build such a trusting relationship that eventually, there's no need for menus, let alone a la carte orders. The chef becomes so in tune with your particular tastes that he customizes each dish—and you love every one of them.
Relationships like these are rare now that people have neither the time nor money to develop that level of gastronomic intimacy. (Expect to spend at least two hours and a minimum of $100 per person for an experience of merit.) Omakase in L.A., however, has become something like a set tasting menu where the same seven (nine, 11, etc.) courses are given to everyone. Indignant traditionalists, we hear ya. In fact, this type of meal is known in Japan as kaiseki, a multi-courser derived from tea ceremonies that has a culinary tradition and purpose all its own.
Ishito is well-versed in the differences between the two dinner services, though he admits it’s difficult to cater kaiseki-style. Perhaps it’s because the close quarters of Kappo Ishito are suited for the purposes of omakase. Ishito, a former jeweler, opened his first restaurant in Monterey Park 13 years ago, then jumped at the chance to downsize into the Little Tokyo location eight years later. The smaller space, the easier to omakase for a full house.
Count on being the only fluent English speaker at Kappo Ishito; even the phone is answered in Japanese. But language hiccups hardly detract from the wondrous evening in store. Ishito couldn’t be more personally invested in every diner’s experience, as each omakase is invented a la minute. He even notes your booze of choice: Beer drinkers get something different than sake drinkers. It helps if you sit at the sushi bar. In fact, we’re laying down the law: Don’t even think to try omakase from a table.
Midway through our 12-course meal, Ishito notices us eyeing sea snails he's selected from a bucket for another group. A few seconds later, we have a plate of our own. And they are delicious—like a more nuanced version of clams. Each course progression brings unanticipated delight, and that's the point. Sashimi from various phyla is otherworldly in texture and flavor, as are the small bites of Japanese-raised beef served yaki-style. And the rice cracker-crusted shrimp—from what we lovingly term the junk-food course—is our new salty-crunchy addiction.
Everything is especially impressive considering Ishito isn’t classically trained. He worked as a dishwasher at a couple of places, but his main education comes from growing up next door to a restaurant in Japan. As a kid, he took to following the head chef around the kitchen, and that old-school apprenticeship taught Ishito “very, very traditional” cooking, he says. Whatever the course of his past, his present is filled with customers so devoted that they’re practically silenced to secrecy. When we return for a scheduled photo shoot, one diner pleads, “This is a secret place. Don’t write a big article.”
Gomenasai, dude. It’s our duty to find the best—and Ishito-san is it.
Experience an omakase evening, course-by-course »
Katherine Spiers is a contributing editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
