With almost no word about it, the popular Aburiya Raku restaurant in West Hollywood has closed its doors. But the space won’t sit dark long. In its place, a newcomer from filmmaker Hideaki Hosono (AKA Mr. Hide) will go up under the name Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro. The new restaurant is set to open on November 17, at 521 N LaCienega Blvd., according to an Instagram page for the incoming eatery.
Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro appears to be the first restaurant from Mr. Hide, who is a Tokyo native, transplanted in LA. Hosono himself has announced his venture into the world of hospitality on his Instagram on October 31. However, Gozen’s profile has been quietly operating for 14 weeks, posting artwork of the building’s interior.
Aburiya Raku quickly gained popularity in LA after making its way from Las Vegas to West Hollywood, serving a rotating menu of izakaya-themed cuisine that received positive notes from chefs like Jonathan Gold and was awarded a Bib Gourmand award by the Michelin Guide. Gozen will differentiate itself by focusing on omakase (“I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese) and a variety of craft sake.
While there’s a lot of silence around the project, Daisuke Okamoto who worked extensively on designing the interior art described Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro in his own post as having a “unique, comfy, and elegant interior” with “high entertainment” serving “amazing Kaiseki (traditional Japanese meal course) cuisine.” What Now Los Angeles attempted to reach out to Hosono for further info, but he said he was too busy to speak at press time.
