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pjthompsonYesterday was Ann's birthday, so she and Lynn and I went out for another of our triannual birthday bashes. We started doing this some years back since our birthdays are so conveniently spread out through the year: Ann's in late January, Lynn's in July, and mine in September. We try to do something really special just 'cuz it's fun. I guess it's kind of dumb to spend the cash, but yanno, once in a while you just have to be foolish. So twice a year I'm foolish (and the other time, I'm treated).
Last night we went to Yamashiro, a beautiful Japanese style restaurant high on a hill in Hollywood with spectacular views. The place itself is pretty spectacular—a recreation of a Japanese palace (from the Yamashiro mountains), built in 1914, housing a collection of Japanese art. It also has a beautiful Japanese garden winding round and round the hill, and it's in all the tourist guides.
Now, the food at Yamashiro has not really been up to the surroundings until recently. But it's under new management with a redesigned menu. "CalAsian," they call it. One of those fusion joints, but although some fusion restaurants can be pretentious and annoying (and Anthony Bourdain loves to trash them), I think this works.
We started off with fru-fru drinks--Mandarin Cosmos--then segued to a lovely German Riesling during dinner. Our appetizer was winter squash soup made with mascarpone and pine nuts. I had lobster tail in a Chinese black bean sauce served over risotto; Lynn had maple teriyaki chicken; Ann had miso salmon. For dessert I had white chocolate profiteroles with macadamia nuts and a subtle pineapple sauce. Pineapple can be easily overdone, but this was just right--enough pineapple flavor without being desperately sweet. Ann had a three sorbets combo: kiwi, raspberry, and I-forget-fruity. Lynn had a little custard thing served over a spicy cake. Delish.
And yeah, the view was great, but that part of the restaurant was packed. After seeing as much of the view as we wanted from the bar, we decided to dine in the courtyard. It's a big open-air courtyard, and the air outside up on that hill was brisk, but the outside heaters were good. And they cover over the opening with a big sheet of canvas, put lights under the small trees in the center of the courtyard so the shadows of their branches project upward and onto this canvas. Little streams run through the center of the courtyard, a miniature Japanese garden, and the tables ring the balcony around it. Large, red paper lanterns cover the lights all around, and some of the walls are silk-screened. Quite lovely and quiet after the frenzy in the main restaurant. It felt like being in another world. We had a splendid time--and could actually hear each other talk!
Most people dressed semi-swank, but there were also folks in jeans and hoodies and everything in between. Now I've got until July to save up the cash for Lynn's birthday. :-)
See history, menu, and virtual tour here:
http://www.yamashirorestaurant.com/history/index.html
Pictures and reviews here:
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Landmarks/Yamashiro.shtml
(Thankfully, we saw no stars while we were there.)
Last night we went to Yamashiro, a beautiful Japanese style restaurant high on a hill in Hollywood with spectacular views. The place itself is pretty spectacular—a recreation of a Japanese palace (from the Yamashiro mountains), built in 1914, housing a collection of Japanese art. It also has a beautiful Japanese garden winding round and round the hill, and it's in all the tourist guides.
Now, the food at Yamashiro has not really been up to the surroundings until recently. But it's under new management with a redesigned menu. "CalAsian," they call it. One of those fusion joints, but although some fusion restaurants can be pretentious and annoying (and Anthony Bourdain loves to trash them), I think this works.
We started off with fru-fru drinks--Mandarin Cosmos--then segued to a lovely German Riesling during dinner. Our appetizer was winter squash soup made with mascarpone and pine nuts. I had lobster tail in a Chinese black bean sauce served over risotto; Lynn had maple teriyaki chicken; Ann had miso salmon. For dessert I had white chocolate profiteroles with macadamia nuts and a subtle pineapple sauce. Pineapple can be easily overdone, but this was just right--enough pineapple flavor without being desperately sweet. Ann had a three sorbets combo: kiwi, raspberry, and I-forget-fruity. Lynn had a little custard thing served over a spicy cake. Delish.
And yeah, the view was great, but that part of the restaurant was packed. After seeing as much of the view as we wanted from the bar, we decided to dine in the courtyard. It's a big open-air courtyard, and the air outside up on that hill was brisk, but the outside heaters were good. And they cover over the opening with a big sheet of canvas, put lights under the small trees in the center of the courtyard so the shadows of their branches project upward and onto this canvas. Little streams run through the center of the courtyard, a miniature Japanese garden, and the tables ring the balcony around it. Large, red paper lanterns cover the lights all around, and some of the walls are silk-screened. Quite lovely and quiet after the frenzy in the main restaurant. It felt like being in another world. We had a splendid time--and could actually hear each other talk!
Most people dressed semi-swank, but there were also folks in jeans and hoodies and everything in between. Now I've got until July to save up the cash for Lynn's birthday. :-)
See history, menu, and virtual tour here:
http://www.yamashirorestaurant.com/history/index.html
Pictures and reviews here:
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Landmarks/Yamashiro.shtml
(Thankfully, we saw no stars while we were there.)
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Date: 2006-01-29 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-29 03:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-29 03:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-29 03:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-29 05:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-29 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-30 08:45 am (UTC)Glad a good time was had by all.
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Date: 2006-01-30 10:05 am (UTC)