Chef Ari Taymor Picks Izakaya Sasaya in West LA

Los Angeles is home to a lot of restaurants, and among them are hidden gems some Angelenos just aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's many food luminaries to share with us their under the radar recommendations for Dining Confidential.

Chef Ari Taymor of seasonal Cali enclave Alma downtown has received a steady stream of media attention recently, following Bon Appetit's "Best New Restaurant" in the country title back in August. Since then Alma has exploded, with diners from near and far curious to taste Taymor's inspired farm to table plates. When looking for a bite on a night off, Taymor prefers West LA izakaya gem Sasaya:

My favorite is Sasaya in West LA. It's an awesome izakaya that feels like being in a Murakami novel. Food is simple, delicious and comforting. My favorites are the takoyaki, (fried octopus doughnuts) and a ground chicken, eggplant, rice and miso dish.

[Photo: mattatouille/Flickr]