Tamon in Little Tokyo

Speaking with artist and Artistic Director of JACCC, Hirokazu Kosaka, we were talking about good places to eat in Little Tokyo. He highly recommended Tamon, Miyako Inn, 2F, 328 E. 1st Street, LA CA 90012, 213-617-7839. Tamon is a new place and is on the second floor of the hotel, Miyako Inn, which I am also told has a great massage/sauna. I recruited my buddy artist Jeffrey James Mohr and off we went. The interior is very Japanese to me. Artwork on the wall, classic Japanese stalls, tables and chairs but what was nostalgic was the view. Something about having a thin horizontal view of the building across the street reminded me of so many places in Japan. I ordered the Sashimi Bowl and Jeff got the Teriyaki Salmon & Sushi combo. The fish was fresh and all of the side dishes were prepared very well. There's something old school, semi-high-end, and familiar about the food at Tamon. I quickly understood why Hirokazu recommended it. There's a wealth of knowledge behind every dish that you don't necessarily have in other places in Little Tokyo. I sensed that the decisions made in the kitchen were based not only on a refined knowledge of classic Japanese food but also a level of attention to detail not found elsewhere. Some places prepare food to only the chefs aesthetics and standards, like horse blinders. Other places prepare food to meet the common denominator, lacking personality. At Tamon, I sense the chef has prepared what they feel is exactly what the cuisine should be, a virtual bullseye in terms of regional tastes and presentation . I felt the staff was proud. I felt the chef really wanted us to enjoy and appreciate the meal. I especially enjoyed the chirasushi. This chirasushi blew me away on three levels. First and foremost, the rice was prepared exquisitely. There are hundreds of decisions/ options when preparing rice but you double that with chirasushi because you have to cool it off by hand fanning it and add things like vinegar. Tamon's chirasushi rice is slightly undercooked/firm so each grain is a pure taste experience even though it is bathed in vinegar. Two, the understated flavors of the toppings let you enjoy the depth of the rice. Three, the price is amazingly affordable considering the caliber of the chef's hand.