That is an unfortunate choice of words. There was space available and certain entities were able to take advantage of reasonable rents. Abbot Kinney was kind of trashy in the olden days. I know I wasn’t allowed to ride my bike there.
Venice has been a part of me since the mid-70s. Call it what you want, but folks already had mixed feelings about the first wave moving in (~1990-1991).
Riding a bike down Washington Blvd was relatively safe during the day. On the other hand, Ghost town (Lincoln, California, 6th and Rose) was often a war zone especially around 1987-1992.
And your commenting on space available assumes that those buildings available were inhabitable. Most prospective renters wouldn’t tolerate the condition of the majority of units available. That’s why artists made up a large portion of residents on and around Abbot Kinney. Artists are known for their high degree of tolerance - as long as the rent is cheap.
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Ciaobob, I just wanted to say I think you really crushed it. Well written, and thoughtful. Thank you.
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Yes, thank you.
I’d much rather read a review about the food than a slightly (depending on the site) respun PR piece. (Lately it feels like that’s what many reviewers are cranking out - hence my no longer reading/taking many “professional” reviewers too seriously.)
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The only thing I’d say to this is food writing and reviewing would be very boring and repetitive if writers didn’t have a chance to learn about the history, culture, and personal story that goes into food. Some of the best food documentaries, including the best Chef Table episodes, excel because we learn about the chefs. We learn what drove them, what shaped them, where their point of view comes from. That is all very valuable context. Otherwise, professional reviewers are little more than yelp reviewers, telling us whether the food was well executed or not. That is part of a review but not the whole thing.
If you look at J. Gold’s most well-known reviews, be it Jitlada or otherwise, what elevates them is his ability to place them within a sense of history. Perhaps people just want “it was good” out of reviews, with some better adjectives thrown in. But I’d like more. And you can’t really know more (short of hiring a private eye) without a willingness from the restaurant to engage. Not saying they have to, but it definitely adds value.
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I can agree with your view. But Travis Lett’s story has already been told. His inspiration leading up to MTN has as well. I don’t know what else should be told. Is BR looking for some exclusive or inside scoop? What seems like airing out in the LAW about no access to something more than what has already been written seems, I don’t know, having issues with self-importance?
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Now taking reservations
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buri sashimi, pickled ginger, half moon bay wasabi
This was fantastic, rich, buttery, fatty and softer than the New England Patriots defense.
grilled monterey bay squid, ume, shiso, green chili
Juicy, tender and bursting with flavor.
squid ink chahan, white rice, squid, pork belly, cherry tomatoes, jaloro chili
Wow, highlight of the night and my favorite thing on the menu. This had everything, it was briny, porky, fatty, crispy, and spicy. The rice was perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of caramelized crispy bits.
kanpachi temaki, avocado, shiso, ume
Nice and crisp nori but the rice was cold.
dungeness crab ramen, saikyo miso, crab broth, tosaka seaweed, confit tomato, pickled fresno, thai shallots
This was okay, the noodles were thin and were more like soba. The broth wasn’t as crabby or briny as I would have liked. The huge lumps of crab meat however were delicious.
I had about a quarter of the bowl left that I wanted to take home but found out you’re not allowed to take the ramen home. huh?! I guess they would rather waste food than Lett me to eat their ramen reheated.
pear, pecans
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Party of two, without booze, how much am I gonna realistically spend here? 100? 150?
100pp
Wowzers. Alright didn’t realize this was such a special occasion spot. Thanks for the quick reply!
And the taste? 
Very good sear on the gyoza, you could really taste the peads pork in there. That said is it peak gyoza? not for me but it was very good. I probably shouldn’t have let myself be talked out of the Chashu burnt ends hand roll.
The Chicken oyakodon was pretty great (this is comfort food for me and i’ve eaten a lot) the chicken thigh was juicy and nicely grilled the egg and sauce mixture was tasty though maybe more cooked than a japanese would do it. Brown rice was really tasty and perfectly cooked - my one quibble might be that all the rice grains were separate which was odd and made it hard to eat with chopsticks. Don’t know if this was because of the amount of sauce but it seems to be on purpose.
Hirame with the chiffonade of shizo, fingerlime, yuzukosho was excellent textures and flavors. very fresh. I might have wanted a bit more for the 20$ but maybe that’s me being greedy.
It was very easy to walk in for lunch. much less of a madhouse than dinner
edit: and for those who care - they did verbalize not to tip and service was included.
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No battera sushi!!!
I wonder how many people order the natto don.
lol being a latino who lived in Japan two things I could never get used to are Natto and sweet bean paste. Just certain cultural expectations for beans -they should never be peta peta or amai lol!
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I used to feel the same way. You just gotta find the deliciousness. It’s there.
It may take time, but it’s there.
I think MTN’s natto bowl looks like a great combination of flavors. I hope to try it some day.
When I couldn’t stand natto it was preparations like the photos below that first showed me the light:
Also, I think you mean beta-beta (sticky) here. Natto itself is usually described a neba-neba (slimy) and your lips and anything else that touches the natto gets beta-beta (sticky).
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Juan Hernandez and Pedro Aquino, longtime chefs with the restaurant group, are soft-opening an Oaxacan-inspired pop-up called Valle inside MTN beginning today, and officially opening Wednesday (it will be closed Tuesday for Cinco de Mayo).
The initial menu features tacos (two for $9 or three for $13) with a choice of pork belly al pastor, pollo adobado and Baja shrimp. A mole amarillo ($13) made with potatoes, peas, chayote and guajillo chiles is on the menu, as is a Little Gem and nopales salad, as well as family-style options for two and four people. Pollo adobado for four ($45) comes with a split, bone-in full chicken, rice, beans, tortillas and a variety of house-made salsas.
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