A long, white oak counter anchors the intimate space of , behind which a row of sake bottles are fixed to the wall like beer taps. In the cozy, private dining room, warmly backlit shelves display an eclectic collection of o-choko and tokkuri ¡ª sake cups and flasks ¡ª nestled among ceramic cats.
Meaning ¡°little brother¡± in Japanese, Ototo is located next to its sibling restaurant in Los Angeles¡¯ Echo Park neighborhood. At the helm of what many consider the city¡¯s most exciting sake selection is sommelier Courtney Kaplan, 46, who, alongside Japanese American chef Charles Namba, her partner in business and life, has created a Californian sanctuary for sake lovers and the sake-curious alike.
Becoming one of America¡¯s most influential sake experts wasn¡¯t part of Kaplan¡¯s original plan, though.
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