One of the most unique, creative traditional Japanese restaurants in West L.A. is called Mori--it's a favorite hang-out for the best young chefs in L.A. It's on Pico Blvd. at Gateway, just a couple of blocks west of the 405 freeway. Mori grows his own shiso leaves and has a pottery wheel and kiln out back [Note: Mori sold his restaurant to an employee in 2011], where he makes, glazes and fires all of the plates, bowls and other serving pieces in the restaurant. He is completely obsessed about quality. It's the best sushi you'll ever eat. Go in and do omakase there--be prepared to shell out some bucks (not like NYC, mind you), but you will be very glad you did.
06/12/2015 - "Morihio Onodera Turns His Culinary Artistry Into Pottery Creations" by S. Irene Virbila on latimes.com
(Note that Chef Onodera sold Mori in 2011 to Chef Nagano.)
