In Los Angeles, Courtney Kaplan says sake is having a moment

Japan Times

05-04-2025

A long, white oak counter anchors the intimate space of Ototo, behind which a row of sake bottles are fixed to the wall like beer taps. In the cozy, private dining room, warmly backlit shelves display an eclectic collection of o-choko and tokkuri — sake cups and flasks — nestled among ceramic cats.
Meaning "little brother" in Japanese, Ototo is located next to its sibling restaurant Tsubaki in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood. At the helm of what many consider the city's most exciting sake selection is sommelier Courtney Kaplan, 46, who, alongside Japanese American chef Charles Namba, her partner in business and life, has created a Californian sanctuary for sake lovers and the sake-curious alike.
Becoming one of America's most influential sake experts wasn't part of Kaplan's original plan, though.
"I did not intend to end up in hospitality," admits the American restaurateur.
Despite its appearances, Ototo styles itself as a casual watering hole where even novices can drop in to learn more about Japan's national drink. |
WYATT NAOKI CONLON
Her journey began in 1999, during an undergraduate study abroad program in Tokyo, where she got her first taste of restaurant work at a yakiniku (grilled meat) establishment. The immersive experience proved transformative, allowing her to develop both her language skills and an appreciation for Japanese hospitality.
By 2003, Kaplan was back in New York and working as a translator at the New York bureau of Nikkei when her roommate suggested she apply to Decibel, the city's pioneering sake bar. Despite her limited sake knowledge, she got the job and embarked upon what would become a career-defining experience. At Decibel, she learned through immersion — tasting extensively with colleagues and meeting visiting sake brewers, often sampling open bottles together after closing time.
After furthering her sake education at En Japanese Brasserie, a trailblazing izakaya (Japanese pub) in New York, and meeting Namba, the two relocated to Namba's native Los Angeles in 2010. Eventually, in 2017, the couple opened Tsubaki, serving modern Japanese fare in a relaxed but refined setting, followed by Ototo in 2019.
"We wanted an izakaya that reflected LA — seasonal, dynamic, composed," says Kaplan. 'Not necessarily authentic Japanese but through our lens and experience.'
As opposed to creating its offerings from its food on, the menu at Ototo is designed to "taste good with sake." |
WYATT NAOKI CONLON
Dinner at Tsubaki is a sit-down affair with a sophisticated menu — think dishes like kanpachi (yellowtail) crudo and charcoal-grilled blue prawns with garlic-chive butter — whereas Ototo welcomes walk-ins to drop in for a casual glass and bar snacks.
Through Ototo's carefully curated selection of more than 50 varieties of sake by the glass, Kaplan continues to showcase the beverage's diversity, introducing guests to everything from "really meaty, savory" flavors to "spritzy yamahai,' she says, referring to a style of sake characterized by high acidity and umami.
The menu of Japanese-inflected comfort food — including a popular Japanese-style chili burger, savory okonomiyaki pancakes with rock shrimp, and oden (seafood and vegetables simmered in broth) — is designed specifically to complement the sake.
'We decided to create a menu that tastes good with sake as opposed to finding sake that tastes good with this food," she explains.
Their culinary vision has continued to evolve. In 2023, Kaplan and Namba launched Camelia, a Japanese-French bistro concept that quickly captivated diners and critics alike, garnering two prestigious James Beard awards in 2024 for Best New Restaurant and Outstanding Beverage Program. At Camelia, Kaplan approaches sake pairing differently, selecting styles with 'glutamate depth' to complement the restaurant's richer, sauce-based dishes, like the pairing of Tedorigawa Brewery's yamahai daiginjō (a brew made with rice polished down to at least 50%) with chicken with kōji (Japan's national mold), seaweed cream sauce and grilled cabbage.
in terms of popularity, Courtney Kaplan believes sake is approaching a moment of critical mass. |
WYATT NAOKI CONLON
"For me it's a pairing of harmony rather than contrast," she says "The sake has a soft, velvety texture and underlying umami that brings out the caramelized flavors that the kōji helps develop in the chicken and also echoes the luxurious cream sauce. While rich, the sake still drinks clean and bright."
Central to Kaplan's mission is education. Her Sunday Sake School events have become an institution, offering themed tastings with down-to-earth tasting notes that explore everything from rice varieties to brewing methods.
"The number one thing I hear is, 'I love sake but don't know how to learn about it,'" she says. "People felt lost at sea."
For years, Los Angeles lagged behind New York in sake appreciation, but recently Kaplan has witnessed a significant shift.
"A big tipping point was really having wine people coming in excited about sake," she notes, adding that the inclusion of sake on menus at LA's non-Japanese fine dining restaurants like Providence and Majordomo helped push the drink's profile. "I do feel like this might actually be the moment for sake in the U.S. I've heard that many times before, but now I believe it."