Navigating: Little Osaka
Invade with a Godzilla-sized appetite
By Jiyeon Yoo, Metromix, and Wendy Bryan, Special to Metromix
May 27, 2008
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Asahi Ramen
2027 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-479-2231
Ramen lovers and UCLA students jockey for the three dozen wooden chairs in this small, spare noodle shop. After whetting their appetites on pickled cucumber, customers can choose from a menu of noodles, noodles and more noodles. Portions are generous, so go ahead and slurp it all up—it’s the OG-ramen way.
Bar Hayama
1803 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-235-2000
It was only a matter of time before self-taught chef Sugiura-san, founder of the California Sushi Academy, would open a sushi restaurant. The pistachio-hued cottage, once home to Sasabune, is the new digs for Academy chefs to strut their sushi expertise. The amazing fire pit in the front patio is one of a kind, custom designed by Sugiura’s wife.
Beard Papa's - Sawtelle
2130 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-479-6665
Who says L.A. is full of carb haters? This Japanese chain—which started as a humble store in Osaka—took crème-filled puffs and turned them in to a global phenomenon. It’s a classic pâte à choux, just gigantic and brimming with eclectic flavors of green tea, chocolate, coffee, strawberry and seasonal pumpkin. But the original vanilla—with real vanilla bean specks—is deservedly the favorite.
Blue Marlin
2121 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-445-2522
It’s a bistro with a Euro-Japanese twist, which means you’ll get hot tea alongside your basket of bread. The fusion menu leans Italian. Culinary mash-ups include spaghetti in cream-sauce accented with roe as well as rice-filled omelettes (what the kids call “om-rice”). The uni risotto is the standout: rich, creamy arborio rice enriched with buttery sea urchin. Just be prepared for the briny kick.
Cake House
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-914-0404
Cake House may not offer the poppy faddism of Pinkberry or the international clout of Beard Papa, but its dainty cakes and brilliant macarons hold their against those neighboring dessert giants. Japan's age-old fascination with perfecting French pastry—as no less than miniature works of art—can be enjoyed over an espresso and free Wi-Fi.
Chabuya Tokyo Noodle Bar
2002 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-1013
This is a noodle bar with difference. The industrial, loft-like styling far surpasses the design elements of most ramen houses. A Japanese import, Chabuya borrows a page from its California environs with a commitment to fresh, organic ingredients. While many consider it the best ramen on the Westside, giving particular props to the handmade noodles, diehard ra-maniacs hope for some improvement in the all-important broth.
Crepe To Go
2217 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-477-8385
Perhaps French ’tude goes hand and hand with its cuisine. Westsiders enjoy being abused by the so-called “crepe Nazi,” who owns and runs this miniscule takeout store with an iron fist. Posted outside are the house rules: Know your order before entering, leave after you get it, and above all, the owner is lazy (his words) so don't expect service. Crepes come named after the likes of Bruce Lee or filled with green tea ice cream.
Curry House
2130 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-479-8477
This thriving Japanese chain restaurant specializes in, you guessed it, curry. Owned by the same corporation that manufactures Vermont Curry—the pre-made, boxed stuff that’s been a saving grace for many college students—the place feels a lot like an Asian Denny’s. It’s also one of the largest restaurants on Sawtelle, so one rarely has to wait for an enormous plate of chicken curry spaghetti or sauce-engulfed katsu.
Daichan Kaiten Sushi
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-914-5028
Sawtelle wouldn't be complete without a sushi-go-round. Daichan fills the niche for kaiten, offering “sexy rolls” and more standard maki that whiz past on an ever-changing conveyor belt. Cooked and deep-fried fare take turns too; fried lobster and tempura-style crab balls are favorites. Don’t see something you like? Kindly ask the chef to hit you up.
Furaibo
2068 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-444-1432
Dark wooden beams overhang intimate cubbyholes at this izakaya. While the menu of pub-appropriate small plates is varied, it’s all about the tebasaki, Nagoya-style chicken wings fried to a crackling crispiness and lightly coated in a sweet, spicy, soy-based sauce. Cheap pitchers of beer and samplings of grilled deliciousness are best enjoyed at one of the restaurant’s low tables, so kick off your shoes and redefine the bar experience.
gr/eats
2050 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-478-3242
An edible offshoot of alterna-culture heavyweight Giant Robot, gr/eats caters to the cool kids who’ll appreciate the quirky kitsch of the kinder-room interiors and the grown-ups who’ll recognize that the green shell chairs are, in fact, Eames. The food is broadly pan-Asian with Western compromises: The hot pot could hold either traditional udon or a cioppino-like stew. There’s a burger, of course, and it wouldn’t be complete without the unique “mixed fries” of potato, yam and banana.
Hide Sushi
2040 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-477-7242
One of the first places to put Sawtelle on L.A.’s gastronomic circuit, Hide Sushi satisfies two foodie essentials: high-quality food and rock-bottom prices. Just remember, it’s cash only. Squeeze into the sardine-packed space, write your name on the whiteboard, and stare at the lucky peeps as you wait. Luckily, fast service should get you a seat in no time, and the high turnover ensures fresh fish. Takeout is available for the impatient.
Hurry Curry of Tokyo
2131 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-1640
It’s always packed in here, a clear indication that the strip mall storefront is Sawtelle’s favored curry joint. The signature house-made gravy boasts 21 spices and is the rightful star of the show. It comes in three levels of heat and with options of beef, chicken, pork or a noteworthy veggie creation of spinach and mushrooms. For extra decadence, you can pour it over all sorts of deep-fried matter.
Ketchy's II
11270 La Grange Ave. - Los Angeles310-481-0799
Neighborhood darling Ketchie’s, obliterated by a runaway truck in 1989, returns as Ketchy's II, a pocket-size lunch spot fashioned after (and a stone’s throw from) the original fast-food stand. Inherited menu items include tacos, burgers and a curious fusion of hamburger patty and tortilla called World Famous Taco, but Asian-inspired dishes like teriyaki and a hefty Hawaiian breakfast of Portuguese sausage and rice are better bets.
Kinchans
2119 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-445-0031
Purists lament the lack of salt-based shio broth, but fans enjoy the mom-and-pop feel of this ramen house, which tends to get overlooked in the hubbub of L.A.’s foodiest strip malls. One has to settle for either shoyu (soy sauce) or miso soup base, but cheap noodles and generous portions of chasu ease the loss. The kitchen also offers lesser-known tsukemen, ramen noodles dipped into broth soba-style.
Kiriko
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-478-7769
The base of the Olympic Collection houses a sushi gem, where reticent chef/owner Ken Namba prepares the day’s best catches with monk-like devotion. Snobs appreciate the fresh, exotic cuts of fish unadulterated by sauces and gimmicks. House-smoked salmon is laudable, and even Namba’s tamago (egg custard) is revelatory. Omakase, unsurprisingly, is a fine option.
Little Hong Kong Cafe
2129 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-478-7329
From the cartoon-y, fire engine-red sign to the neon-green Chinese writing, Little Hong Kong Cafe stands out even from its strip mall nook. Staple dishes such as beef pan-fried noodles and sweet and sour pork come secondary to the Taiwanese-style fried pork chop or salty fish fried rice. Not for the claustophobic—at least five different conversations can be heard at one time.
Manpuku Tokyo BBQ Dining
2125 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-0580
Manpuku’s style of dining by grilling fire should look familiar to most Angelenos—yakiniku, after all, derives from Korean barbecue. But don’t expect the explosion of flavorful marinade or the outright meaty heft you’d find in Koreatown. Instead, shrimp is jumbo, beef is labeled Kobe, and everything is brought out in refined portions. Lunch specials and other entrees don’t require DIY cooking.
Mizu 212º
2000 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-478-8979
Steaming bowls fog the windows of this modern shabu shabu restaurant, where thinly sliced cuts of beef, pork and chicken are poached tableside in hot broth under the watchful gaze of Felix the Cat. Vegetarians need not fear giant platters of raw meat—Mizu offers a lovely organic vegetable and tofu plate. Bar-style seating makes for a fun communal atmosphere, but there’s a private dining room in back should you want to shabu shabu with friends only.
Orris
2006 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-268-2212
A little foie gras for your Japanese eggplant? Orris’ modest environs reveal a surprising altar to fusion cuisine. Chef Hideo Yamashiro displays mastery of both Asian and Continental cuisine, artfully creating “little dishes”—not to be confused as small plates or tapas—of shishito peppers with crispy prosciutto, basil-infused black cod and warm snapper carpaccio. Working up an appetite is never a problem; the ever-busy Orris doesn't take reservations.
Place Yuu
2101 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-478-7450
This tucked-away pub often goes by its cryptic abbreviation, the Place. The extended hours and unassuming crowd make it ideal for late-night snacking—especially if you want something other than nuggets and fries. A big-screen TV is often tuned to sports, but delectable offerings from the sushi bar or izakaya menu add a bit of foodie polish to beer-fueled game nights.
Restaurant 2117
2117 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-477-1617
The decor is more European cafe than Sawtelle strip mall, offering a welcome alternative to locals in the mood for a quieter dressed-up occasion. Price points are higher too, but that’s to be expected for organic ingredients and French-Italian-Japanese renderings of filet mignon, duck confit or quail. There’s even a cheese plate.
Sawtelle Kitchen
2024 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-2222
Once the boulevard’s go-to spot for Japanese-American comfort food, this homey little bungalow has upgraded to braised lamb in demi-glace, jidori chicken, biodynamic wines—plus valet parking to boot. Home-style favorites like katsu and meatloaf are still available, but longtime devotees are inconsolable over the Kitchen’s lost soul.
Tempura House
1816 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-479-5989
Predominantly consisting of a carry-out clientele, Sawtelle Tempura House plays surrogate mom for packed lunches. Owned by an elderly Japanese couple, it is the epitome of Japanese home-style cooking. Try the grilled fish Bento box combination which includes rice and vegetables before heading back to work.
Tofu Ya
2021 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-2627
It’s a tofu/BBQ restaurant of the Korean persuasion, adapted for the Japanese neighborhood—that’s where the “ya” in the name comes in. One of the few soon dubu houses on the Westside, the modest room is packed to its green-awning gills with UCLA kids and locals who get their cheap fill on hot pots of tofu. Barbecue selections of bulgogi, galbi and pork are also available for the non-cash-strapped.
Yakitoriya
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-479-5400
No part of the chicken is spared at this no-frills yakitori emporium where gizzards, livers and even bones are grilled along with thighs and breasts. The menu is simple and traditional, but a few non-yaki surprises—such as a truly divine mushroom and truffle oil ravioli—keep things interesting. Be glad the service is so attentive: The mustard is so blazing hot, you’ll appreciate the expedited refills of water.
Yashima
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-5297
Once super-popular as Mishima, now kinda popular as Yashima, this unit in the Olympic Collection has long been dedicated to a noodle shop. Offerings are extensive and affordable: soba or udon, hot or cold, meaty or veggie. Not feeling noodle-y? Donburi and grilled fish entrees are just as good. Most items are also available in combos, which come out elegantly in modified bento box style.
Yuzando Sushi on Sawtelle
2004 Sawtelle Blvd. - Los Angeles310-473-2388
As spare and minimalist as its immediate neighbors Orris and Chabuya, Yuzando provides the sushi element to what’s become a stylish, postmodern kind of strip mall. The room offers quiet respite from the evening crowds, better to appreciate chef Hideo Sueyoshi’s unique selection of fish—many of which are rarely found on menus outside Japan. Sueyoshi-san is a classicist: Nigiri is cut smaller and can be ordered as a single piece.
Zip Fusion
11301 Olympic Blvd. - Los Angeles310-575-3636
Part of a Southland network that includes Downtown’s e3rd Steakhouse, Zip Fusion brings in the kids with a trend-tastic mash-up of fancy sushi rolls, pan-Asian fusion dishes with crazy names (e.g. Crazy Pork), soju cocktails and beer, all in a lounge-y setting. Three karaoke rooms are available for rent, so be prepared for things to get louder as the evening progresses.
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