(Credit: Bryan Chan)
Navigating: sushi in Studio City
Head over the hill for omakase
By Jiyeon Yoo, Metromix, and Katherine Spiers, Special to Metromix
April 14, 2008Acashi Sushi Bar
4037 Radford Ave., Studio City818-760-0313
Located off the main Ventura drag, this slightly ramshackle restaurant is a hidden gem for locals and the hoi polloi of CBS Studios who lack executive expense accounts. The main draw: An all-you-can-eat special that doesn’t involve buffet stations and buckets of ice. Rather, nigiri and rolls are made fresh to order—no, that’s not meant to be an oxymoron—from an edited menu. The establishment is Korean-owned, which not only means sizable sushi pieces but also barbecue options for the raw squeamish.
Ahi Sushi
12915 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-981-0277
As with most established establishments, Ahi Sushi has polarizing effects: You either love it or don’t see what the big deal is. Regulars get in real good with owner-chef Jimmy Wu, who always has a creative trick up his sleeve. While traditional nigiri are competently executed, it’s the lineup of fancy specialty rolls that’s got all the people talking, such as yellowtail accessorized with deep-fried jalapeno and a rice-less gizmo that encases tuna with blue crab and a skein of cucumber.
Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-760-3348
The controversy over the rating system aside, Asanebo was honored with one star in the premiere Los Angeles edition of the Michelin Guide. (Many critical overachievers such as Lucques or Campanile can’t claim the same distinction.) We could stop there, but this modest strip mall spot has long been a destination for sushi connoisseurs. It may not be financially responsible, but omakase is compulsory. Available across three price tiers, the meal is a multi-course kaiseki showcase of traditional sashimi, sushi and cooked Japanese elaborations.
Iroha
12953 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-990-9559
Iroha certainly looks the part of the Boulevard’s elder sushi statesman. Wood paneling and an intimate (dare we say Zen) courtyard greet diners, who continue on to the inner dining room and sushi bar. In its near 25 years, Iroha has developed quite the following, even amongst celebrities. Fans have committed favorites to heart—albacore tataki; the No. 3 specialty roll of cucumber-wrapped salmon, crab and avocado; the ubiquitous tuna on crispy rice—and will loudly argue Iroha’s supremacy over the hype-driven machine that’s Katsu-ya.
Kazu Sushi
11440 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-763-4836
Practically equidistant between the celebrated austerity of Sushi Nozawa and the flash stardom of Katsu-ya, this mini-mall mite suffers a bit of middle-child syndrome. But Kazu enthusiasts don’t mind keeping this underdog—and the promise, “We don’t serve California rolls”—to themselves for a while. That way, a table and the attention of chef Kazu are assured, especially if you entrust your dinner to omakase. Although it’s up to the master’s whimsy, try to coax a sampling of the sunset-orange sawagani, or fried candy crabs, which are not to be missed.
Midori Sushi
11622 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-623-7888
Midori is an all-you-can-eat mini chain that literally runs the length of Ventura Boulevard—the Studio City branch is the easternmost location. So intensely proud is it of its belly-popping ethos, the website plasters its Yoda-intoned philosophy, “Eat me all,” in brilliant slasher-red script. Slap down $25.95 and order dinner like you own the place—except for specialty items like uni and sweet shrimp. You’re limited to just one order of those, big boss.
Sushi Don
4816 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Valley Village818-762-8720
If Sasabune, which decamped from its Sawtelle birthplace to snazzier digs on Wilshire Boulevard, is the Comme des Garçons of sushi design, then its sister restaurant, Sushi Don, is the H&M—haute consumerism on a budget. There is no ambiance to speak of, but the sushi does the Sasabune name proud. Unlike its predecessor, however, the downsized menu also offers protein-topped rice bowls (hence the eponymous “don”), which are available as bargain-basement combinations all day long.
Sushi Katsu-Ya
11680 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-985-6976
Before the Philippe Starck/SBE makeover and the flash mob of scenesters made him into a brand label, Katsuya Uechi quietly opened this originating namesake in 1997. Those used to the glitz and glam of the Hollywood or Brentwood location will be surprised by the modest furnishings in the pocket-sized space. The culinarily astute (as well as those wary of hype) insist that this is still the best of the expanding network—which means an hour-long wait for your crispy rice with spicy tuna is an absolute.
Sushi Nozawa
11288 Ventura Blvd. , Studio City818-508-7017
Seinfeld and neurotic New Yorkers who do a whole lotta nothing can keep their Soup Nazi. He’s got nothing on the yanagiba-wielding Sushi Nazi, chef Kazunori Nozawa, whose imperious, control-freaky ways have taken on a mythos of their own. His standards are plastered formidably on the wall: “Trust me” and “Don’t think, just eat.” While entrusting your meal to the sushi chef is nothing new, this is boot-camp omakase: you eat as Nozawa says, or you’re out of there. And don’t even think about California rolls or picking up your cell phone. Yes, it’s that intense.
Tama Sushi
11920 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-760-4585
Going omakase at most sushi restaurants means emptying your wallet. But Tama Sushi offers multiple price tiers, ranging between $30 and $50, which is about half the usual rate for handing yourself over to the will of the chef. For four decades, Katsu Michite has been a master of this trade—and a highly regarded one amongst L.A. culinary cognoscenti. Don’t expect the whizz-bang exaggerations of jalapeno peppers and creamy sauces; Michite is a sushi classicist who takes as much care in the formation of the rice as he does in hand-selecting the fish at the crack of dawn.
Teru Sushi
11940 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-763-6201
Founded in 1979, Teru Sushi is the veritable forefather of this sushi nation. The traditional minka-style wooden building and meditative inner gardens are beautiful, if not heavily referential. (Hey, it was the disco era; koi ponds probably weren’t ironic yet.) Loyalists tend to get a bit ruffled over complaints about mediocre sushi at not-so-mediocre prices. But even they would admit it’s not as much about the food as it is about the scene (JT has been known to stop by) and the nostalgia of it all.
Yen Sushi & Sake Bar
12930 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-907-6400
Yen Sushi & Sake Bar offers a plethora of rolls, oysters on the half shell, curry and udon, as well as sushi combinations. If you love miso soup, indulge in their lobster tail version, which mixes the best of both worlds when it comes to texture and flavor. The lunch menu combos include a five-piece sushi meal with a roll or salad, or hearty entrées such as grilled salmon, steak or ribs.
Matsuda
11837 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-760-3917
The secret is finally coming out: this is the sleeper sushi hit of Studio City. Others have more flash and name recognition, but this quiet place manages to pull off consistent, excellent food at prices lower than the usual Studio City sushi joint. Lunch combos are a good deal, but even dinner items seem like a steal since you receive more per order than is customary. The staff gets high marks for friendliness as well.
Mikado Japanese Restaurant
12600 Riverside Dr., Valley Village818-763-1963
This restaurant just off Sushi Row is in a Best Western and has mai tai specials, so it's neither truly flashy nor entirely food-focused. But it has its fans nonetheless, some who come for the full bar specializing in tropical drinks and others who've been coming here their whole lives (it is arguably the oldest Japanese restaurant in the San Fernando Valley). The food is always solid and there are fusion dishes on the menu for those who don't want to commit to sushi.
Shiki
12745 1/2 Ventura Blvd., Studio City818-487-3938
This restaurant is not for faint-hearted purists: the specialty roll has tomatoes on it. Those that aren't bothered by such unusual, non-traditional ingredients will enjoy Shiki - or at least leave full. It is estimated that both rolls and nigiri here are twice as big as at other sushi restaurants. But you can't always be picky. Sometimes you're just hungry. Lunch deals are also filling, with salad soup and a large sushi roll for under $10.
Sushi 101
11331 Moorpark St., North Hollywood818-766-9170
First things first: watch out for the early closing time. But if you're in the mood for sushi for lunch or an early dinner, this is a respectable choice. They have some Japanese dishes, such as snapper skin, that normally don't show up in stateside restaurants. But it's not all tradition here, as combos of sushi and teriyaki and California rolls can be ordered at reasonable prices.
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