"A long red hallway in a shade inspired by Kyoto's famous gates winds through the different facets of Love Makoto, a new Japanese food hall in downtown D.C. that's home to three different sit-down outposts and a fast-casual counter too. Before celebrity chef Makoto Okuwa planted restaurants all across the country and the globe, he landed in the US for the first time for a job at D.C.'s Sushi Taro. Now he's created his own complex here devoted to Japanese cuisine, with the help of local business partners Chef David Deshaies and Eric Eden. It's a bit of a choose-your-own adventure for diners: splurge on omakase at Dear Sushi or bring in a rowdy group to grill steaks at Beloved Barbecue, or perch at Hiya Izakaya's bar for happy hour and grab dinner to go at Love on the Run." - Adele Chapin
