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Irori Japanese Restaurant is a somewhat hidden gem in Marina del Rey (located in a mini-mall). (I looked up “Irori” on Google Translate, and apparently it means “hearth.) You must remove your shoes and sit on the floor, which is fun and comfortable because there’s a place for the feet to slide under and below the table.

The food is presented in an artistic manner and is scrumptious. And, although I tend to shy away from sushi restaurants that have various crazy rolls, the non-traditional cut rolls here are quite delicious. I most highly recommend the bluefin burrata, pictured in my photo. The flower petals are just fabulous! I suggest making a reservation because they get pretty crowded. In fact, when I was last here, I saw a friend of mine enter the restaurant with her boyfriend (they live nearby), and they were turned away because they did not have a reservation.

The Santa Rita Experience was one of the top twenty meals of my lifetime. Chef Javier prepares and serves lovely meals out of his loft apartment in Barcelona, Spain. There is no sign for the restaurant, so when you arrive at the correct building, you may think you are lost. Do not despair, call the number and one of his sous chefs will come down and get you. The prix fixe meal included excellent wine pairings and 7 courses. Some of the dishes included: scallops with white asparagus, raw tuna with a spicy red pistachio sauce, beet panna cotta with fresh berries, dark chocolate with crunchy fried lentils and my favorite, a baby artichoke with a quail’s egg and the lightest, fluffiest pesto I have ever tasted. I give this “restaurant” my highest recommendation. You can read more about The Santa Rita Experience on TripAdvisor and also contact Javier by TripAdvisor’s interface. I am definitely returning the next time I am in Barcelona. Plus, Chef Javier has one of the most important qualities a chef can have—experiencing joy when feeding his patrons!

5/5 stars