Neta to Shari Ratio (ideally adheres to Golden Ratio)
6 Likes
Has anyone been recently? Looks like they hit a speedbump and then recovered based on @beam 's last report.
Very positive notes from our favorite blogger
1 Like
As expected:
Globules of salmon roe tasted of the sea, just as expected, and worked hand-in-hand with their seaweed wrapper, also just as expected.
3 Likes
Not sure if I like the sake list…then again I’m quite a picky bugger these days.
But wow and ouch, $1800 for that 10 year aged Nanbu Bijin Daiginjo 
Managed to dine at Inn Ann recently.
I didn’t completely peruse the thread, but one thing that hasn’t been mentioned in the posts (though it was in Kevin’s blog post) is the spectacular setting. Yes, it’s in the Hollywood and Highland mall, but once you ascend to the fifth floor and enter the doors, it feels like you’re worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. The view and architecture are fantastic, and the venue is better than that of any other sushi restaurant in LA.
I have no photos of the food - as I was taking my first picture, I was politely but firmly told that no photos at the bar are allowed, but I could take photos at the table. It seems like they instituted this rule pretty recently, given the photos in Kevin’s post. Given the choice between being able to provide photos for you all vs sitting at the bar in from of Mori-San, clearly I chose the latter 
The restaurant was fairly empty on the night we were there. There were two chefs behind the bar - Mori-San and another one. The second chef made the sushi for the tables, along with Mori’s help when he was free - he made all the nigiri for us at the bar. Sugiyama-San, Mori’s friend, did not join him at Inn Ann.
We were told at the time of the reservation that bar diners had to order the Biwa
I had no issues with the temperature of the nigiri whatsoever. Mori San is currently using a Japanese rice from his friend (mentioned above) that’s half akasu and half komesu. It was reasonably mild, but I could taste the discrete pieces. However it’s not as flaky as what I’ve had a Mori Sushi with Maru San.
Dishes we had:
Tofu with wasabi and yuzu zest
Vegetables (yamaimo, okra, muzuki, lotus, tofu, lychee peach in gelee (his signature) and a few others. His pickling and preparation of vegetables is probably the best of the sushi places I’ve been to in LA. I also know he shops at the farmers markets. - I’ve run into at the SF FM on one occasion!
Tako with kohada / mirugai (And pickles)
Sashimi (shima aji, otoro, kanpachi)
Grilled spot prawn and grilled crab - really tasty - I ate the entire prawn - brains, legs and all
Owan (hamo with yuzu and eggplant) - IMHO if I have one criticism of my meal, it’s that the soups/broths did not have a lot of depth of flavor
Anago tempura with baby corn ( from the aforementioned farmers market) and eel bone - served with kombu salt, lemon, and soy sauce; really well done tempura!
Wagyu 2 ways - Top round with wagyu ribeye with uni, chunks of grilled wagyu ribeye with baby turnips and a 5 year aged yuzu kosho; delicious and decadent dish - the yuzu kosho was so good that I practically licked it off the plate
Nigiri:
Hata
Kohada
Aji
Kinmedai
Amaebi
Mirugai
ikura
Uni (Hokkaido)
Anago
Kanpyo / he remembered I love this
I ordered ALC:
Kohada
Aji
Anago
Tamago
Miso soup
Dessert
The kohada and anago are the best I’ve had in LA in recent memory.
The damage for the above for food only was $230 before tax and tip. Mori was as affable and warm as ever, so this was a great experience. If you’re choosing between here, and say, Mori Sushi with Maru San, you get more variety of nigiri with Maru-San, whereas the semi-Kaiseki meal at Inn Ann provides more (arguably higher quality) of non-sushi type food.
7 Likes
Do you know if the spot prawn was grilled over binchotan by any chance?
Unfortunately not - I didn’t ask, and the cooked dishes were prepared in the kitchen out of sight…