On my first visit I was blown away by the view! Spectacular! But I was on a budget and didn't get to eat anything. I felt like I didn't have the whole experience. So I made a point to plan a time to go back with my husband and have the full show. When we did, it was just as magical as I had hoped.
To get there, you drive up a one way, circular road in the Hollywood Hills. It's just off Franklin and Highland. You can choose to park along this road or valet. And for only $8, trust me, you want to valet. It's a really steep hill and if you're wearing heels you will regret it.
The minute you step out of your car you are greeted with a breathtaking view of LA. And I mean. all of it. The panoramic view let's you see the lights of downtown, The Griffith Observatory, Hollywood -and on a clear night-even farther. The view alone is worth the $8 valet.
Inside, the classic Japanese decor is very understated and simple. It's very dimly lit inside the bar. I had to use my table candle next to my menu so I could see it. Then the waitress was nice enough to also use her lighter. Finally with the help of two flames and a phone, I was able to see their wine selection. Not too bad. Nothing really outstanding. Prices started from $6 and went up from there. The best bargain was in the Japanese beer offerings. A 20 ounce Sapporo for $9.
The menu had a good selection, but not a huge selection. There were apps like calamari, edamame, and miso which were reasonably priced. And sushi rolls from $13-$18. I had the Seattle Roll. It was so delicious I was instantly sad that I didn't order two!
We were really curious about the Kobe steak on a salt plate. It was $39 without the salt plate, and $69 with it. Huh? What is this salt plate and why does it cost and extra 30 bucks? The menu said it was a slab of salt that perfectly cooked your steak from the inside out. I couldn't help thinking, isn't that what the chef is supposed to do? So I kept my $69 and order more wine. Woo hoo! But even with that thrifty move, our bill was almost $100. Four glasses of wine, calamari app, miso, edamame, and two sushi rolls. Yep. Expensive.
We got a great seat near the window with that view I was telling you about. At one point, the romantic part of the evening was a little lost because it got so loud. We were sitting next to some d-bags who kept bragging to their dates about what celebrities they knew, and what deals they had made. If I wasn't so annoyed, I would have turned around and given them my headshot. Eh, you never know right?
A unique feature of Yamashiro is the pagoda-like garden inside. It has plenty of seats all around it. But no one wants to sit there. I can understand why. You have one of the best views of Los Angeles, or you can sit inside a dimly lit, fake pagoda garden. But it is really cool. There's a great description of Yamashiro's history here.
Side note-I hate it when restaurants have bathroom attendants. I can get my own soap and paper towel. Why am I tipping you to do something I do for myself everyday. It is unnecessary and creates an awkward feeling in an already awkward environment.
Moving on. You must-must, visit the gardens in front of the restaurant. Across the drive way, you'll find steps that lead to a more intimate place to enjoy the view. There are cute benches set up to relax and take it all in. There's also a pool and a pagoda bar a few levels down. But it was closed when we were there. I really wanted to go down and check it out but we couldn't because it was closed for the winter.
So now, I have another excuse to go back to Yamashiro when it warms up. And we definitely will if we save up. Maybe I'll even try the salt plate steak!
Happy Tradventuring!
Heather
