Love traditional Japanese fare with a modern twist? New izakaya MTN, located in Venice's Abbot Kinney neighborhood, has debuted at 1305 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
This is industry veteran Travis Lett's fourth venture in Venice, with Gjelina, Gjelina Take Away, and Gjusta, just a few blocks away from MTN. "What I like about an izakaya is that it can be anything – grilled stuff, raw stuff, nabe, rice dishes, it all kind of fits," Lett told the LA Times. “An izakaya is sort of a bar first and food second, but I don’t think it necessarily means that the food is not serious."
Izakayas, known for small plates, seemingly endless drink options, and lively company, are a great place to try multiple dishes and share with friends. MTN features a grilled squid dish, shoju marinated salmon, grilled duck breast, and traditional ramen as well as other tasty options.
With a 4.5-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp so far, the new izakaya has been warmly received by patrons.
M G., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on July 29th, said: "I can't believe how the ramen bowls make me feel like I am eating in Japan. If you think those places on Sawtelle or Little Tokyo are great, then you must think Hello Kitty is a cat.”
And James W. said: "Been twice since they opened; opening night and a week later. Both times, food was impeccable. It's small plates except for the ramen bowls, and which deliver on being entree portion."
Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. MTN is open Tuesday–Saturday from 6pm–midnight. (It's closed on Sunday and Monday.)
