© UKA Restaurant
One-of-a-kind kaiseki experience expands for the season with new tiered tasting menu and limited-time holiday offering
LOS ANGELES – November 14, 2023 – JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles announces two new menus at UKA, featuring a reimagined offering of its kaiseki haute culinary tradition of a multi-course, intricate Japanese dinner alongside a holiday exclusive version of the menu, available throughout the month of December.
The restaurant’s new three-tier menu offers two kaiseki menu options, including the UKA Intro to Kaiseki menu for $200 per person and the UKA Shabu Shabu x Kaiseki Experience for $400 per person, in addition to the signature UKA Kaiseki Experience for $300 per person (all exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuity).
The Intro to Kaiseki menu features six courses, beginning with the palate cleansing Dashi for the Five Senses, with dried bonito aged in Japan; Hassun, a rotating daily appetizer highlighting fresh local vegetables and bite-sized seafood; Chawanmushi, a steamed egg custard with shrimp, Shimeji mushroom and truffle; Washugyu Roast followed by a Takikomi Gohan dish of seasoned Koshihikari rice, seasonal fish, miso soup and Japanese pickles; and a housemade dessert by Chef Shingo Kato. The new UKA Shabu Shabu x Kaiseki experience mirrors the signature nine-course kaiseki tasting menu with a shabu shabu Wagyu course highlighting a delicate and savory serving of Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Slices and vegetables.
Through the month of December, the UKA Intro to Kaiseki Menu and the classic UKA Kaiseki Experience will also feature a holiday-specific representation, including a choice of an alcoholic sparkling rosé wine or a non-alcoholic warm cup of tea as a complimentary drink to start the experience, a special Chirashi Sushi using the best seafood the season has to offer, and a signature chocolate dessert as a fitting finale.
UKA is at the helm of esteemed Chef Yoshitaka Mitsue and Chef Shingo Kato whose combined passion and careful precision have led them to the heights of the culinary world, with experience in Japanese restaurants from Tokyo to France to Osaka and beyond, alongside personal appointments as private chefs to the UN Ambassador for Japan in New York. The chef duo’s exquisite approach to interlocally foraged ingredients and accoutrements at UKA shines alongside their careful aging and curing methods of preparing premium fresh seafood that draws out the flavor of the fish, a revered nod to Chef Mitsue’s early training in the fish markets of Japan. Chef Kato’s background in the art of French cuisine also factors into the UKA experience, with distinct nods to the country’s revered culinary cultures and touchpoints found in everything from perfectly paired and delicate sauces to the house made desserts and pastries.
UKA debuted in May 2023 at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles and has been recognized by Eater Los Angeles, C Magazine, Thrillist, and more as one of the city’s most notable new dining destinations of the year. Reservations are required and are available via Tock. Visit www.JapanHouseLA.com or follow Instagram for more details.
ABOUT JAPAN HOUSE
JAPAN HOUSE is an innovative, worldwide project with three hubs – London, Los Angeles and São Paulo – conceived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It seeks to nurture a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japan in the international community. Occupying two floors at Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland), JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles offers a place of new discovery that transcends physical and conceptual boundaries creating experiences that reflect the best of Japan through its spaces and diverse programs.
ABOUT UKA
At UKA, the kaiseki small plates tradition comes to life not only via the considered, interlocal menu but through the experience itself, conveying a delicate and memorable approach to quality, inspiration, and flavor, and engaging all of the senses along the way. It’s an homage to the beauty of Japanese culinary culture and its many facets and a voyage through its timeless customs. The name "UKA" was inspired by "Ukanomitama-no-Kami," the god of grain and fertility, who has been worshipped in Japan since ancient times.
Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: www.japanhousela.com