A Konnyaku Tasting at INN ANN (Japan House LA)

INN ANN was the Japanese restaurant run by Japan House at Hollywood and Highland with acclaimed sushi chef Mori Onodera. INN ANN closed on December 31 to be reconfigured into a culinary incubator of sorts, so that reminded me to catch up on my posts ... A while back (because I'm so behind) I attended a special lunch featuring konjac or konnyaku.

Konnyaku is a chewy "cake" made from konjac yam. It has a texture like gelatin and has made a name in the Western world for being a zero-calorie food. The lunch gathered three chefs from the LA area to showcase the different ways konnyaku can be prepared.

We started with a Konjac and mushroom shabu shabu from INN ANN's chef Mori Onodera.

We started with the shabu shabu to showcase the konnyaku in its pure form.

Next up: "Spring tidal pool" with uni and coastal herbs from Joseph Geiskopf (he was at Triniti at the time) with konnyaku and vegetables.

This was a beautiful bowl, both in appearance and taste. The broth was flavorful yet clean.

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Revisiting Wood and Vine with a New Chef

Hollywood favorite Wood and Vine recently recruited a new chef who has revamped the menu. Worry not, though, as the popular cheese and charcuterie platter will still be around. Chef Marc Johnson used to work at Waterloo and City, so the charcuterie here is something to anticipate.

There will be potted items like chicken liver mousse with blood orange marmalade, which I was kind of addicted to.

He's making terrines from game meat, including a rabbit terrine with pistachio and pickled carrot puree, head cheese, and a wild boar terrine with pecans and apple chutney.


For appetizers, he plays with vegetables and fruits like Beetroot, horseradish, kumquat, sourdough, amaranth

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