California diners are awaiting the release of Michelin's comprehensive guide by 2024, but today the global restaurant compendium released another preview of its best restaurants in the state. Of the 10 restaurants newly added to the California guide, nine are located in the Los Angeles area.
“I think I'm most proud of the city of Gardena,” said Daniel Son, chef and owner of the new addition Sushi Sonagi. “It's where my parents immigrated first and I feel like it's my hometown. So I feel like it's great for the city and obviously for Los Angeles.”
After nearly a quarter of a century in the restaurant industry, which began with Son bussing tables and washing dishes at his parents' restaurant, the inclusion of his own sushi bar marks his first Michelin mention.
Additions – previously released last December – stand out as notable new choices, although they could also earn the coveted Michelin stars or the Bib Gourmand award, which denotes value.
Of the Michelin Guide's accolades, the most prestigious awards are stars. One means “very good restaurant in its category”; dos translates to “excellent cuisine, worth the detour”; Three stars, the highest of all, mean “exceptional cuisine, which deserves a special trip.”
Daniel Son of Sushi Sonagi shows off a plate of grilled kuromutsu topped with puffy rice crackers.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Son presented its high-end omakase at a Gardena shopping center last summer, and said opening any sushi restaurant, especially one located in a prolific sushi region like Los Angeles, was daunting, especially considering its own Korean-American twist. He wondered if clients would understand his vision. However, seeing the mention in today's Michelin guide helped confirm his decisions.
“Being a Korean American and doing something that's very Japanese but also expressing myself through my heritage, it's been amazing,” he said. “That Michelin recognizes us or includes us in the guide is a great relief and I am very grateful.”
While a Michelin star would be nice, Son said it's all out of reach; He is simply grateful for the recognition and will focus on spring ingredients in the coming months.
Other Michelin additions to the Los Angeles area include the sunny new Koreatown Liu's Cafe Chinese and Taiwanese Restaurant and Tea House; eco park pizzeria and pastry destination Quarter sheets; downtown edomae-style omakase spot Sawa; Evan Funke's Beverly Hills ode to handmade pasta and other regional Italian classics, Funke; Koreatown's former Peruvian chicken grill Pollo a la Brasa, one of Jonathan Gold's favorites; Japanese-French bistro Amour in West Hollywood; Little Fish, the daytime-only seafood cafe in Echo Park; and newcomer kaiseki UKA, which is located inside the Hollywood cultural center Japan House. The only current non-Michelin addition is San Francisco's 7 Adams, which offers an affordable five-course tasting menu plus a tasting at the chef's counter.
“We're very proud of our food and what we do, but we also serve food on paper plates and only do breakfast and lunch,” said Anna Sonenshein, co-owner of Little Fish. “It's just not something we've really considered.”
When Little Fish opened at Echo Park's Dada Market, new items arrived on the menu, including house-cured trout tartines, fish soup and a full coffee program.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Sonenshein and his partner, Niki Vahle, started their operation with a pop-up centered around a light-as-air fried fish sandwich, but their new location in Echo Park has allowed them to expand their menu and vision. At the end of 2023 They opened in Dada Market and serve fish soup, cured trout tartines, fried tofu sandwiches, cottage cheese pancakes and more.
They said they will be watching for the release of the full Michelin Guide list for 2024 as they run Little Fish and prepare a new restaurant planned to open in Melrose Hill later this year.
“We're very excited to be included with the other new additions from Los Angeles; there are a lot of our friends there,” Vahle said. “Instead of seeing our name next to Michelin, I think we're luckier to see our name next to all the other places we love and respect so much.”
The unveiling date and location of the 2024 Michelin California guide have yet to be announced. You can find the California guide, including today's new additions. here.
