Celebrating the people, passion, and stories behind great hospitality with Tock 10.

Binchōtan charcoal, the gold standard for yakitori cooking, provides consistent, intense heat that creates the perfect char without overpowering. Every skewer is grilled in front of guests at the 12-seat counter that surrounds the small kitchen, where flames dance and smoke rises throughout service. The sasami (chicken tenderloin) arrives slightly rare in the center, showcasing the chef’s mastery of the grill. This is authentic Japanese yakitori at its finest.

The quality for the cost. The $80 omakase includes appetizers, 10 chef’s choice skewers (that change seasonally), a rice or noodle dish, and dessert with an array of à la carte add-ons available like gizzards, hearts, or seasonal veg.

The restaurant has been quietly overhauling its two-MICHELIN–Starred menu to source as much as possible from its home state, deepening its identity as a Japanese restaurant with feet firmly rooted in California soil and sea. The tale unfolds across 13 intricate, seasonal courses in carnivorous and vegetarian formats that seamlessly flow between traditional and inventive bites.

Creatively important as ever, n/naka remains a place to let the world outside go and retrain our focus on the moment we’re in and the invigoratingly delicious beauty around us. 

Dig into grandmother-approved (and Michelin Bib–recommended) plates of traditional Cantonese and Taiwanese favorites, such as Si Yao Chicken and “Three-Day” Beef Noodle Soup, served alongside familiar Peruvian dishes like Lomo Saltado, Pollo a la Brasa, Anticuchos, and Tiradito. Vegans will appreciate plant-based takes on Mapo Tofu and Dan Dan Noodles.

With its bright green exterior, heart-shaped window, and zebra-striped walls, the space draws a stylish crowd. (Humberto is also a fashion designer, known for collaborations with brands like Opening Ceremony and Katseye.)

The sakizuke, or seasonal appetizer course that opens the meal, reflects more than just the time of year—it is occasionally themed around Japanese national holidays, such as Children’s Day, to honor cultural traditions. Chef Mitsue prepares his katsuo dashi in-house, freshly grating bonito to create the delicate broth that forms the foundation of his owan, a refined soup course. Each fish featured in the sashimi selection is meticulously dry-aged in-house to deepen both flavor and texture.

For the omotenashi, an elegant and nuanced form of Japanese hospitality.

Hayato Go’s cooking is akin to a jazz performance—fluid, spontaneous, and expressive. For example, if a farmer shows up with freshly picked vegetables, a new sweet corn and Hokkaido scallop kakiage tempura might appear on the menu for one night only. Courses progress more or less in kaiseki tradition, beginning with sakizuke appetizers, followed by light broth, sashimi-style seafood, grilled and simmered dishes, leading to a rice set main course before finishing with simple fresh fruit for dessert. The obvious beverage pairing here is sake, and they have some great bottles, but there’s an excellent selection of grower champagne as well, including Ulysse Collin and Cédric Bouchard.

For the restraint. Rather than putting his own signature on every dish, Chef Hayato Go focuses on highlighting pristine ingredients with minimal intervention.

Dinner begins in a most dangerous fashion with house sourdough and cultured butter. Beware of eating too much bread (easier said than done) since there are plenty more carbs to come. Fresh made pasta dishes are a standout, with unexpected combinations like scallop and mango mezzaluna.

For the desserts by the incredibly talented Chef Kallas-Lee. We’re dreaming about her smoked and roasted banana ice cream sandwiched between brown butter brioche cookies and topped with osetra caviar.

Chef Tolu “Eros” Erogbogbo, nicknamed “the billionaire chef” after launching successful ventures starting as a teenager in Nigeria, brought West African cuisine to global audiences through pop-ups in Dubai and Europe. After settling in LA in 2021, he transformed his Hollywood home into an intimate dining space to showcase his homeland’s aromatic, spice-driven cuisine. “West African cuisine is one of the world’s most influential food cultures that dates back thousands of years,” Eros said to Travel Noire. “To eat our food is to honor our history.”

ILÉ feels like an intimate dinner party where Chef Eros personally plates and serves each dish—like Senegalese caramelized onion chicken, Ghanian-perfumed jollof rice, and spiced lamb in zoboberry demi-glace—while sharing stories about his West African fare with guests at two communal tables.

Together, the Yaneys helped to pioneer the farm-to-table movement while continuing to work as therapists. Although sourcing whole, organic ingredients and naturally-raised meats was difficult at first, more people caught on, and over the years, the Inn became a destination for those seeking an off-the-beaten-path California dining experience. In 2010, Chef Bradley Miller took over in the kitchen, helping to reimagine a menu of local ingredients, and earning a nod from the LA Times. Today, the Inn of the Seventh Ray is considered one of the most romantic restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

For the magical setting. With its twinkling lights and old sycamore trees, the Inn of the Seventh Ray offers a serene escape from the everyday hustle and bustle.