Jonathan Gold Discusses Zo Downtown

As expected, this week The Goldster files on the new Zo Downtown, sushi chef Keizo Seki's (Sushi Zo) second sushi bar fixed on omakase. Gold enjoys the meticulous preparation and pristine fish:

Seki is as much of a purist as anyone in town. The seafood on his sushi is always soft, including normally crunchy things like octopus, which has been steamed to a kind of cushiony tenderness, and orange clam, which has been worked over with a knife to the point where you could probably eat it with a spoon...

He is working within a tradition, but his fans could pick his sushi out of a police lineup seven times out of eight, and even the sushi freaks who would rather spend their bonus money at Shunji or Kiyokawa (I probably count myself among them) admire the integrity of his cuisine.

Photo by Elizabeth Daniels

B-Rod is enchanted by the "effortless feel" at Barnyard, but she isn't terribly impressed with the food, throwing out two stars: "The restaurant features a menu that looks almost indistinguishable from most of the city's other new farm-to-table restaurants — roast chicken, kale salad, meat board, daily catch ... Eating at Barnyard is very much like eating at the home of someone who cooks and eats well ... not mind-blowing but impressive for a home cook." [LAW]

The Elsewhere: A Hamburger Today tries The Counter, Darin Dines at Shunji, e*star LA visits Willie Jane, kevinEats at Taberna Arros y Vi, Serious Eats hits Top Round, and The Offalo revisits Sweet Rose Creamery.