This white dude now, who apparently took it upon himself to criticize Japanese American restaurants for not being as Japanese as him. Let me give a Japanese (not JA) perspective: BWAHAHAHAHA
https://la.eater.com/platform/amp/2021/4/27/22395971/shibumi-instagram-post-david-schlosser-sparks-outrage-la

Anyone who actually knows how Japanese restaurants IN JAPAN usually operate knows that “dessert” per se has not really been a traditional part of a multi course washoku meal (that is changing a bit). The “shime” or last course of a meal is usually just something starchy

The shine does not have to be sweet at all, it provides a filling and satisfying end to the meal. Ochazuke is a typical shime, as are some beautiful onigiri, etc.

Morever, sakura mochi or something of that type is considered to be ocha gashi, something to eat with tea. This is why many wagashi are quite sweet - the sweetness counteracts the bitterness of the tea. Here are some stock photos of sakura mochi that clearly show them w/tea.

Now there is a type of formal multi course meal called kaiseki 懐石 which is served as part of a full on tea ceremony, where ochagashi may appear. But only a handful of places in Japan even do full kaiseki. A “regular” Japanese meal is not kaiseki.

I doubt this judge mental white dude is doing full on kaiseki either, but even if he was, he has absolutely no standing, to criticize other Japanese restaurants for not serving ochagashi as a dessert course.

You know what it would be if a regular Japanese restaurant served sakura mochi as a dessert? It wouldn’t be “traditional”, it wouldn’t be “respecting traditions”. It would be cow towing to the Instagram-crowd and providing “cute mochi” for buzz purposes.

Reminder: the whole concept of “dessert” is Western. Many East Asian cuisines do not/did not end meals with a sweet course mkay. You could even say insisting on dessert is a sign of colonialist imperialism

…maybe we wouldn’t go that far since we aren’t judgemental holier-than-thou whiteppl though. Still, I remember an old school sushi itamae who introduced ersatz azuki bean, green tea and ginger ice cream with great resistance back in the ‘80s.

Furthermore, making wagashi is a definite speciality, requiring years of hard training. There is great respect for specialized training in Japan. That doesn’t mean restaurants can’t make their own - of course not. But still, there is that respect there.

So to wrap this up: this White dude dissing other Japanese restaurants in LA for not making their own sakura mochi is not only showing what an arrogant jackass he is, he is also showing his utter ignorance of actual Japanese traditions.

The LA establishments who don’t make their own sakura mochi or don’t serve it as a mere dessert course to whiteppl are showing way more knowledge of how things actually *are*, still, done back in the Old Country.

I rest my case.

Addendum: one famous example of a restaurant popularizing a wagashi was when the Shinjuku establishment Nakamuraya had a huge hit with their Ichigo Daifuku. However, they did not offer it as a “dessert”, they offered it as a take-home snack.

Besides, Nakamuraya is not a traditional washoku place (they are best known for introducing authentic Indian style “kari” to Japan)

The point is though, did they go around dissing others for not doing wot they were doing? Of course not.

The receipts are pretty damning

Reminder once again: DESSERT IS A WESTERN CONCEPT

Most iconic Japanese dessert my ass

Adding that Shibumi means Bitterness. It sure sounds bitter to me!