# LA Times Article



## JBroida

Just thought i'd share with you guys... goes into print tomorrow 
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-0309-virbila-20130309,0,4165448.story

and there's more:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-0309-virbila-sidebar1-20130309,0,3281314.story


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## El Pescador

Good article.


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## Customfan

Wow Jon.... Big leagues.....

"thy knife wisperer". :thumbsup:

Congratulations, very nice!


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## skiajl6297

Congrats! Great article.


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## Benuser

Nice! Thanks for sharing.


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## mhlee

Whoa! DUDE!!! Nice!!! From none other than SIV. I would have figured Russ Parsons would have done it, but that's awesome!

Congratulations, Jon and Sara!


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## Johnny.B.Good

Awesome!


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## JBroida

mhlee said:


> Whoa! DUDE!!! Nice!!! From none other than SIV. I would have figured Russ Parsons would have done it, but that's awesome!
> 
> Congratulations, Jon and Sara!



she also ended up with a gesshin heiji at the end of the day


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## don

Fantastic article.


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## Seth

Great article. Congratulations. See if you can Morimoto to ditch his nenohi and get some real tools.


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## heirkb

Congrats! You guys really deserve this and much more for your level of service and products.


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## TamanegiKin

Congratulations Jon and Sara! That's really awesome


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## echerub

Very nice and very cool!


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## Chef Doom

I shall not open this article or step foot into this wonderful shop until I am paid back the 5 yen that I let you borrow in Osaka back in 1985.....this shop owner IS Jonson Broidacovich correct?


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## JBroida

lol


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## Chef Doom

Sooo...you aren't 6'6".....long red hair.....freckles......missing a left eyebrow.....Scientologist? 

Whew, boy did I get that wrong. All well, who new there was a Japanese shop right around the corner from me. With L.A traffic, it should only roughly take me 2.5 to 3 hours to get there. Any plans on changing your store hours to 7 days a week, 10am to 10pm? I think that would be a great business decision. Not that I ever owned a business, just saying.


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## JBroida

lol... maybe when i hire someone to work for me


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## Mike9

Good read Jon - congrats


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## El Pescador

I like the bathrobe....very "big Lebowski"


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## Line cooked

Nice article....prepare for the crush!


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## JBroida

scared since its just me in the store tomorrow :scared2:


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## mr drinky

mhlee said:


> Whoa! DUDE!!! Nice!!! From none other than SIV. I would have figured Russ Parsons would have done it, but that's awesome!
> 
> Congratulations, Jon and Sara!



Congrats Jon. I don't think there is one person on this forum who has dealt with you that has not (1) thought you (and Sara) deserve this and (2) has not expected that this type of recognition would eventually come. Bravissimo.

With that said, I am not from the LA area and mhlee made reference to SIV (S. Irene Virbila). Is she the s**t?

k.


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## EdipisReks

congrats, Jon!


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## mhlee

mr drinky said:


> Congrats Jon. I don't think there is one person on this forum who has dealt with you that has not (1) thought you (and Sara) deserve this and (2) has not expected that this type of recognition would eventually come. Bravissimo.
> 
> With that said, I am not from the LA area and mhlee made reference to SIV (S. Irene Virbila). Is she the s**t?
> 
> k.



K -

You're correct. "SIV" is short for S. Irene Virbila, the former long time food critic of the LA times. 

Food critic duties were taken over by Jonathan Gold last year, but SIV continues to write for the LA Times. She had a mixed reputation as a critic and was kicked out of Red Medicine restaurant by the chef when she went to review that restaurant because of issues with a previous review she did that was critical of a previous restaurant that the chef worked at.

She's usually a "matter of fact" person, and now generally does wine and restaurant recommendations, but her second article was unique. The tone was different to me (compared to other articles she's written) and more personal than other articles she's written about stores she's visited. I think she was very impressed and happy with her experience. (She previously did an article about Hitachiya, a Japanese kitchen goods store and there is no second, separate article about her experience purchasing a item at that store.)


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## mr drinky

Thanks for the input, Michael. 

k.


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## Chef Doom

mhlee said:


> She had a mixed reputation as a critic and was kicked out of Red Medicine restaurant by the chef when she went to review that restaurant because of issues with a previous review she did that was critical of a previous restaurant that the chef worked at.



LOL, I remember reading about that. There was speculation that it would end her food review career because of her cover being blown. I think that particular chef started warning other restaurants and chefs about her and started passing her picture around. 

Jon, you don't have to worry about tomorrow, I don't think. I could be wrong, but I believe it's the day after the article gets released that the fun will begin. I've seen restaurants get pretty crazy after an L.A Times review firsthand. But since tomorrow is Saturday it could be different. But then again, it is Venice, and the parking generally does suck. Maybe more of a small unruly crowd rather than a blood thirsty mob. I kinda want to avoid your shop because of it for the next couple of weekends to avoid the mess, but I gotta stop by just once to see the results for myself. Maybe you could post a short video or a picture of your shop to gloat a little.


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## JBroida

fwiw, we have a parking lot behind the store


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## mhlee

Chef Doom said:


> Jon, you don't have to worry about tomorrow, I don't think. I could be wrong, but I believe it's the day after the article gets released that the fun will begin. I've seen restaurants get pretty crazy after an L.A Times review firsthand. But since tomorrow is Saturday it could be different. But then again, it is Venice, and the parking generally does suck. Maybe more of a small unruly crowd rather than a blood thirsty mob. I kinda want to avoid your shop because of it for the next couple of weekends to avoid the mess, but I gotta stop by just once to see the results for myself. Maybe you could post a short video or a picture of your shop to gloat a little.



I think we should get a mob of people to all go to JKI on Sunday.


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## kalaeb

Congrats


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## Chef Doom

mhlee said:


> I think we should get a mob of people to all go to JKI on Sunday.



And everyone bring a bag full of Henckels and Wusthof Classics with random chips and bent tips for Jon to fix and sharpen. Then slap $20 on the table and demand a same day turnaround.


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## chinacats

Nice, well deserved write-up.

Cheers!


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## jigert

Nice article! Congrats Jon and Sara!


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## pitonboy

mr drinky said:


> Congrats Jon. I don't think there is one person on this forum who has dealt with you that has not (1) thought you (and Sara) deserve this and (2) has not expected that this type of recognition would eventually come. Bravissimo.QUOTE]
> 
> Congrats to Jon Sara for this recognition and a big +1 to Mr Drinky for expressing the feelings of those who have had the pleasure of working with JKI


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## DWSmith

Good for you Jon. Glad to see you and Sara getting this kind of recognition. Hard work does pay off.


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## dharperino

Very cool article. Congratulations!


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## [email protected]

thank you guys! this is really exciting for us as well... i'm going to send one copy to my family in Japan :bliss:


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## mano

It was just a matter of time. Excellent and well deserved articles.


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## marc4pt0

Nice write up! Makes more even More jealous of my sous, who will be taking a trip to LA come soon. he's already mentioned about making a stop at your shop. Ohhh, so jealous!


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## Meals

Great reads!


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## Anton

very nice! Well deserved.


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