The dining room at Yess is a remarkably serene space, pure pale wood and smooth concrete, with the scents and sounds of a five-star spa. Junya Yamasaki’s cooking is equally subtle but purposeful, his interpretation of Japanese food ambitiously leaning into the plurality of Southern California with sustainable seafood in mind. A cold block of tofu is doused in a salsa macha infused with red miso, black vinegar and mirin. During a mid-autumn meal, he served squares of sweet Weiser Farm Bonny melon with slivers of lemon drop chile that popped with citrus-y heat. It was a dish so understated yet profound that it was the most talked-about plate on my table, maybe only second to the spiny lobster sandwich that appears with a whole tail and a knife pierced through the middle of the bun. Yamasaki treats the tail like katsu and makes a lobster salad out of the leg meat. Both are layered onto a buttery roll and doused with a bisque made from the head of the crustacean. Sous chef Giles Clark is opening an all-day cafe and wine bar next door, adding some casual daytime vibes to the overall Yess operation. With Benedictine bacon sandwiches and perfect fruit tarts, it’s quirky, but with the same careful precision acting as the throughline between the sister restaurants. — J.H.

2001 E. 7TH ST., LOS ANGELES l YESS-RESTAURANT.COM