Japanese serenity meets California organic modernism within newly renovated interior of two Michelin star n/naka restaurant.

17th-century Japanese poet Matsuo Bash? memorialized the fleeting joy of a meal cherished under a cherry blossom tree with the haiku, “Under the Trees”:
Ki no moto ni / shiru mo namasu mo / sakura kana.

Under the trees / soup, fish salad, and everywhere / cherry blossoms.
In three lines the haiku master conveys the coalescence of contentment, nourishment, and ephemerality. Just as the poem communicates so much with so little ? leaving much between the lines ? so too does the newly renovated two Michelin starred Los Angeles restaurant, n/naka.
The centerpiece of the main dining room is a wall adorned with handmade washi paper by Kurotani Washi craftsman Wataru Hatano, applied by Oyamatsu and Iida-Nakayama, adding a layer of tranquility and subtle beauty to the space. \ Photo: Zen Sekizawa Over the span of 13 years, n/naka chefs and co-owners Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama have honed their culinary narrative, presenting a traditional multi-course kaiseki dining experience as interpreted through the seasonal ingredients of California. Their efforts have been recognized not only by stars of accolade and celebrity, but also as one of the culinary luminaries of Netflix’s first season of Chef?s Table.
Yet, seasons change and so have Nakayama and Iida-Nakayama’s perception of their restaurant, compelling the pair to e...