Katana: Haute Summer Grilling Over Sunset Blvd

As a kid - even up through college - summer seemed to last forever.  Two months felt like an eternity to do with as you please - and by the time September rolled around, you were for the most part ready to head back to school, to see your friends, to tackle the excitement of a new year and what it might bring. 

Now, with a full-time job and year round responsibilities -  summer seems to pass with the blink of an eye.  We are blessed in Southern California that the Fall and Winter don't really get that bad...(another reason I will probably never leave) - the weather is pretty much great all the time (relatively to say, Toronto) with the exception of February and June. But those summer months, where the sun seems to shine even brighter, and the air seems to be denser with promise of carefree adventure - are still incredibly precious.  It's the time of year where you want to be outdoors, as much as you can - for me, that does NOT mean roughing it on bare bones campgrounds, but more like grabbing good food, with great company, al fresco.

So I was excited when I was invited to check out Katana, a robatayaki/sushi hotspot featuring outdoor dining on its patio overlooking Sunset Blvd. 

The place feels like a hidden gem, located on the second floor with a barely visible sign that's easy to miss while driving down Sunset - the biggest landmark being its neighbor, The Comedy Store.  You pull into the narrow entrance of the garage and take a questionably vintage elevator ride - that opens up to a serene, chic space that feels like a different world from the stereotypical Hollywood vibe on the street below.

The interiors are modern Asian fusion, lush, dark, cavernous, ornate - with two large, open kitchens - one for robata service, the other for sushi - side by side.  But we were there for the patio - a gorgeous space with dark, long rattan couches and a flowering fountain.

Mims and I kicked off the sultry summer evening with a round of cocktails: Ginger Lychee Mojito ($14) Barcardi Rum, Fresh Mint, Lychee, Ginger, and fresh lime juice. Kimono Dragon ($14) Oxley Gin, Aperol, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon sour, muddled lemon, and basil

Before our food arrived, we were treated to a tour of the kitchens and got to meet the chefs - checking out the open-flame, charcoal-fired grills and impressive glass case of skewers of every kind of meat imaginable.  They use a special kind of charcoal here called binchotan, imported from Japan. It's a white charcoal that does not release smoke or unpleasant odors as it burns, letting the flavors of the ingredients shine through instead.

Back on the patio, we started with the sushi side of the house - a beautiful presentation of sashimi that made us feel like we were on vacation. 

Flowers make everything better: edible gorgeousness.

I usually don't love tuna tartare, but this one was super fresh and I loved the addition of briny caviar, and the counterbalancing crunch of wonton 'scoopers', with mayonnaise and sesame oil as well as soy sauce.

One of the first skewers to arrive was also one of our favorites: Chilean Sea Bass ($5.25): super tender, juicy with a lovely sweetness balanced by a delicious robata char. Skewers are served with three dipping sauces: soy mustard, ginger and ponzu.

Then, because I have a penchant for the unusual, there were Quail Eggs ($3), Chicken Liver ($3) and Chicken Cartilage ($2.75).  The quail eggs got a little too rubbery on the outside, and the chicken cartilage was as to be expected tough and chewy - not ones I might get again - but I enjoyed the rich, flavorful chicken liver skewers.

The more classic Wagyu beef ($20) skewers were tender, juicy, flavor-packed and another favorite.  We also tried the Chicken Meatballs ($3.75) - a nice price point for those who just want small bites to go with their drinks, Izakaya style.

The showstopper though was hands-down the Wagyu beef + lobster skewers with UNI TRUFFLE BUTTER ($26).  During the kitchen tour the chef seemed especially proud of this one, and I was sold as soon as I heard the magic words Uni and Truffle.

Here's a shot of the grilled skewer.  SO delicious. Definitely the one to order if you're at a client dinner powered by an expense account.

Those on a budget should not miss the Lamb Chop Marinated in Soy Garlic ($6) this might have been one of the best bites of lamb I'd had in the city this year.  Sorry for the dark pic as we were having such a great time eating and catching up, that we didn't notice that our meal was heading into like the third hour until the light started changing on us.

All in all, a fantastic time and great spot to 'choose your own adventure' especially during summer - whether it's after work drink and small bites, or for a splurgey client meal over an iconic stretch of Hollywood literally and figuratively elevated above the fray.

Note: On the weeknight that we went, it had a very relaxed, serene vibe until closer to 10pm when the patio got more crowded, and noticeably louder.  We heard on Saturdays the patio gets more packed, with more of the Hollywood crowd, so plan your visit according to whatever you're more into.

 
*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.

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Katana

8439 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph:323.650.8585

Parking: Valet in structure below restaurant (entry on Sunset)

Website: innovativedining.com/restaurants/katana

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ROC Kitchen: Taste of SGV in WLA

Let's address the proverbial elephant in the room, right now: ROC is not Din Tai Fong.

But it's damn good XLB of a quality that is hard to beat, for Westsiders unable or unwilling to trek to the SGV (before you get all up in arms, yes, there are in fact people whose offices are on the Westside who cannot take 3 hour excursions in the middle of the work day to eat in the SGV - it is not always a matter of ill-informed choice or 'poor value judgment' of traffic avoidance vs amazing authentic eats for cheap). 

For us pitiful, 'real Chinese food' deprived, Westside-bound souls - ROC Kitchen is a g*dsend.  Yes, it is. Their metal steamers full of every-flavor-Xiao Long Baos (aka XLBs or Shanghai Dumplings) are plump, souped up, with meat/seafood fillings are smooth, tender and well portioned, enfolded in nice, fresh, not too chewy dough wrappers.

They arrive with the requisite shredded ginger and vinegar.  They're so juicy they squirt on cue when you bite into them.  Mims and I had the Pork XLB (8 pcs. for $7) and Shrimp & Pork XLB (8 pcs. for $9) - both were excellent. Next time we need to try the ones with Dungeness Crab & Pork, and Fish (I've never seen XLB with fish filling before, but apparently those who have had it at ROC Kitchen love it)

For variety, there are other dishes besides the Shanghai Dumplings like shao mai (dim sum dumplings with shrimp & pork or pork & rice), scallion pancake, noodles, and rice cakes.  We tried the ROC Rice Cake with Chicken, Napa Cabbage and Spinach ($10) which had a self-explanatory name.  I would NOT recommend this dish - it was pretty single note in flavor (like the generic "brown sauce" too often used in westernized Chinese take-out quality food), and the rice cakes were rubbery.  And the fact that it cost more than the far more delicious XLB honestly kind of pissed me off.  It's possible that the kitchen was just having an off day, but at $10 I'm just not going to risk it again.

As another signature dish, ROC puts their own spin on jiao zi (aka potstickers or gyoza), with the Crispy Shrimp & Pork Dumplings with Ginger Chili Dipping Sauce (8 pcs. for $9.75) - which is essentially 8 whole dumplings, which are usually pan fried individually, fried on top of a wafer-thin disc of dough so that they become attached to the crispy circle: the whole thing is then served with the dough disc side up for maximum drama.

Everyone at the next few tables turned to see (and ask) what that dish was as our waitress brought it over...

I flipped it over halfway so we could see how it looks underneath - the dumplings are fried whole, fully formed.  You might think this is just a gimmick, which it is, and it's funny that no one else has thought to do this before - but the dough disc doesn't just add to the theatrical presentation - it's pretty tasty as well, and adds crispness and crunch as you're eating the dumplings.  The only thing to note on this dish is that it's marked "Limited" on the menu, and you have to allow 25 minutes for them to make it for you.  We put our order in right away, but for some reason they took so long to bring it out that we almost overshot our lunch hour.  But, it was delicious, we did make it back in time, and it was all worth it. 

All in all, the dumpling dishes were all very tasty and well crafted. True, it's very expensive compared to most SGV eateries (but pretty much on par with Din Tai Fong in terms of price) - after drinks, tax, tip were taken into account Mims and I each paid close to $30 each, which was painful.  But, remember that the restaurant has to deal with Westside rent, which is much higher than SGV.  So, the price we pay is for the convenience of having close access to at least authentic and good quality XLB and dumplings.  Will I be coming back every day for lunch?  No, I can't afford it.  But when I get that inevitable craving during a week day?  I'm very glad ROC Kitchen is there.

So, is it a destination, say - on the weekend? I live in the SFV, almost equidistant from West LA/ROC Kitchen and Alhambra/Monterey Park. On any given weekend, when I'm not working - would I drive back to West LA just to go to ROC Kitchen? It's a no-brainer - I would drive to the SGV.

But on a weekday, when I only have an hour for lunch on the Westside? Bring it on, ROC Kitchen - as in, another steamer or two full of XLB, please.


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 90% 
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ROC Kitchen
2049 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles,CA 90025
Ph: 310.235.2089

Parking: free valet on Mississipi Ave.

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/ROC-Kitchen
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Sun Ha Jang: DUCK Season 365 on the KBBQ

As a massive fan of every part and preparation of duck - it was exciting to read TheJGold's review of a place that served it BBQ'd, Korean style. With the abundance of korean barbecue spots in Ktown, grilling up not only your standard issue protein (beef) but squid, tongue & innards, this surprisingly may be one of the few to serve duck meat...

I knew the minute I saw this unrepentantly evil banner, with flames crowding in on an adorable little innocent, that I would love this place (sorry, Donald/Daisy...RIP)

As advised by the Pulitzer-winning one, I got the roast duck ($23.99), which came in beautiful round slices with a plate of salad greens, scallions, pickled radish, kimchi, bean sprouts, sliced cabbage with (miso?) sauce, and shredded radish.

There was a special pan used just for the duck, which cooks in its own fat - there's a 'drain' at one side of the pan, but that is plugged with a bunch of kimchi to prevent the delicious fat from escaping. My server threw the discs onto the pan with tons of whole garlic cloves - when these two started to sizzle on the grill together, the smells were intoxicating (like any other kbbq joint, definitely do not wear any dry clean only clothing...). Though the duck was fairly thinly sliced, it took way longer than I was used to, with bulgogi or even galbi beef. Trying to be self sufficient, I used the tongs to spread the pieces out so they each had their own surface area of the pan to cook on - and was promptly chastised (in a friendly way) by my server. Apparently with duck you should keep it in a sort of pile to avoid burning the pieces? So once the duck is nice and browned with bit of caramelization, I was instructed to throw it into the salad greens, pile some scallions and pickled radish on top, and eat together in one bite. Loved how the sweet/gamey juiciness of the duck is counterbalanced by the crunchy mildness of the greens, subtle bite of scallions, with the sweet/tart pickled radish crunch & juice to cut through it all. I also had some Korean raspberry wine, which went fantastic with the duck.

After you're done with the meat - while all the delicious duck fat and slightly charred meat bits and garlic cloves are still sizzling on the grill - your server will add purple rice, chopped up kimchi, sesame and bit of salt and pepper, and stir fry up a batch of fresh fried rice for you, right on the same pan. This results in the most fragrant and beautifully crusted kimchi fried rice ever.

After the heat of the kbbq meal, I was presented with a free bowl of cooling bean sprout/spring onion broth as chaser.

Others have commented on the lack of good service here, but on my visit, I felt well taken care of - almost like having a home cooked meal hosted by a Korean friend's mom. There was a language barrier, but we still managed to communicate well enough to get through the meal, and all of it was friendly.

The only drawback to all this is the price - it's quite a bit more than your average kbbq joint, so not an everyday kind of place, but the duck was decadent and delicious.

As a duck (for dinner) lover, it's great that I can now have it prepared on the Korean barbecue grill, year round. 

Will definitely look to be back soon!!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Sun Ha Jang
4032 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90006

Ph: 323.634.9292

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Starry Kitchen Nights at Tiara Cafe: Singaporean Chili Crab in DTLA

One of my most memorable meals of 2012 was at a restaurant that wasn't really a restaurant (I know you've lost count by now of the number of times this year you've read that on any given LA food blog).

I had long read of the underground kitchen turned legit operation serving interesting pan-Asian fare (with a side of bold, quirky, costume-loving personality via owner Nguyen) - and had been mad at myself for missing it while it was at its original location, just a block from the courthouse in downtown LA where I spent three weeks in jury duty. 

So when they opened up a not-a-pop-up-pop-up at Tiara Cafe, and started serving Singaporean style Chili Crab (I had just fallen in love with the dish during a visit to Singapore the previous holiday), I knew I had to pay a long overdue visit. I cruelly convinced miffyeats to go with me even though she is allergic to crab (which I had forgotten until the very last minute...bad, bad, bad friend...) - being an amazing friend, she rallied a group together so that we can try more different dishes. In more poor form, knowing that the chili crab has been selling out like crazy, my type A self had to tweet Starry Kitchen to ask them to reserve two crabs for us...because if I was going to venture to DTLA at night (which usually freaks me out due to a past bad experience), I'm making damn sure I'm getting that crab, dammit.

We started with a comped plate of their signature Crispy Tofu Balls ($6.50), which I'd sampled at The Gold Standard previously - and like the last time, it was more tasty than a vegetable-hater would expect (and yes, despite the innuendos in the marketing of this dish so bold as to be against the very nature of innuendos). Crispy with puffed glutinous rice on the outside...    

...with the texture of the tofu inside like a firm cream cheese. The balls themselves are very mild in flavor, it's the sriracha mayo dipping sauce that gives it a nice and necessary kick.

 

Then came the Double-Fried Sweet Ginger Chicken Waaaaaaaaangs ($7.50) - which were "finger-lickin' good" and seriously addictive. Super crispy from the double fry, juicy dark meat inside, sweet with a bite from the ginger - these were a great way to whet our appetites for the meal ahead.

We knew we had to get the Grilled Fish "Heads+Tails" with Viet Fish Sauce ($11) as soon as we saw it on the menu - as expected, it was a show stopper - a very dramatic presentation of alternating fish heads and fish tails, with a crisp and lovely char, with that amazing sweet/tangy fish sauce.

Then there was the Pork Chili Oil Wonton + Szechuan Style Shredded Potatoes ($7) - the shredded potatoes were an interesting twist on the usual accompaniment for wontons: noodles.  

My favorite dish of the night, before the much-anticipated crustaceans ever hit the table - was the Claypot Caramelized Striped Bass+Pancetta (aka "Ca Kho To") ($22.95).  This was a perfect melding of two of my favorite styles of Cantonese cooking: steaming (of fish) and claypot stewing.  The fresh, skin-on striped bass (and broth) were delicate and light, tender and evenly infused with perfectly balanced sweet/savory flavors, punctuated by juicy cubes of pancetta (the western kind isn't an ingredient you see much in Cantonese cooking, but its distant umami inducing cousin, yunan ham is).  I loved this preparation - its flavors and presentation brought me home, if only temporarily.

Almost as a reprieve from all the stimulation, we had just before the crab, Japanese Garlic Noodles w/ Confit Garlic ($9).

And then...what we came for: Singaporean Chili Crab (Market Price) - whole crabs in all their glory, bowl piled high with french bread. So the moment of truth: was it what I tasted in Singapore?  I've only had it once, at one location in Singapore, so I don't have any real sample base for comparison, and I'm not sure that Starry Kitchen intended theirs to be an exact replica of however Singaporeans typically prepare theirs. The 1.5kg-er I inhaled in Singapore was a Sri Lankan crab in a very creamy, smooth thick orange colored sauce that was sweet and spicy, seamlessly blended together; the one at Starry Kitchen was a Dungeness crab in a more liquidy red sauce with chunks of tomato, that was primarily tart with strong garlic notes. In consistency only, if compared to pasta sauces I would say the difference was like vodka sauce vs marinara. And at LB Seafood I had loved sopping up the leftover sauce with fried mantou, which went perfectly with the sauce, with its slightly sweet pillowy doughiness offset by the crispy exterior that allowed it to hold up even with the sauce. But all I knew was that everyone at the Starry Kitchen table dug in with abandon - even with its differences, Starry Kitchen's version of chili crab is not something you can easily find in LA (if it can be found at all?), tasty and well worth a trip downtown to check out.

Nguyen was kind enough to comp us a plate of desserts: Osthmanthus Panna Cotta with Poached Pears ($5) Salted Plum Lychee Panna Cotta ($5) 5-Spiced Apple Fritters with Honey Bourbon Cream Sauce ($6) - I'd had the salted plum lychee panna cotta at another food fest, and still loved its unique blend of flavors every bit as much as the first time.


Hats off to chef Thi (aka "Kitchen Ninja" and wife of Nguyen) and of course Nguyen for a fantastically fun dinner!  Not sure how long the pair will be at Tiara Cafe, but try to catch them if you can - check their Facebook or Twitter for updates on their latest R&D creations, and make reservations in advance for their chili crab which sells out quickly!

[Deal alert: And oh, coincidentally, you can get $20 off dinner at Starry Kitchen Nights with the $20 for $40 worth of food & drink deal running at Bloomspot right now til around Saturday 1/12 - click here for details.]

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Starry Kitchen at Tiara Cafe 
127 E 9th St., Los Angeles, CA 90079

Ph: 213.623.3663
Website: starrykitchen.com
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626 Night Market: Second Chances: Taste of Asia in Pasadena

626 Night Market: I had a feeling it might be a bad idea when I saw the date for the inaugural event: April 14th.  What self-respecting and accordingly superstitious Asian would endeavour to hold the first of what might be a very significant event on a date containing not one, but two number fours? (The word for "four" in Chinese sounds like the word for "death" - hence two fours equal double death.  Alternatively, Cantonese may read "four one four" as daring death or taking a gamble.) But there was at the time, nothing else I was aware of like it in LA - an event that ambitiously attempted to recreate the experience of outdoor markets filled with delicious street food and vendors peddling their wares in the streets of the 'far east' (aka 'home' for the sizeable population of Asian immigrants in LA).

The concept that held so much promise was an epic fail - it was a miracle no one got seriously hurt. Usually large turnout is a good thing, but when as poorly executed as that first time - with an estimated 30,000 people showing up for an event that felt like it was planned for hundreds - there were some serious risks of anything from a stampede to fire hazards. I'm not going to rehash the grievances here, if interested check out my recap of what went wrong

But organizers saw, between the firestorm of largely angry feedback, the huge demand for an event of this type - and to their credit, pulled themselves up off the ground quickly to give it a second run: in a matter of months they were to fix all the major things that went wrong the first time - and to launch a PR campaign letting everyone know that they heard the feedback and have really addressed every key issue.  For most, it was too late - they'd been burned badly once and weren't going to stick their hands on the stove again.

Though I absolutely hated the way the first event was run, I did want the concept to succeed - especially after finding out that this was a passion project started by a small team of three, a husband, wife and friend, not some faceless corporation that failed to meet basic standards of public safety. And the second time round they had a smart social media strategy, with clear postings of event info to reassure people it was safe to give them another try.  There were maps of the vendors this time, showing thoughtful design to spread food-seekers out, clear directions to the event, including public transportation (the Metro was just a block away!) and where to park.   

Since admission was again free - and given the changes that they've said/shown they've made - the only possible risk in my mind was massive crowds again to test my patience.  And I was ready to give them one more chance - deciding that I would go early to try to avoid reenactment of that insane sea of humanity.

I arrived around 15 minutes before the official start time in late afternoon - while vendors were still getting set up.  It felt like the calm before a possible storm of the century - everything seemd to move in slow motion, with graceful fluidity.  I was able to do a quick round to check out all the stalls of food on offer, and come up with a game plan of which I wanted to hit once vendors were given the ok to start serving.

There were volunteers teeming everywhere you looked - in very visible red t-shirts - presumably to conduct crowd control as needed.  Yes they were high school/college kids, but at least they had plenty of identifiable 'staff' to help as needed vs zero that we could see last time. So far so good.

There were hard to find foods that I really wanted to hit up last time, but didn't get to, so I made a beeline for those booths this second time.  At the top of my list?  Dragon Whiskers candy - a cocoon like candy from ancient Chinese times, made by a shi fu on site live, pulling the silk-like threads made from honey and glutinous rice flour, and wrapping them around stuffings of peanuts, sesame and/or coconut, the traditional way. Loved these and bought two packs of the mixed kind with all three stuffings in one. (Shi fu is sometimes at Hawaii Super Market in San Gabriel - he didn't have a set schedule to share but I guess next time you're in the area it's worth checking to see if he's there:

Hawaii Supermarket 120 E. Valley Blvd.San Gabriel, CA 91776)

During my hunt for Hong Kong street treats, a lady firing up skewers of lamb Xinjiang style with cumin and chili over a coal trench stopped me dead in my tracks.  At three juicy, flavorful and fresh grilled skewers for $5, these were a great deal and definitely added to that street food vibe. I also loved supporting indie cooks like these folks, who take these as opportunities to showcase their stuff in hopes that they will be able to gain a following and eventually pursue their dream to have their own restaurant!  Plus, part of the coolness night markets is that element of in-the-moment-discoveries, checking out foods/things you might not normally have access to.  So, I loved this and many of the other stalls at this second 626 Night Market for those reasons.

Then I found my favorite stall of the event!!!  "Hong Kong Street Snacks" - another independent food producer without a current shop.  They were Mandarin speakers, and I didn't get to ask where they were from, but they had a pretty good grasp of classic Hong Kong street foods! 

Their Curry Fishballs (no, not gonads, but fish meat shaped into spheres) served on skewers out of a communal pot - took me back to my carefree grade school self, back when people had no issues with eating food from hawkers selling them from carts literally on illegal street corners - and health, hygiene, food safety were secondary to food that tasted the more delicious, the more it flew in the face of possible serious illness.  They sold from carts so that they could quickly roll away when they see a cop.  I used to love 'poking fish balls' from these carts on my way home from school.  It'd been so long since I'd had these - the ones at 626 Night Market tasted authentic, though legal, and definitely brought back happy memories.    

At the same stall they also served "Pig Rice Noodle Rolls".  These are rice noodle segments in a hoisin and chili sauce.  I wasn't impressed with the flavors or textures of these so much.

Another favorite Hong Kong street snack is the Gai Daan Jai - Hong Kong Egg Waffle: basically a special batter put in a hexagonal waffle mold with egg shaped compartments vs the more familiar squares in American ones.  In Hong Kong, these are usually served from illegal carts by street hawkers - and every child of the 80s grew up with these - another afterschool snack fav - and love them to death.  The ones at 626 Night Market were a little soggier than I liked and could have been a little more sweet, but delicious in the context of you can't really easily find these around LA proper! Apparently you can get them at Tasty Garden in the SGV - so that's been added to my To Do list.

There were also some interesting drinks served at the market: Momocha had a great iced tea with longan (a tropical fruit much like lychee), goji berries.

Though I was hyper focused on food, I think everyone who was there that afternoon stopped to admire this ginormous, gorgeous dog that was walking its owner round the event ;).  It's the biggest dog I'd ever seen with an Asian!

Of course, no Asian night market would be complete without stinky tofu.  I know it's blasphemy, but I'm not a fan - so skipped this stall.  It was amusing seeing non-Asians who enter within a 2-mile radius of this booth get instantly hit with a "WTF?!?" look on their face.

I was also getting full, and sad not to have room to try some of the booths like Mama Musubi (love spam musubi!) - though I figure spam musubi is relatively easy to make at home, even for someone who doesn't really cook all that much (i.e. at all, these days).

Other things I didn't get to try: red bean cakes, fresh grilled on-site.

To cool off in the crazy Pasadena heat, I had to try an iced treat that I'd never heard of before: Tofu Fa in iced ginger syrup with peanuts and dates.  It was like a cross between shaved ice, Chinese dessert soup and the traditional Chinese dessert of silken tofu in simple syrup - with toppings of peanuts and dates for crunch / bursts of sweetness.  Loved.

Though I was cautious in attending during the earlier portion of the event (in the afternoon), so that it wasn't technically a 'night' market experience, I definitely had a great time and left satisfied. The event has a lot of potential - you can never of course fully capture something as in their home country, but this is a great option for a 'staycation' activity at a fraction of the cost.  Could you get a lot of these foods in the SGV?  Yes, but this is like Asian focused food fest / street fair - where you get to sample many things in one place.  And it was a collection of good food at an event that didn't charge me admission - what more can an Asian ask for?

The turnout didn't reach the levels of insanity of the first event - but Round 2 was largely considered a success.  And organizers are already back with Round 3 - venturing soon further east to Arcadia, and expanding to two days: October 20 & 21st (as reported by LAWeekly).  Venue is Santa Anita Park.  Save the date(s), and if you were turned off by that first event - judging by the comeback in July: give the event a second chance!

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626 Night Market  
July 28, 2012
Pasadena City Hall, Pasadena, CA

Website: 626nightmarket.com

Next event:
October 20 (3pm-12am) & October 21 (3pm-10pm)
Santa Anita Park infield
285 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91007
(Enter through Gate 5 or 6 off Colorado Place)

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SUGARFISH by Nozawa Studio City: 'Trust Me', Not Really Omakase But Fine By Me

The 'Sushi Nazi' - Chef Kazunori Nozawa - a purist sushi artisan, who as legend had it, would toss guests out if they dare to order a California Roll at his counter - ceded in February this year, his culinary landmark restaurant in an indescript strip mall in Studio City, to his son who has been successful with a more modern 'new school' sushi chain: SUGARFISH.

With popular locations already in Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, Brentwood and Downtown LA, this location brings SUGARFISH back to where it all started.  As regular readers know, I am a sucker for that perfect storm of good food + great ambience + great service, and so to me SUGARFISH is in many ways a very welcome shift from old school to new school.  Replacing that austere, no frills, venetian-blinded, spottily lit library-quiet hole in the wall, is an airy, well-designed yet unpretentious, relaxed space. 

Paying homage to the previous 'Trust-Me' decor behind the old counter, is a new wall of chic colorful artwork emblazoned with that same slogan. Replacing the ubiquitous sushi counter where the in concept intimidating Nozawa-san is an open and inviting dining room, with the kitchen moved to the back, out of sight, for "maximum efficiency" that allows for delivery of "good sushi at a fair price". 

The new concept is also said to take inspiration from Nozawa-san's Trust Me style of service - where there is no set menu, but diners rather give themselves over to the chef to deliver the freshest cuts of fish for the day, adjusted for the diner's tastes.  However, in reality what SUGARFISH offers isn't 'omakase' at all - the concept has more similarities to In N Out Burger than traditional omakase.  There are basically 3 preset 'Trust Me' menus, with only 1 of the 3 offering a 'Daily Special'. 

Pricing looked great for sushi lovers on a budget, at $19.75, $29.50 and $39 each, with 6, 7 and 9 different types of rolls respectively.  You can also order various other types of rolls and sashimi from the a la carte menu, also not exorbitantly priced at quick glance.  But the proof is in the quality of the fish, right?  I 'splurged' and went for The Nozawa menu ($39) to see how it works and to sample the widest variety of fish, within the three preset menus.  First came the Organic Edamame, a staple served with any of the three menus. 

Next up: Tuna Sashimi: Right off the bat, this was non-traditional - instead of clean slices of fish, the meat was sort of diced up and served in a shallow bath of ponzu.  Freshness was there, but on the whole this dish not mindblowing and I didn't really love the amount of sauce which slightly overpowered the fish.

The trio of nigiri won me over with lush textures and incredibly fresh, clean with minimal yet beautiful garnish.  There were two pieces each of Albacore, Salmon and Snapper Sushi.  Gently brushed with fresh made ponzu and/or with hints of yuzu.  I was so excited that you can get this quality of fish for the price ($39 for essentially 9 servings of fish!).  My only note is that the rice (on pretty much all the sushi actually) could be a little more cohesive and soft - right now it's a little hard where some of the grains stand out.  But, they did just open when I went so hopefully that is something that will be worked out in time.  I do like that the rice is not served as warm as Nozawa's, but not entirely cold either - somewhere in between.

The Yellowtail Sushi were not photogenic at all, but possibly the best bites I've ever had of this fish in LA.  Yep, I just said it. It was the incredibly fresh, lovely texture that glides into your mouth and *doesn't* melt but gives you the tenderest, smoothest chew.

The Halibut Sushi smooth, perfectly sliced flecked with yuzu kosho and cut through nicely with the acidity of house made ponzu.

Toro Hand Roll loved that they serve this with a perfectly crisp sheet of nori.  Have I used the word 'fresh' for their fish yet? 

Blue Crab Hand Roll same as the Toro Hand Roll: crisp nori, fresh (shell)fish.  Enough said.

Lastly from The Nozawa menu: the eagerly anticipated Daily Special: on this day, it was Halibut Sashimi.  Like the tuna at the start of the meal, it's not the typically sliced presentation, but chopped up and served in ponzu.  Presentation in food is pretty important to me - there is a threshold that good food should meet in terms of looking minimally appetizing.  If it's the most luxurious ingredients in the world - let's say all my favorites, foie, black truffle and uni - mashed up in a blender to look like puke and slopped onto a plate, I'm not really going to want to eat it - and the visuals may involuntarily alter my experience of taste.  And that's sort of what happened with this one. I didn't finish the bowl.

Though I was fairly full after the prix fixe, there were items on the a la carte menu that were either more exciting or so baffling to me that meant I had to try them.  Like Oyster Sashimi ($5.75).  With oysters usually served raw, doesn't that already make it 'sashimi'?  Do they simply mean oysters taken out of their shell and sliced? 

What arrived was a plump oyster, split down the middle almost all the way, and spread open so that it sort of looks like...a pair of lungs.  Which for some reason DID appeal to me - I don't think I've ever seen oyster served like this before, kind of like a really clean, beautiful 'anatomy of an oyster' presentation: breath-taking! And the ponzu cut smartly through the creamy, mild and naturally slightly sweet oyster flavors perfectly, with a bit of chopped scallions adding crunch.  LOVED this dish - it may be one of my favorites at SUGARFISH.  You may say, this is a bit pricey for a single oyster, but it's a substantial size, probably equal to three or four kumamotos. And trust me, the taste and texture?  Worth it.

Sweet Shrimp Sushi ($6.75) so the a la carte items were quite a bit more expensive.  Amaebi or raw shrimp is one of my favorites, when fresh out of the ocean and prepared just right.  Plus you feel like you got a 'bonus' when they either fry up the shrimp heads or serve them up in miso soup for you.  At SUGARFISH, the shrimp was fresh, but not translucent, tailess, and headless.  They didn't serve the heads on the side.  While it was tasty, I didn't think this one was worth the price.

Uni ($9.75) the uni is amazing here, plump, fresh, tasting of the sea, with rice wrapped neatly in crisp nori.  But is worth almost $10 for 2 pieces?  It's a splurge.  I think you can get this quality at other places, some even in the Valley.   

Halibut Fin Sashimi ($6.50) engawa has become one of my favorites since I first tried it at Sushi Gen - this cut of fish takes its name from the exterior hallways of a traditional Japanese house, and references the halibut's side dorsal fin. 

It's a thin slice of muscle that is fatty and concentrated in flavor, with a texture unlike any other sushi fish I've had - sort of 'panelled' or 'striped'.  You don't see it offered at every sushi spot in town, so I was excited to see it on the SUGARFISH menu.  But, again for some bizarre reason SUGARFISH likes to mangle their sashimi (I should have saved my puke reference up above, in halibut sashimi section, for this plate).  Not only is it not appetizing in appearance - this preparation completely kills the main thing that makes the cut of fish unique - its texture.  And again drowned in the ponzu.  I would not order this plate again.

 I have to say that the service was friendly and attentive.  My server came by to ask how everything was, and when I mentioned the fish that I liked, he mentioned that they have an off-menu item that is his favorite, and asked if I wanted to try it.  I was stuffed at that point, but he said the magic words, "off menu" - so of course I had to go for it!  

The off menu item was Albacore Belly - a nice, smooth, fatty cut:  if ankimo (monkfish liver) is the foie gras of the sea, then I would say this fish is the pork belly of the sea.  Loved it.

All in all, though there were massive hits and epic misses, overall SUGARFISH is a fantastic and welcome shift and addition to the neighborhood. 

It's great to be able to make a quick meal of high quality sushi at affordable prices - even if you have to stick to more common types of fish in the prix fixe menus.  Plus that oyster sashimi which will be a 'must eat' for me - I've already been back again and can forsee many more visits.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa
11288 Ventura Blvd # C, Studio City, CA 91604
Ph: 818.762.2322

Website: sugarfishsushi.com
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