Traveling north on Westwood Boulevard toward Wilshire is a friendly looking restaurant to the left – Necco. Necco means “roots” which refers not only to the connection the Japanese tapas restaurant has to its heritage in Japanese cuisine, but also to the strong foundation it seeks to create in the world of food, and to the community of West Los Angeles.
Upon entering the restaurant, the small dining room has a welcoming presence, with white walls and various desert plants adorning the entryway and sides. The kitchen is open and visible, which gives the feeling of seeking refuge from the hot desert air, only to be invited in for a meal, and for all intents and purposes, that’s what it was.
I like when I can see the kitchen in a restaurant, it makes me feel like I’m part of the family, so to speak.
The servers and staff were very friendly and polite, and made me and my co-worker feel welcome. Dishes clock in around the $15- mark, and are quite filling despite being on the smaller side.
Going in, I presumed that the place was going to be vegan, as there is a new creation that head chef and owner Kenji Koyoma is presenting; a vegan sushi dish. However, that is not the case, and I was pleasantly surprised when all manner of meats were on the menu as well as some stunning raw vegan inclusions.
Chef Koyoma came to the U.S. in the early 1990s after working part time in Tokyo’s Setagaya neighborhood; a family friend offered him a job in California. With several years of culinary training, including a short stint back in Tokyo, Koyoma rose through the restaurant ranks, learning various culinary styles, from high-end sushi bars in Hollywood to vegan dining in Downtown.
He eventually got into catering and blogging under the name Sugar Mountain Sushi, which interested a company in Japan, who approached him about opening a restaurant, Necco, that came into being two years ago.
Each dish at Necco makes use of a wide variety of vegetables found both in Asia and other parts of the world, such as lotus root, (which is delicious by the way.) My main dish featured deep fried fish, lotus root, and a mixed green salad that I really enjoyed. To put that in perspective, I am not a salad person in the least.
We were also served miso soup before the meal, which I was fond of, with delicious mushrooms keeping form and texture in the traditional tasty broth.
Lastly, we received the vegan sushi dish that Chef Koyoma has put his soul into – featuring various types of ingredients such as tofu, watermelon radish, Portobello mushrooms, and bell peppers.
What really caught my eye about Necco was the amount of care and meticulous detail that was put into each dish. Not only is it delicious, but each plate and the delicate ingredients themselves, are arranged carefully in order to create works of absolute art.
I quite enjoyed the sushi, not just because of each individual piece tasting so good, but also because eating it from left to right caused the flavor of the piece before it to mix with the current piece to create its own unique flavor.
Overall, Necco is a wonderful restaurant to pop by for lunch or dinner for a friendly dining experience that’s relaxed and easy on the eyes- and stomach.
They offer delivery during lunchtime as well as a tasting course for those interested. The tasting course costs $50 per person and is offered at dinnertime only. Patrons receive a starter, two small plates, the sashimi of the day, three pieces of sushi of their choice, and a main course of their choosing. For more details or menus you can visit their website at necco-restaurant.com.
