WHY High-quality sushi that’s a bargain at lunch—the $11.50 special gets you miso soup, five pieces of sushi and a blue-crab hand roll; many regulars opt for the chirashi sushi box for $17. WHAT Owned by a pioneering family who started the second sushi bar in the U.S. and has been running restaurants in Little [...]
August 9, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY At the time of this writing, über-sushi-chef Katsuya Uechi is not only in the house; he’s preparing omakase in the small sushi bar at the back. WHAT After Katsu Michite closed Tama to open Katsu Sushi in Beverly Hills, Uechi took over the old space, notwithstanding the fact that he has the perennially popular [...]
July 27, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY Because there’s no better dive in Hollywood for ramen and chicken teriyaki. WHAT This low-key secret is seldom packed but always tasty. The old Japanese couple who run the place take breaks from knitting and paperwork to bring you steaming bowls of ramen mixed with anything from fried chicken to raw egg. Choose from [...]
July 3, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY To give your taste buds a jolt with ramen that comes in nine levels of spiciness. WHAT The ramen is tasty and the soup is flavorful, but what Orochon is famous for is its spicy challenge. The levels range from seven (no spice) to one (extremely hot), then moves up to ‘special number’ one [...]
June 25, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY A near-perfect pairing of yakitori and oden. WHAT Torihei splits its kitchen equally between yakitori and oden, a relatively rare but harmonious coupling. The yakitori is made from tender, flavorful Jidori chicken.Oden is the more unusual of the specialties, a homey dish that’s typically prepared as a one-pot stew. Here, however, items are parceled [...]
April 14, 2012 | Posted in
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WHY On a coolish day there’s nothing better than a big bowl of Jinya’s aromatic tonkotsu ramen, laden with toothsome noodles and sliced pork belly. WHAT A Jonathan Gold rave put this ramen house on the foodie map, despite its location in a dark corner of a Studio City strip mall next to Marshall’s. The [...]
March 21, 2012 | Posted in
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WHAT A clever mashup of Japanese sushi and L.A. street food, this place makes sushi burritos that are big and filling, stuffed with rice and some version of sushi (though it’s usually of a non-traditional, deeply fried and mayonnaise-soaked variety) wrapped in a large flour tortilla or a thin sheet of soy paper that falls [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A simple, elegant noodle house where udon reigns. WHAT Udon is the neglected noodle in the Japanese canon, often overlooked in favor of ramen and even soba. But here it’s the sole focus. Oumi Sasaya imports its wheat flour and makes its noodles daily, a difference you can taste in the sesame chicken tempura [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY To savor impeccably fresh sushi and terrific rolls. WHAT A sophisticated hideaway in upscale Toluca Lake, Sushi Yuzu boasts a loyal following of diners who appreciate top-quality seafood and creative flavor combinations. The specials list is a treasure-trove of temptations, from cold and hot appetizers, to nigiri sushi made with warm rice, to exquisitely [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The South Bay’s preeminent specialist in okonomiyaki, a Japanese pub dish that straddles the line between savory pancake and omelet. WHAT There’s more to Gaja’s menu than just okonomiyaki, but all the izakaya-style small plates combined can’t topple the popularity of its various permutations of the pancake-like dish. You can cook for yourself on [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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