The Katana Experience

Two pieces of Spanish Mackerel nigiri...
Class is a concept difficult to avoid. It permeates the entire culture. In gastronomic terms, it is easy, then to dismiss a restaurant strictly by its decor. A poorly or shabbily designed restaurant might house some of the best food in town. Back in San Francisco, circa 1992 or '93, my uncle Steve resisted our insistence on the House of Nanking. It was crowded. It didn't look particularly clean. Nothing, from the creaky wooden tables to the spartan counter tops to the dingy, laminated menus invited customers to enter.
Yet, each night, a line formed around the block while neighboring Chinese restaurants were empty.
Uncle Steve relented, and twenty years later, still talks about the Great House of Nanking...
Katana has no such problem. It is majestic. It is grand. It is in West Hollywood. The outdoor seating with its couches and heat lamps are movie-star stylish. Inside is dark and sultry. Katana belongs to The Beautiful People.