Kojima (Los Angeles, CA)
Kojima Restaurant
2130 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
424-248-0116
www.instagram.com/kojima_wla/
Sun 08/09/2026, 05:00p-07:50p
In terms of Japanese debuts of the past year or so, the one that's always seemed the most promising to me has been Kojima (児島) in Sawtelle Japantown. Opened in August last year, the kappo-ryori-style spot is the brainchild of Chef Hayato Kojima, along with partners Koichi Haneda and Kentaro Kojima, and is part of a small Tokyo-based restaurant group called Momotaro Inc.
About the Chef: Kojima Hayato (児島隼人) was born in December 1984, and attended Higashimurayama Nishi High School (東村山西高等学校) in Tokyo. After graduating in 2003, he studied architecture at the Tokyo campus of The Polytechnic University of Japan (職業能力開発総合大学校東京校), and subsequently worked in the construction biz. However, he soon decided to leave that industry to pursue cooking, and started his culinary career in 2008 in Kyoto. In June 2009, Kojima joined the opening team of Sumibiyaki Teshio (炭火焼てしお) in Ginza, where he sharpened his skills with a focus on charcoal grilling. He then decided to strike out on his own, and on the 17th of April 2014, opened Nishi-Ogikubo Hayato (西荻窪はや人) in Tokyo's Suginami ward.
The grill-centric izakaya proved pretty popular, and even achieved Michelin Bib Gourmand status in the 2018 and 2019 Red Guides. It was also in 2019 when Kojima visited LA for the first time, after which he began thinking about relocating here. That idea began turning to reality starting in 2024, when he and his partners secured this West LA location. Kojima bowed that summer, but sans the Chef (as he was still cooking at his original spot up until May 10th last year), and thus its menu was limited to Japanese sandwiches and the like. The restaurant's proper debut would only come on August 1st, 2025, following a couple weeks of being soft-open since July 8th. Things started off slowly, but over the past year, Kojima's acclaim has continued to grow, culminating in the award of a Michelin star just this June.
Kojima resides on the second floor of Little Osaka's Sawtelle Place strip mall, with Suite #211 being the former home of Mochi Dochi, Myungrang Hot Dog, BluTusk Ice Shavery, Tokyo Hills/LA Star Cellular/Los Angeles Info, and Hyper Games. The space has been refreshed, but some remnants of the old mochi hot dog 'n' donut slanger are still visible. There's room for eight at the counter, though limited table seating is also available.
Tonight's omakase was priced at $200 a head, with a $100 deposit required (though this will be increasing to $240/$120 in September); there's also a mandatory 15% service charge, with no additional gratuity needed. To imbibe, you'll find a better-than-expected sake list and wine list, while corkage is $50 per bottle, limit two (do note that one corkage fee was waived tonight, I'm assuming because we shared some booze with Hayato-san). Click for larger versions.
The place setting, complete with chilled oshibori.
1: Age Anago, Gobo, Ginnan
Tsushima sea eel was formed into the shape of a whirlpool and deep-fried to achieve a light, crisp exterior and tender, savory-sweet insides. In the middle of the spiral was gobo (burdock), providing balance in both texture and taste, while the eel was further enhanced by a daub of salt (or sansho). Also appreciated were the Aichi Prefecture ginnan (ginkgo nuts), which proffered an earthy sort of bitterness that worked for contrast.
This evening's twentieth anniversary bottle was something that I'd been looking forward to for a while, the 2006 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. Widely considered the ne plus ultra of Chablis, the wine comes to us from a producer established by François Raveneau in 1948, now headed by his sons Jean-Marie and Bernard.
2: Chawanmushi
Next came what must be the most refreshing chawanmushi I've ever had. Bright, crunchy snap peas from the Santa Monica Farmers Market played perfect foil to silky egg custard, with the sting of shin-shoga serving as the consummate finishing touch.
3: Hatsu
Binchotan-grilled chicken heart arrived lightly seasoned but full of flavor, with a real depth, and I was a big fan of the offal's "bouncy" consistency as well. A dash of yuzu pepper was provided alongside the heart, but wasn't even necessary. This is apparently one of Kojima-san's signature dishes, and I can see why. A contender for the best kokoro I've had.
4: Somen, Hamo
Somen arrived agreeably slick and chewy, set in a delicately potent Kansai-style ichiban dashi incorporating both bonito and tuna. The noodles were well-juxtaposed with a tempura of Awaji Island hamo (pike conger eel) and chopped okra, and I liked the sourness imparted by the ume, too. A surprisingly refreshing, invigorating dish for the summer.
5: Biwamasu Bozushi, Edamame
Seared Biwa trout from Shiga Prefecture showed off a lovely smoke, and was paired with oroshi shoyu and placed atop a tangy akazu-heavy rice. Accompanying the pressed sushi was some wonderfully fresh, firm, never-boiled edamame from Gunma Prefecture that was probably the best I've had.
Supplement: Yaki Kaki [$15.00]
Pictured above is an optional course of Hokkaido oyster, available either raw or cooked. We opted for the latter, and the bivalve arrived grilled over charcoal, demonstrating a delightful smoke that paired easily with all the creamy, briny flavors going on. Nice kick from the togarashi, too.
6: Ainame Sashimi
Sashimi duties were handled by cuts of pleasantly chewy Aomori Prefecture greenling. The fish work hand-in-hand with the zestiness of chopped cucumber and shiso flowers, and I also enjoyed the heat provided by that wasabi, too.
7: Ara Shabu-Shabu, Bafun Uni
Longtooth grouper (a.k.a. kue) was prepared shabu-shabu style, giving the fish a satisfyingly "meaty" mouthfeel. It paired surprisingly seamlessly with super creamy tongues of sea urchin, while the signature savoriness of soy helped integrate the two elements. And again, nice accent of wasabi here as well.
Our next beverage was the 2023 Aramasa Colors Viridian (新政 ヴィリジアン - 天鵞絨), supplied by one of my dining companions. The sake smelled super fragrant, with in-your-face notes of juicy honeydew melon. Palate-wise, there was a light effervescence, with flavors showcasing more of that melon, along with ricey sweetness and a smidgen of heat bringing up the rear. After about 20 minutes, the nose showed less overt melon and more general tropical fruit, while in terms of taste, there was this patisserie-esque sweetness that really made itself known.
8: Kinki, Taro
Line-caught channel rockfish arrived fatty, flaky, and teeming with sweet-savory goodness. The fish was certainly tasty alone, especially when tarted up by a touch of sansho, but was indeed improved when taken with the taro.
9: Kuromaguro Temaki
I was now presented with a hand roll filled with umami-laden shards of Canadian bluefin tuna, set against gratifyingly-textured 70% polished rice with a distinct tang from the heavy incorporation of akazu. Meanwhile, just as important was the super crisp, grassy, oceany seaweed utilized. This was straightforward, effective, and really hit the spot.
10: Owan, Kegani
Our clear soup course featured a delectably sweet dumpling of Hokkaido hairy crab and crunchy bits of lotus root, all set in a savory, citrus-accentuated kelp broth that only seemed to further enhance the inherent sweet-salinity of the kegani.
11: Yaki Tachiuo, Akanasu Dengaku
Beltfish was binchotan-fired, giving it a fantastic smoke and salinity. Joining the fish was red eggplant from Kumamoto Prefecture, grilled directly on charcoal, peeled, then served with a sweet-and-savory, dengaku-style sauce.
Proudly showing off a portion of Shinshu-gyu from Nagano Prefecture, to be utilized for our next course. Specifically, we were told that this was the kainomi cut, or bottom sirloin flap.
12: Shinshu Wagyu
The beef displayed a fine balance of meatiness, tenderness, fattiness, and smokiness, and was delicious just by itself. Sautéed mushrooms boosted the umami factor further, and I liked the acidity from the bit of greenery, too.
13: Amadai Gohan
Tonight's shokuji course featured rice highlighting the mouthwatering pairing of tilefish and sweet, vegetal peppers. I made sure to have multiple bowls. Also provided was a sweeter-than-usual miso soup and a small portion of tsukemono.
14: Budo, Gyunyu Aisukurimu
Tonight's mizumono course comprised super sweet, super juicy grapes, set against an ultra-luscious milk ice cream. A superb pairing to be sure.
To take home: an onigiri stuffed with baby sardine, which incorporated some assertively-seasoned, almost "crunchy" rice.
I'd been hearing a lot of good things about Kojima, and I'm happy to report that said praise is indeed warranted. Chef Kojima's cuisine is clearly grounded in the traditions of washoku, but at the same time, I feel that he's not afraid to incorporate a bit of Western influence--just enough so it seems seamless rather than distracting. There's a palpable sense of pride and craftsmanship in the cooking as well, and everything just came together to make for one of my top LA dining experiences of the year. Kojima-san has a bright future ahead of him here.
2130 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
424-248-0116
www.instagram.com/kojima_wla/
Sun 08/09/2026, 05:00p-07:50p
In terms of Japanese debuts of the past year or so, the one that's always seemed the most promising to me has been Kojima (児島) in Sawtelle Japantown. Opened in August last year, the kappo-ryori-style spot is the brainchild of Chef Hayato Kojima, along with partners Koichi Haneda and Kentaro Kojima, and is part of a small Tokyo-based restaurant group called Momotaro Inc.
About the Chef: Kojima Hayato (児島隼人) was born in December 1984, and attended Higashimurayama Nishi High School (東村山西高等学校) in Tokyo. After graduating in 2003, he studied architecture at the Tokyo campus of The Polytechnic University of Japan (職業能力開発総合大学校東京校), and subsequently worked in the construction biz. However, he soon decided to leave that industry to pursue cooking, and started his culinary career in 2008 in Kyoto. In June 2009, Kojima joined the opening team of Sumibiyaki Teshio (炭火焼てしお) in Ginza, where he sharpened his skills with a focus on charcoal grilling. He then decided to strike out on his own, and on the 17th of April 2014, opened Nishi-Ogikubo Hayato (西荻窪はや人) in Tokyo's Suginami ward.
The grill-centric izakaya proved pretty popular, and even achieved Michelin Bib Gourmand status in the 2018 and 2019 Red Guides. It was also in 2019 when Kojima visited LA for the first time, after which he began thinking about relocating here. That idea began turning to reality starting in 2024, when he and his partners secured this West LA location. Kojima bowed that summer, but sans the Chef (as he was still cooking at his original spot up until May 10th last year), and thus its menu was limited to Japanese sandwiches and the like. The restaurant's proper debut would only come on August 1st, 2025, following a couple weeks of being soft-open since July 8th. Things started off slowly, but over the past year, Kojima's acclaim has continued to grow, culminating in the award of a Michelin star just this June.
Kojima resides on the second floor of Little Osaka's Sawtelle Place strip mall, with Suite #211 being the former home of Mochi Dochi, Myungrang Hot Dog, BluTusk Ice Shavery, Tokyo Hills/LA Star Cellular/Los Angeles Info, and Hyper Games. The space has been refreshed, but some remnants of the old mochi hot dog 'n' donut slanger are still visible. There's room for eight at the counter, though limited table seating is also available.
Tonight's omakase was priced at $200 a head, with a $100 deposit required (though this will be increasing to $240/$120 in September); there's also a mandatory 15% service charge, with no additional gratuity needed. To imbibe, you'll find a better-than-expected sake list and wine list, while corkage is $50 per bottle, limit two (do note that one corkage fee was waived tonight, I'm assuming because we shared some booze with Hayato-san). Click for larger versions.
The place setting, complete with chilled oshibori.
1: Age Anago, Gobo, Ginnan
Tsushima sea eel was formed into the shape of a whirlpool and deep-fried to achieve a light, crisp exterior and tender, savory-sweet insides. In the middle of the spiral was gobo (burdock), providing balance in both texture and taste, while the eel was further enhanced by a daub of salt (or sansho). Also appreciated were the Aichi Prefecture ginnan (ginkgo nuts), which proffered an earthy sort of bitterness that worked for contrast.
This evening's twentieth anniversary bottle was something that I'd been looking forward to for a while, the 2006 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. Widely considered the ne plus ultra of Chablis, the wine comes to us from a producer established by François Raveneau in 1948, now headed by his sons Jean-Marie and Bernard.
- Initial Impressions: Initial whiffs were taut, tight, and slightly funky, but with a real juiciness underlying. On the palate, I found vibrant acidity and flavors of white orchard fruits and lemon, supported by anise-y spices and saline.
- After 30 Minutes: With some time, the bouquet conveyed even juicier citrus fruits, commingled with a persistent minerality and a touch of umami. In the mouth--utterly bright and vivacious, with loads of lemon pith coming to the fore.
- After 50 Minutes: As the Chardonnay warmed, I began getting a touch of caramel on the nose, along with some earthier nuances. Taste-wise, the wine was squarely centered on yellow fruit, with a more pronounced fennel-esque spice character to boot.
2: Chawanmushi
Next came what must be the most refreshing chawanmushi I've ever had. Bright, crunchy snap peas from the Santa Monica Farmers Market played perfect foil to silky egg custard, with the sting of shin-shoga serving as the consummate finishing touch.
3: Hatsu
Binchotan-grilled chicken heart arrived lightly seasoned but full of flavor, with a real depth, and I was a big fan of the offal's "bouncy" consistency as well. A dash of yuzu pepper was provided alongside the heart, but wasn't even necessary. This is apparently one of Kojima-san's signature dishes, and I can see why. A contender for the best kokoro I've had.
4: Somen, Hamo
Somen arrived agreeably slick and chewy, set in a delicately potent Kansai-style ichiban dashi incorporating both bonito and tuna. The noodles were well-juxtaposed with a tempura of Awaji Island hamo (pike conger eel) and chopped okra, and I liked the sourness imparted by the ume, too. A surprisingly refreshing, invigorating dish for the summer.
5: Biwamasu Bozushi, Edamame
Seared Biwa trout from Shiga Prefecture showed off a lovely smoke, and was paired with oroshi shoyu and placed atop a tangy akazu-heavy rice. Accompanying the pressed sushi was some wonderfully fresh, firm, never-boiled edamame from Gunma Prefecture that was probably the best I've had.
Supplement: Yaki Kaki [$15.00]
Pictured above is an optional course of Hokkaido oyster, available either raw or cooked. We opted for the latter, and the bivalve arrived grilled over charcoal, demonstrating a delightful smoke that paired easily with all the creamy, briny flavors going on. Nice kick from the togarashi, too.
6: Ainame Sashimi
Sashimi duties were handled by cuts of pleasantly chewy Aomori Prefecture greenling. The fish work hand-in-hand with the zestiness of chopped cucumber and shiso flowers, and I also enjoyed the heat provided by that wasabi, too.
7: Ara Shabu-Shabu, Bafun Uni
Longtooth grouper (a.k.a. kue) was prepared shabu-shabu style, giving the fish a satisfyingly "meaty" mouthfeel. It paired surprisingly seamlessly with super creamy tongues of sea urchin, while the signature savoriness of soy helped integrate the two elements. And again, nice accent of wasabi here as well.
Our next beverage was the 2023 Aramasa Colors Viridian (新政 ヴィリジアン - 天鵞絨), supplied by one of my dining companions. The sake smelled super fragrant, with in-your-face notes of juicy honeydew melon. Palate-wise, there was a light effervescence, with flavors showcasing more of that melon, along with ricey sweetness and a smidgen of heat bringing up the rear. After about 20 minutes, the nose showed less overt melon and more general tropical fruit, while in terms of taste, there was this patisserie-esque sweetness that really made itself known.
8: Kinki, Taro
Line-caught channel rockfish arrived fatty, flaky, and teeming with sweet-savory goodness. The fish was certainly tasty alone, especially when tarted up by a touch of sansho, but was indeed improved when taken with the taro.
9: Kuromaguro Temaki
I was now presented with a hand roll filled with umami-laden shards of Canadian bluefin tuna, set against gratifyingly-textured 70% polished rice with a distinct tang from the heavy incorporation of akazu. Meanwhile, just as important was the super crisp, grassy, oceany seaweed utilized. This was straightforward, effective, and really hit the spot.
10: Owan, Kegani
Our clear soup course featured a delectably sweet dumpling of Hokkaido hairy crab and crunchy bits of lotus root, all set in a savory, citrus-accentuated kelp broth that only seemed to further enhance the inherent sweet-salinity of the kegani.
11: Yaki Tachiuo, Akanasu Dengaku
Beltfish was binchotan-fired, giving it a fantastic smoke and salinity. Joining the fish was red eggplant from Kumamoto Prefecture, grilled directly on charcoal, peeled, then served with a sweet-and-savory, dengaku-style sauce.
Proudly showing off a portion of Shinshu-gyu from Nagano Prefecture, to be utilized for our next course. Specifically, we were told that this was the kainomi cut, or bottom sirloin flap.
12: Shinshu Wagyu
The beef displayed a fine balance of meatiness, tenderness, fattiness, and smokiness, and was delicious just by itself. Sautéed mushrooms boosted the umami factor further, and I liked the acidity from the bit of greenery, too.
13: Amadai Gohan
Tonight's shokuji course featured rice highlighting the mouthwatering pairing of tilefish and sweet, vegetal peppers. I made sure to have multiple bowls. Also provided was a sweeter-than-usual miso soup and a small portion of tsukemono.
14: Budo, Gyunyu Aisukurimu
Tonight's mizumono course comprised super sweet, super juicy grapes, set against an ultra-luscious milk ice cream. A superb pairing to be sure.
To take home: an onigiri stuffed with baby sardine, which incorporated some assertively-seasoned, almost "crunchy" rice.
I'd been hearing a lot of good things about Kojima, and I'm happy to report that said praise is indeed warranted. Chef Kojima's cuisine is clearly grounded in the traditions of washoku, but at the same time, I feel that he's not afraid to incorporate a bit of Western influence--just enough so it seems seamless rather than distracting. There's a palpable sense of pride and craftsmanship in the cooking as well, and everything just came together to make for one of my top LA dining experiences of the year. Kojima-san has a bright future ahead of him here.
posted by kevinEats at
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