A long, white oak counter anchors the intimate space of Ototo, 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 — sake cups and flasks — nestled among ceramic cats.
Meaning "little brother" in Japanese, Ototo is located next to its sibling restaurant Tsubaki 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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