Dec 2022

Kato – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Kato - Los Angeles

Some of the most memorable meals this year were shared with my colleagues from Eater LA. While it’s hard to top the night we breathed the same air as Jay and Bey at Mother Wolf, our final feast of 2022 at Michelin-starred Kato gave it a run for its money.

Kato - Los Angeles

It’s been a year since chef Jon Yao and his team moved from West LA to Downtown, and from the look of things Kato is settling in nicely to its new home at the Row. Elegant, thoughtful, and ambitious, the restaurant’s $275 tasting menu offered a dynamic ride through Yao’s take on contemporary Taiwanese cooking.

Kato - Los Angeles

All great meals begin with a solid cocktail. The Old Fashioned ($23) made with Kavalan Distillery select whisky, hoshigaki, and Angostura bitters hit just right.

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Dec 2022

Bar Sawa – Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)

Sawa - Little Tokyo - Los Angeles

It felt surreal to sidle up to the eight-seat sushi counter at Bar Sawa on a Friday evening back in September. Though my current dining habits have mostly returned to Before Times ways, I hadn’t partaken in a proper omakase since prior to the pandemic. Joining me for an evening of sushi and whisky was my homie B-Side. It was a beautiful night in Little Tokyo. 

Sawa - Little Tokyo - Los Angeles

While Sawa offers cocktail pairings for $45, I opted to nurse a stiff Old Fashioned made with Japanese whisky ($17) for the evening. My companion opted for the beverage pairing, which entailed choosing three cocktails from the list of available drinks. He would’ve preferred a more curated experience with personalized recommendations that enhanced various courses.

Sawa - Little Tokyo - Los Angeles

Behind the counter at this underground spot is executive chef Anthony Nguyen. The omakase ($170) featured a trio of appetizers, nearly a dozen nigiri, a lil’ helping of somen noodles, and dessert. While I very much enjoyed the experience overall, the pacing at the start was somewhat haphazard for my taste, with appetizers and nigiri interspersed with one another; a clear delineation between starters and sushi would have been preferred.

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Dec 2022

The Best Things We Ate In Malaysia

Malaysia, Summer 2022

After four days of eating our hearts out in Singapore, The Astronomer, June, and I flew to Malaysia for a 10-day stay. The Astronomer spearheaded an adventuresome itinerary that took us from the country’s jungles to its beaches and its metropolitan center. We saw and ate as much as possible during our vacation but alas, it was impossible to make a dent.

Kuching, Malaysia

Malaysia, Summer 2022

The Malaysian leg of our trip began in Kuching in the state of Sarawak where we visited the Semenggoh Nature Reserve and got to see quite a few orangutans up close.

Malaysia, Summer 2022

We also took a day trip to Bako National Park for more monkeys and other wildlife adventures.

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