When people say, "I love sushi," what they really mean is, "I love fresh, top-quality sushi." Even if the atmosphere is quaint, the sushi chefs bows to you upon your entrance, and the food served promptly and artistically presented, you're not going to enjoy your meal unless the sushi is made from quality ingredients. Here are our choices, presented in alphabetical order, for where to get sushi in Los Angeles.
When people say, "I love sushi," what they really mean is, "I love fresh, top-quality sushi." Even if the atmosphere is quaint, the sushi chefs bows to you u... more
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1
Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604 / 818-760-3348
Before the masses of L.A. sushi enthusiasts discovered this little mini-mall gem, it might have been described as a Matsuhisa for the budget-conscious. Prices have escalated, but Asanebo still offers more bang for the buck than many of the city's exalted sushi houses. The friendly chefs combine imagination with artistry to create one memorable morsel after another. If you don't want to sit at the bar, there are a number of linen-clad tables squeezed into the small but attractive dining room. Many cooked dishes are worth seeking out, such as honey-breaded deep-fried oysters, grilled Chilean sea bass with creamy pepper sauce, soft-shell crab (in season), and seared toro with garlic cream. Chopped premium sea eel, molded with rice and drizzled with a sweet anago sauce, reflects the sophisticated presentation, while a petite dish of barely al dente giant clam meat swimming in a broth redolent of sesame and chili oil can be a pleasant surprise. Velvety ankimo (monkfish liver) arrives in ponzu sauce, nearly transparent slices of sea bass sashimi are lightly dusted with sea salt, and a generous dollop of caviar tops elegant dishes of lobster cocktail or toro tartare. Quick to pamper its regulars but gracious to newcomers, Asanebo's chefs procure only the finest ingredients. If something is not perfect, they'll leave it at the fish market rather than compromise their standards.
2
The Hump
3221 Donald Douglas Loop S., Third Fl., Santa Monica, CA 90405 / 310-313-0977
This chic Japanese restaurant and sushi bar is perched upstairs from the hip, multi-Southeast Asian cuisines-themed Typhoon, but is more subdued. Named for the route the Flying Tigers took over the Himalayas during World War II, The Hump features an etched-glass modern décor that's warmed up with woven grasses and a fireplace, reminiscent of a mountain cabin. The sushi bar is devoid of those ubiquitous refrigerated cases, allowing customers more interaction. The space also gives the chefs an opportunity to filet whole fish or slice up a live sea eel in front of the customers (those who are squeamish are advised to reserve one of the candlelit tables). These ambitious sushi chefs were rounded up from the best Japanese restaurants in L.A. so the sushi is first-class all the way and a number of exotic dishes are regularly offered on a seasonal basis. Here you can swallow live Japanese silverfish, flirt with the fearsome fugu (with its poisonous liver) or feast on ultra-sweet hairy crab from chilly northern Japanese waters. And a gold leaf-dusted platter of live lobster, a signature specialty, is truly memorable. Arrive at sunset and take advantage of the killer views and envy arriving Gulfstreams at the Santa Monica Airport.
3
Katsuya
11777 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 / 310-207-8744
Katsuya is not the best sushi bar in L.A., nor is it the most expensive. But its stunning environment created by über-designer Philippe Starck, a beautiful clientele and inventive modern Japanese cuisine comprise a hip L.A. combination that’s hard to pass up. The restaurant’s design is dominated by huge backlit images of a geisha’s face---a pair of sly eyes taking in the hot scene or glossy red lips pouting from above. Guests sit on white leather couches or at seductively illuminated sushi and robata bars. Specialties of chef Katsuya Uechi include spicy tuna atop crispy rice, scoops of tuna and crab tartare in wonton cones, spicy albacore with crispy onions, and almond-crusted scallops. Tasty morsels---everything from asparagus to New York steak to buttery crab legs---are grilled behind the robata bar. The cocktails are sweet, sexy and exotic, like the entire Katsuya scene.
4
Kiriko
Olympic Collection, 11301 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 102, Los Angeles, CA 90064 / 310-478-7769
A chef at another, better known, sushi bar referred us to this little gem along Sawtelle Boulevard, an area that has emerged as a lively Little Tokyo West, filled with wonderful opportunities to experience Japanese cuisine. Here the sushi is among the city's very best and while it's easy to run up a substantial tab, Kiriko is usually less expensive than the city's trendier, more fashionable venues. The toro---either plain or seared and served with a crown of chile---is sensational; ditto for the marbled salmon, smoked in-house and topped with caviar. Pan-fried monkfish is tossed in a spicy arugula salad with pine nuts and a dressing infused with monkfish liver, while the rice-turtle soup warms the soul. Uni risotto, served in the sea urchin shell, is a sophisticated dish, while big chunks of soy-marinated ahi are mixed with kelp, then topped with paper-thin shavings of wasabi root (the wasabi here is, of course, freshly ground). For dessert, house-made ice creams---sesame, brown sugar-ginger, chai tea, or even white truffle---will surely satisfy. The storefront eatery is small yet cozy, with mostly modern art and a rough timbered sushi bar, and the staff is friendly and accommodating.
5
Matsuhisa
129 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211 / 310-659-9639
This restaurant just might be the most famous sushi bar in creation. Happily, the attention paid by food writers and fans is well justified. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa is a master. When he wraps a shiso leaf around a sea urchin, you begin a culinary voyage you won't soon forget, and he has even given new dimensions to such Japanese clichés as tempura. These days, Matsuhisa spends much of his time at his various Nobu restaurants in London, Milan, New York and Tokyo, but his staff nobly carries on. The no-frills casual décor---no more elaborate than a suburban neighborhood sushi bar---may disappoint some first-timers, but the focus here is on the food. That good-as-it-gets sushi includes specialties such as salmon in pepper sauce, the squid pasta (paper-thin shavings of buttery squid with garlic sauce) and sea scallops filled with black truffles and topped with caviar. The menu, with its dozens of specialties, can be overwhelming, so you might be better off selecting the omakase (chef's choice). The resulting parade of culinary delights might include seafood harumaki with caviar, limestone lettuce with shrimp and scallops, sashimi salad, a stuffed zucchini flower, black cod with miso, sushi and soup, as well as Western desserts like a trio of crème brûlées or tiramisu.
6
Mori Sushi
11500 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064 / 310-479-3939
Chef Morihiro Onodera (formerly of Takao in Brentwood) is a purist and an artist. The joint is minimalist Japanese seafood and sushi and was designed by the proprietors with fresh bright colors and blonde wood. Figure this: Most tabletop items were hand-crafted over six years. Choose the bar or a cozy corner table as things get noisy rather quickly. The wine list has improved over time but is still limited: beer, saké and green tea come to the rescue if needed. As expected, chef Mori prides himself on tradition blended with California touches. We prefer the spicy tuna tacos over the dynamite baked seafood special served in an abalone shell. Can we tempt you with fresh octopus carpaccio or grilled black cod? Some of his crafts are available for purchase, should you want to spend a bit more.
7
Nishimura
8684 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069 / 310-659-4770
Unlike some other high-end sushi bars, this intimate establishment offers a rather soothing environment for the consumption of pampered pieces of fish prepared by acclaimed sushi chef Hiro Nishimura, who previously reigned over the bars at R-23 and The Hump. One enters Nishimura discreetly through an austere Japanese garden to find a minimalist, whitewashed room with a sushi bar covered in black and white resin and tables draped in linen, flatteringly illuminated by candlelight. The hot dishes, such as scallop-and-mussel soup served in a scallop shell aglow in flames, are good, but the straightforward sashimi and sushi (blue fin crusted with pepper, Spanish mackerel, freshwater eel) are most memorable. Live scallops with lime and a hint of hot chile is a standout, and you won't find a better melt-in-your-mouth toro in town, which is also available seared to perfection.
8
Nobu Malibu
Malibu Country Mart, 3835 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, CA 90265 / 310-317-9140
You may have dined at Nobu in New York, Milan, London or Las Vegas (the prestigious global franchise is indeed burgeoning), and Malibu is now a chic choice, too. This trendy Asian-styled café, tucked into the back of the Malibu Country Mart, is one of L.A.'s premier spots for premium sushi---both traditional and contemporary varieties. Celebrated owner Nobu Matsuhisa was born in Saitama, Japan but relocated to Lima, Peru as a young sushi chef---a move that would have a profound impact on his career and life. Eventually, he worked his way to L.A., subsequently opening his flagship restaurant, Matsuhisa, in Beverly Hills. His practice of boldly infusing traditional Japanese cuisine with those spicy ingredients he became familiar with in South America greatly contributed to his now-formidable reputation. To experience the essence of his cuisine, order an elaborate multi-coursed omakase menu designed just for you---a parade of eye-popping and mind-blowing dishes, both cooked and raw (be mindful, however, as it's easy to run up a steep tab). The repertoire is endless, but good choices include broiled black cod with miso, rock shrimp tempura with ponzu sauce, new-style sashimi, a broth perfumed with aromatic matsutake mushrooms, seared toro, and sizzling Kobe beef. You might also enjoy designing your own tempura selections---ordered by the piece along with the acclaimed sushi. On a warm night, choose the outdoor patio under the stars with a view into the Malibu hills.
9
Sushi Sasabune
Wilshire Brentwood Plz., 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 / 310-820-3596
Sasabune has moved from an old bungalow just off of a stretch of Sawtelle Boulevard (a neighborhood often referred to as Little Tokyo West) into spacious digs on the ground floor of a Wilshire office tower. This massive place features a seemingly endless wraparound sushi bar behind which a small army of chefs, under the direction of chef-owner Nobi Kusuhara, work at a frenzied pace. Kusuhara is a protégé of the Valley's celebrated Kazunori Nozawa and his craft is strikingly similar to the old master's. Both embrace the use of warm rice, which contrasts agreeably with the chilled fish, and neither seem particularly concerned with presentation. At the bar, one is expected to acquiesce to the omakase (chef's choice), and it begins fast-and-furious the moment you sit down (table service has a different pace). There is no mistaking that this is an assembly-line operation, where most fish has been pre-cut and is simply assembled for service. However, the quality remains remarkably high and we've been impressed with the albacore, melt-in-your-mouth toro, overstuffed blue crab roll, salmon topped with translucent kelp, kanpachi and uni---all served up with little fanfare or garnishment.
10
Urasawa
218 N. Rodeo Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210 / 310-247-8939
An omakase feast at chef Hiroyuki Urasawa's exclusive restaurant is one of L.A.’s most extraordinary dining experiences. You practically have your own private chef, as Urasawa’s maple sushi bar, sanded to a satiny finish, seats no more than ten privileged patrons. A spontaneous menu of nine courses, succeeded by a seemingly endless procession of premium sushi selections, starts at $275 per person. Every meal is completely original and remarkably artistic, composed of rare, organic ingredients freshly flown in from Japan or retrieved from cold, pristine waters around the globe. Highlights might include tofu custard layered with uni and topped with salmon roe, sensual toro seared on a hot stone, or rosy slivers of foie gras and Kobe beef simmered shabu-shabu-style with the assistance of the gracious staff. The sushi, carefully crafted by Urasawa’s nimble hands, is more refined than at other high-profile sushi bars, where volume and speed of service often dictate matters. Assembled with warm rice and brushed with house-made soy sauce, it is accented with a touch of yuzu, freshly ground wasabi or rare sea salt. All of the restaurant’s accouterments are thoughtfully selected by Urasawa-san himself, from flower arrangements to ice carvings to antique tableware. The traditionally attired chef previously worked at this restaurant (formerly Ginza Sushi-Ko) under the direction of sushi master Masa Takayama, who now commands even higher prices at his New York restaurant, Masa. The relatively youthful Urasawa lacks the imposing presence of his renowned mentor, but his cuisine is actually a bit more traditional. Although high by our standards, the prices here are a relative bargain measured against a comparable meal in Tokyo’s Ginza District.
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