RVR Review: Travis Lett’s Venice Izakaya Embodies California Cool | Eater LA

"A vegetable-forward izakaya with understated listening-bar vibes, this Venice spot channels some of MTN’s spirit without feeling like a clone: precisely cooked small plates, a wraparound bar that curls toward a wall of vinyl, dark wood, ceiling-draped vines, and stellar natural wines. I come for the crispy chicken thigh karaage, fried in a feather-light batter and doused in a tangy chile-honey sauce that recalls Koreatown’s sweet-and-spicy glazes, and any of the yakitori; the roasted Japanese sweet potato and maitake mushrooms in anchovy–miso butter are standouts. At brunch, the tamagoyaki-style omelet—an oval spiral of luminous golden eggs—arrives sliced and crowned with shaved Comté, chives, and cracked black pepper; I alternate bites with a red gem lettuce salad dotted with crisped Brussels sprouts in aged black vinaigrette. If I’m after something sweeter, mochi beignets and black sesame pancakes seem to be popular, paired with not-too-sweet teas over ice or a pour-over coffee. Your Gen Z server might talk to you like your high school nemesis, but I’ll accept the hot-and-cold treatment for another bite of glistening duck tsukune. During the day and early evening, I perch at the counter seats facing Abbot Kinney Boulevard for prime Venice people-watching." - Nicole Fellah