Shunji: Matsuhisa for Mortals?

It was a semi-dark and stormy evening.  I was dreading the long haul home from West LA back to the Valley.  Then a memory beckoned to me like a beacon in the night - of a chain of posts on Chowhound talking about the reincarnation of a utopic place that I had been sad I didn't get around to visiting before it shuttered - Shunji's.

Exec chef/owner Shunji Nakao was one of the original three chefs at Matsuhisa in the late 80's (along with his brother and Nobu Matsuhisa).  Shunji and his brother went on to run the highly successful (and one of the few Michelin-starred restaurants in LA) Asanebo in Studio City - before Shunji had moved on to his own spot on Melrose.  And after splitting from the owner of Shunji's, chef Shuji took his namesake with him...as luck would have it for me, to West LA very close to my new office. 

The new Shunji is in a most unexpected venue - the spot previously occupied by Mr. Cecil's Ribs, on Pico.  It's a distinctively shaped (round) standalone building - and because they have only just soft opened March 1st, the sign currently just says "Japanese Cuisine".  The 'disguised' location works out perfectly for me - all the better to be able to experience Chef Shunji's creations in peace, before word spreads and the place starts getting packed.

So, I pulled over that night on my way home, right when the restaurant opened at 6:15.  I was the only person for a good hour or so - and considered myself lucky to get to see Chef Shunji at work at the sushi bar, and had a blast chatting with super friendly server Yuko. 

Right now they are only serving dinner - the staff is lean and Chef Shunji is pretty much handling all the food on his own.  The dinner menu looked exciting (you can get oysters on the half shell with uni!! oyster/uni tempura!), with fairly reasonable prices ($10 and under for a lot of items), but I knew that with access to such a talented chef, omakase was really the way to go.  Chowhound told me it would be $80 for omakase, which is actually not too bad at all for quality sushi.  Little did I know I was to have a mind-blowing meal full of new discoveries, of the caliber of LudoBites or Le Comptoir. 

Course 1: Jellyfish, cucumber, radish, red onion in sake sauce - though jellyfish is common in Chinese cuisine, I don't recall ever encountering it in Japanese cooking.  Chef Shunji serves it cold, with slices of cucumber, daikon and red onion in a sake sauce.  The texture of the jellyfish was incredible - soft and flowing yet with a crisp crunch.  This paired well with the 'like' crunch of the veggie accompaniments, and all in a shallow bath of sake sauce, served in a glass.  A very lovely start.

As Shunji carefully crafted the next course I could see that it would become one of my favorites. The care with which he arranged the pieces, reminded me of an artist or sculptor at work.

Course 2: Veggie platter with happy ends (not official name, I made this up) - the artistry of this course reminded me of a recent plate by Chef Gary Menes, but with a much more playful aesthetic (pop-art to Chef Menes' fine art), and seafood as bookends to the freshest cuts of fun looking veggies.  From left to right: ankimo (monkfish liver) and caviar, squash, lotus root, daikon, peas, purple daikon, okra, turnip, string bean, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), celery, burdock root, sweet potato ball with truffle and feta cheese, purple potato ball with blue cheese and dried persimmon, Costa Rican 'sparkle squid'.  Every piece of veggie was beautifully fresh and all set off fireworks on my taste buds!  But I was glad that the chef advised to eat all the veggies first, then end with the pieces of seafood - I wanted to keep the taste of both in my mouth forever.  The ankimo was gorgeously light and airy, with the brine from caviar cutting nicely through the rich buttery flavor. 

The delicate little  'sparkle squid' (not entirely sure if that's the proper name), a rare find from Costa Rica, was something I'd never had before - and absolutely ethereal - like it just got plucked from the ocean minutes before, still glistening with sea water. Chef Shunji put a little dab of something that tasted very slightly spicy on its head, and the light bit of heat went perfectly with the flavors of the squid! 

The only things on the plate that I wasn't a big fan of were the potato-cheese-balls.  They were a little too dry, dense and pungent, and to me didn't seem to go with the other objects of almost other-worldly-levity on the plate.

In any case - I loved this course.

Course 3: Steamed Bamboo, Uni, Bamboo, Seaweed in Chorizo & Ramps Dashi.  I don't know how Chef Shunji even thought to put these things together.  But the steamed bamboo was one of the best preparations I've ever had - I never thought that bamboo could be its own main attraction like that - usually it's embellishment in some other dish like ramen (or in Chinese cuisine, part of different soups or stir fry).  The steamed bamboo was served carved up into triangular sections - and were tender, but with a clean crunch that reminded me of beets or hearts of palm, lovely sprinkled with fleur de sel.  To counterbalance the mild flavors of the bamboo, there was a roasted tomato that had been marinated with vinegar.  Then there was a bowl filled with sea urchin, more bamboo pieces, fresh seaweed - all in a clear and slightly starchy broth made with chorizo and ramps.  A truly lovely and unique dish - creatures and plants of land and sea came together in one bowl.  Mind-blown.

Course 4: Squid in Squid Ink and Uni with Quail Egg + Seared Kanpachi with Miso Sauce + Allegra Flowers - just when I was still mulling over the new and unusual flavors of the previous dishes, the Best Dish of the Night arrived, catching me completely off guard.  It seems like Italians have mixed squid ink with sea urchin already (love the squid ink pasta with uni and jalapeno at Osteria Mozza!), but I've never had squid sashimi in squid ink mixed with uni and topped by a quail egg.  This one at first triggered memories of the squid ink rice pudding I had at LudoBites 8.0 - which I didn't like - but Chef Shunji's invention was very different in that the freshest squid was used (where Ludo's was rice pudding shaped and textured to resemble squid), and the squid ink was tempered and made smooth and not so clotted by mixed in sea urchin - which also gave it an unbelievable umami that was transcendent.  I was advised to eat first a bit of the squid on its own, then to mix in the quail egg for even greater lusciousness.  I loved every bit of this and would come back in just for a taste - possibly every night before I go home.  And this all balanced perfectly with the gorgeously seared, smokey-tasting kanpachi, dabbed with sesame sauce for more umami, and finished off with a lovely sprig of edible Allegra flower (plucked from a potted plant at the end of the bar, so super fresh). 

Then, as we were talking about meals and dishes elsewhere I've been recently impressed with, I mentioned Ludo's foie gras soup - and Yuko said: "Oh, Chef Shunji used to do a Japanese foie gras soup he invented a long time ago.  Maybe he will make it again for you - not sure if he has the ingredients but let's ask".  And with a delighted grin, as if someone had just awarded him the $656 million lottery jackpot, Chef Shunji pulled out his 'secret stash' of foie and went to work on Course 5: to recreate his soup - which turned out to be a taro potato gazpacho with winter melon, yams, yuzu zest and shaved foie gras torchon on top.  The foie was almost brittle looking, or looked from a distance like it could be chicken or pulled pork.  I didn't love the large chunks of softened orange yam in the soup - but adored the creative fusion of Japanese/French flavors in the foie, yuzu and sweet potato.  I almost licked the bowl clean.

Course 6: Roasted Eggplant, Miso, Fried Shrimp, Shitake Mushroom, Fresh Seaweed - resuming the 'regular' omakase, next up was another innovative roll that I've never seen anywhere else before: roasted eggplant was topped by a miso paste, then pieces of pan-fried shrimp and shitake mushroom.  This was a delicious combination of the 'fruits' of ocean and earth again that really brought the umami.

Course 7: Black Cod with Enoki and Shitake Mushrooms in Mushroom Dashi - the last hot course of the meal, this was simple and clean, with a lovely piece of black cod (skin on!) in a clear mushroom broth, beautifully arranged with enoki and shitake mushrooms. 

At this point other patrons started to arrive, and I was getting full - Yuko asked if I had room for anything else.  At the beginning of the meal it had been mentioned that they have very nice cuts of bluefin tuna and toro in today - so I coudn't leave without trying those.  The bluefin tuna was a breathtaking rich almost burgundy color, and was lush and delicious.  I also loved that Chef Shunji grates a wasabi root right in front of you to make the freshest wasabi possible for the sushi.   

The Toro was so tender and fatty and fresh, I had to close my eyes for a moment to truly savor the bites.  Chef Shunji puts salt crystals on one of the pieces too for texturing and flavor, but both pieces were amazing.

All in all, I was glad the storm and need to delay my journey home - brought me to this new home away from home.  The hospitality was world class, and I loved my mind-blowing dinner at not too much wallet-damage ($80 omakase plus a glass of wine ($9) plus extra course of foie gazpacho ($12) and extra pieces of sushi ($10 for toro).  Affordable for mere mortals.  I can't wait to go back.  And the only reason I'm telling you about this instead of keeping it to myself, is that everyone should get to experience Chef Shunji's amazing creations at least once - and I'm really rooting for this venture to succeed, as they deserve to be around for a long, long time. 

On a 7 point scale:Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Shunji
12244 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles,CA 90064
Ph: 310.826.4737

Parking: Free lot attached to restaurant

Website: shunji-ns.com
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Kiriko Sushi - Making Its Mark at the Olympic Collection

Olympic Collection brings back many memories - that complex on the corner of Olympic and Sawtelle with its boutique shops, restaurants and bakeries anchored around an event space - was the answer, back in college, whenever anyone asked where we wanted to eat. There was the college kid wallet friendly udon place, Mishima - that wasn't too rough on the palate either (back then). Same goes for Hong Kong Cafe (decent offering of authentic Chinese without long drive to SGV). And a laid back bar on the first floor, if we wanted to drink and hang out a bit afterwards.

Now, 'all grown up' - even if just on a cellular level, not so much mental/ emotional - I still love to visit the area to indulge cravings for quirky/tasty snacks like chocolate filled koala shaped cookies, and chips so spicy the bag features an image of a grandma breathing unseen fire into the air, at Nijiya Market across the street. Recently the much buzzed about Tsujita, with its Tsukemen (cooled noodles you dip into fish/pork broth slow cooked for hours!) just opened a lil ways down as well - and I cant wait to try it. But on a rather hot day, I decided to go with Kiriko Sushi, on the 1st floor of Olympic Collection.

Kiriko may not always come up on lists of Top Sushi Places in LA, but perhaps only because it's not a place that's big on self-promotion nor takes an 'of the moment' approach - but rather inauspiciously serves up high quality sea creatures and their own modern take on sushi in their cozy space with a handful of tables around a featured bar.

At first I was drawn to the blackboard featuring a lunch special that seemed to have a LOT of stuff offered for $15 (4 courses?!)...

But I had heard great things about Kiriko's specialty sushi / sashimi and decided that should be my first experience of the place...

So I swung all the way to the other extreme and went for the Omakase - Sashimi & Sushi ($46) which touts "Today's best selection of fish picked by chef (assorted sashimi, 5pcs of sushi, soup and salad). This ended up being quite a bit more food than I expected!

First up: Miso soup and salad - these were classics, well executed. Both tasted incredibly fresh and a nice way to kick off the meal.

Kiriko doesn't waste any time with making a great impression - the first dish (sashimi/Japanese tapas plate #1) was beautifully plated, and had me at hello.

I LOVED that they don't play it safe with standard slices of fish first, but dive straight into service of more exciting sea creatures / sea creature parts.

Monkfish Liver with fermented soybean sauce - I was so excited to see this 'foie gras of the sea' on the platter! Apparently this comes from one of the ugliest fish in the sea, but its liver at least is beautiful and full of vitamins and minerals that are good for you. This was the freshest monkfish liver I've ever had (ok, so from a big sample size of two) - texture that's silky smooth, lush and somewhere between butter and firm tofu, rich but subtle flavor that is to me like a nutty and less bold version of lobster tomalley.

The topping of fermented soybean sauce makes it more like a Japanese tapas item and gives it extra flavor without overwhelming the natural richness of what I'm just gonna call 'monkfish foie'. Loved this.

Octopus a classic, well prepared - not sure if they massaged these tentacles, played Mozart to it, whispered sweet nothings etc. but whatever their method, these pieces were tEnDeR as heck! Loved that it was served up in pristine form with just a gentle dab of fresh wasabi.

Surf Clam with fresh seaweed - I loved the presentation of the third item on the plate - served up in a lovely pearlized ceramic clam-shaped dish, with fresh tendrils and folds of seaweed strewn over the clam, as if it had literally just washed up on shore this way.

Clam can be tough if not cooked right, but Kiriko's preparation was perfect, soft yet slightly chewy, juicy and tasting of fresh ocean water.

As almost sort of like a palate cleanser in between plates, next up was an item from their appetizer section - Mango Wrapped in Smoked Salmon with caviar. The salty, soft and yieldy slice of salmon was an interesting pairing with the tart/tangy crunchy cut of fruit -punctuated by the brine of the black caviar spheres.

Next up was a Sashimi plate #2. Starting on the far left: Kampachi-carpaccio (amberjack), served with rounds of jalapenos and a vinegar fish roe gelee. I loved the vinegar fish roe gelee for its different twist on the usual brush of vinegar in liquid form over sushi. However, I did find that the combination of acute acidity and heat from the jalapenos did somewhat overwhelm the carpaccio instead of letting its natural, pure flavors shine or giving it an assist to let it shine first.

In the middle atop a shiso leaf are Albacore Tuna slices with fried shallots and tobiko- this would probably tie for my favorite of the plate - albacore tuna doesn't have much star power on its own, and in contrast to other fish that I would want to taste in a clean, pure way - when put in unusual combination with fried shallots (for crunchy explosions of pungent flavor) and tobiko (lovely bursts of subtle salinity), and unique taste of the shiso leaf, was elevated to bites of beauty.

Lastly, to the far right, my other tie for favorite item on the plate: Tako Sakurani (tender Japanese octopus slices) with a thin line of ponzu sauce. Loved the unusual cut of octopus, which almost took on a squid like appearance and textural quality. The ponzu sauce also cut through nicely with bit of tartness.


Then came a series of sushi rolls, starting with Toro sushi - a nice, fatty and perfectly sized piece of tuna over a well-formed and just barely perceptibly warm rice roll.

Red Snapper sushi - another lovely slice sprinkled with tiny bits of seaweed.

Ok I should know what this one is but I didn't write it down so if you know what it is, please tell me!

Goldeneye Red Snapper sushi - this was my favorite of the sushi rolls, yes, I'm predictable by now about my love for the unusual. So yes, I loved this one - haven't seen it in many sushi places - maybe just Kiriko and Asanebo

The color, texture (lightly pan-fried so that the skin has an exquisite, slight, salty smokiness, and the outside is just barely cooked while the inside is still tender and raw), taste are all beautiful. Top it off with a dab of yuzu kosho ( A fermented paste made of yuzu rind, chili peppers, and salt) for tart/bitter/heat and it's perfection in a roll.

For the grand finale - a Crab Hand Roll that gave the meal a sweet, satisfying finish with the softest, freshest, sweetest crab balanced with sesame for fragrant crunch, and perky rice all wrapped in a crisp sheet of fresh toasted nori.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed the unusual offerings more, but also preferred the ones that let the clean flavors of the sea creatures shine.


Though $46 is much more than I would normally spend on lunch, I found the omakase at Kiriko worth the splurge - if nothing else, as a defiant reaffirmation of this phase of my life (yes, I've long graduated from the Mishimas of the world - I make my own money and this is how I choose to enjoy it...cue Destiny's Child song?).

On the flip side, when I do get back to the realities of my regular budget, I will have their $15 lunch deal to look forward to checking out as well.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 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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Kiriko Sushi
11301 Olympic Blvd #102, West Los Angeles, CA 90064
Ph: 310.478.7769
Website: kirikosushi.com
Twitter: twitter.com/kirikosushi
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Asanebo - Michelin-Starred Sushi in Studio City

I recently rewatched Jiro Dreams of Sushi thanks to a free screening at AFI Fest, and predictably it has filled my mind with nothing but sushi since. I must be sado-masochistic to torture myself with reliving the visual feast of food at a quality and price I can't have.  I couldn't just hop on the next flight to Japan to taste the artistry at Sukiyabashi Jiro (restaurant featured in the movie), and in LA the sushi master lauded as best in the city/state and maybe even country - two Michelin-starred Urasawa - is nearly as inaccessible to foodies on a budget, with prices starting at $350 per person.  But I'm a dreamer, and it was uplifting to even have feasted just my eyes.

Thinking about Michelin-starred sushi though did trigger lovely memories of my last major splurge - I did have amazing meals at the one-Michelin starred Asanebo in Studio City.  I had somehow never gotten around to doing a post about them - and now seems like a good time to relive the last meal there by writing about it.

Michelin stars are hard to come by in LA, period, and no one really expected one to be awarded to a spot in the Valley, no less.  But Asanebo was amazing, and the best Japanese fine dining experience I've had in the city so far within my price range (barely within my budget - and with the previously stated disclaimer that I haven't been able to afford meals at the super high end places like Urasawa or Nobu so can't speak to how they are).

What I love about Asanebo: incredible quality, and creativity, without cheesy gimmicks or pretentiousness.  A tiny venue with just a handful of tables and counter seating, located in an unassuming strip mall on Ventura Blvd., Asanebo radiates the cozy vibe of a neighborhood gem - while serving up world class cuisine.

My first encounter with Asanebo was generously 'sponsored' by an ex's parents, who loved that I had the same taste as them  (he didn't eat most seafood, much less raw - hm, perhaps that should have raised red flags much earlier).  The feeding frenzy was a blur but I remembered spectacular uni dishes, and scallop sashimi rolled in grey smoked sea salt (which I'd never seen done before).  So last December, when my brother and his wife were in town, I had taken her (a fellow sushi lover) to Asanebo as her last meal before returning to Montreal.  I got off work late and it was nearly closing time, so we took the quick and 'easy' route of omakase, which excited us anyway as it meant some of the best and freshest the chefs have to offer, plus I like to be surprised when it comes to food. 

Our choice was simple: Omakase A ($75-$100, no sushi), B ($100-$125),  or C ($125+).  We went with B as it was only $25 more and included sushi, and we didn't have trust funds to fuel the open-ended C.

So it's been a while, and the meal went too fast to take extensive notes, so hoping this is not completely inaccurate (let me know if you see something that needs to be corrected!)

First dish: Housemade tofu with sea urchin with bonito sauce, fresh seaweed and fresh wasabi the tofu was a little too dense for me, but you can really taste the difference in fresh made vs packaged tofu - flavors are richer and cleaner, the texture much smoother.  Same with the fresh seaweed and wasabi.  Top this with incredibly fresh tongues of uni and we were off to a fantastic start.

Next up was Grilled Golden Eye Snapper (so I have had it before!) with Japanese Spring Vegetables, Shimeji Mushrooms, Tofu Curd and Bonito Flakes - loved this dish for the salty char on the freshest piece of fish, balanced by earthiness of mushrooms and veggies, elevated by bonito flakes and tofu curd for textural contrast.

Then came an unexpected meat dish - Seared Kobe Beef - the lush texture was amazing and it was served as beef sashimi (with a dab of wasabi on the side!).  The bite-sized pieces were perfectly seared for crisp, salty edges yielding to a rare to medium-rare center so tender it almost made us cry.  I still remember the taste of this one almost a year later.

Hamachi (yellowtail) was next, with crispy shreds of shallot on top, sitting in a lake of dashi (broth).  A rustic dish that was lovely in its simplicity and beautiful in the careful balance of textures and flavors.

Halibut with Black Truffle was a creative combination that of course had me salivating on sight.  I didn't think I had ever seen truffle used with sashimi before, but the earth+sea combo of lightly crunchy truffle with thinly sliced, tender fish - though not mind-blowing - worked nicely together.  On the side was a marinated cherry tomato for some acidity to cut through the rich flavors and act as palate cleanser.

This was followed by a veggie dish - Stewed Daikon (radish) with Black Soybeans in dashi (broth) served warm. 

The daikon was stewed carefully so that it was almost translucent, and so tender it fell away with a light swipe of the spoon, but yet retained its structure, holding back just before the brink of mush.  The consistency reminded me of Chinese winter melon (冬瓜) when it's been stewed and made into soup. The mild flavors of the daikon were enhanced by the hearty, fragrant black soybean on top.

Next up was a Alaskan King Crab Leg, lightly grilled so that there is a lovely saltiness that carries over from the shell before you reach the sweet meat inside. Not the most incredible crab leg I've ever had, but a nice addition to the meal.

Our second to last dish was Miso Soup - we were surprised to see it came with a lobster head, the first time we'd seen that used with miso soup.  The soup tasted made from scratch, and hit us to our core on that cold winter night.  The hearty lobster head may be unsettling for diners who don't like to meet their food face-to-face (my brother's wife didn't love that it was 'staring' at her) but I felt it was a nice and unusual touch and thought I could taste tomalley flavors infused into the soup



Where a meal would traditionally end with some sort of sweet dish, Asanebo ends theirs with a small plate of nigiri sushi - Toro, Uni and Hamachi.  I really loved this plate as the fish  tasted like it was plucked from the ocean minutes ago, and were great last bites to leave with and remember Asanebo by.

All in all, a lovely time at Asanebo - where most sushi joints would offer all fish/seafood rolls in their omakase, Asanebo mixes it up with small plates and even kobe beef, and it all works together.  I loved the ambiance of thoughtful and cozy decor, and warm, friendly service (they treat everyone like they're an old friend).  I know I won't likely be able to repeat the experience anytime soon, but...sort of like how NFL stars, after winning the Superbowl, would sometimes give their by now famously familiar answer when asked what they're gonna do now - if I ever had another occasion to celebrate, at this point, if I was paying my first thought would very well be "I'm going to Asanebo!"

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6.5 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$$$ (4 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%
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Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
Ph: 818.760.3348
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Gonpachi Beverly Hills - Sublime but for the Sushi

Stillness, tranquility.  Simplicity.  Authenticity.  Endless pursuit of perfection.  All that you could easily identify with Japanese tradition, can be found surprisingly on a high traffic stretch of restaurant row La Cienega.  At least with the beautifully and meticulously crafted space at Gonpachi, if not necessarily everything that ends up on your plate.

From the minute you set foot inside the entrance, you will feel transported to some reclusive hybrid spa / zen temple in Japan.

'Designer' and I were amazed as we pretty much 'stumbled' on this find - 'Designer' had seen a Travelzoo deal for the place a while ago, and had decided it was worth a shot.  The gift cert stayed in her stash until this Saturday - we happened to be in the area for LACMA's Muse ArtWalk, and she had pulled two deals from local restaurants for our post event meal.  It was only when we realized last minute her other deal was not available for use Saturdays, that we ended up with Gonpachi.

It turned out to be the highlight of our week, at least in terms of the space.

Despite (or because of?) its location on famed Restaurant Row in Beverly Hills, alongside luminiaries as The Bazaar by Jose Andres and Matsuhisa, we weren't expecting any sort of authentic
Japanese experience, but perhaps a scenester-ish LA interpretation of Japanese cuisine.  So we were excited to discover that the place is owned by a famous restauranteur in Japan, who was very concerned with creating an authentic Japanese experience - even importing a lot of the building materials from Japan. The setting is gorgeous - with natural, flowing spaces constructed of wood and stone, three wings surrounding a lush, serene central garden.  We passed through a bar that opens out to the koi pond before entering the main dining room, and toured private rooms on the second floor that includes a traditional tatami room with shoji doors.  Third wing is a more sleek, modern looking sushi bar that is enclosed but also ultimately leads out to the garden.

On arriving to the airy dining room with vaulted ceilings, we settled into a high-backed wooden booth, which affords privacy while providing a fantastic view of the garden via huge sunlit windows.  We were there early, around 6:30pm, so perhaps the place gets into a different vibe later into the night, but while we were there it was zen-like.

Starved, but wanting to sample a hopefully representative variety of menu items, we decided quickly on the 5-course tasting menu called "Gonpachi Experience" ($45 per person).  The names of the courses were somewhat cryptic, but as we both like surprises - and thus the idea of omakase - that was part of the charm of the menu.

The first course was the artfully plated Chef's omakase of five daily zensai.  We loved everything in this course - which tasted as great as it looked - fresh and flavorful.  From right to left was: seaweed salad, tuna sashimi wrapped around avocado, mushroom cap stuffed with crab, a fried shrimp dumpling that looked sea urchin inspired - topped with a light sauce that reminded me of nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) and sprinkled with nori, and finally pickled radish with sesame.

Up next was the Chef's omakase of sashimi and nigiri sushi.  Given the craftsmanship of the space, the careful attention to detail from the overall design to sculpted iron door handles, to the stoneware-style bottle and glasses used to serve sake, and the mention of fish sourced locally and from Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market - we had high expectations for this dish. 

What we ended up getting was a mix of standard types of fish / seafood.  A shrimp roll that tasted dry and tough (it took a combination of gnashing and yanking to bite through the piece - and it was unfortunate that we could tell by the looks of it before we even bit in, that it would not taste fresh at all), and bluefin tuna that was completely tasteless. The albacore tuna sashimi was flaccid.  Even the salmon sashimi, which is one of my favorite fish and hard to go wrong with - was not very compelling:  the knifework simply wasn't there, the pieces were cut too thick, and the texture what I would describe as 'al dente' - not ideal for sashimi - and oily.  The yellowtail was probably the only decent tasting piece of fish on the plate - and I couldn't call it good.  It's possible this was an anomaly specific to the prix fixe courses, and the a la carte rolls / sashimi are perfect - but as the spirit and intention of omakase is for the chef to introduce the diner to the freshest fare available for the day - this was disappointing for us.  We really wanted to love the fish so that we could recommend the place as one of the best mid-tier Japanese dining experiences in LA to friends - but based on what we were served this Saturday night, we could not.  Hopefully it was a fluke and the next time we venture out to Gonpachi, the quality will be there.  Kind of important for a Japanese restaurant with half its menu based on sashimi & nigiri, for them to get the fish right!

Next up was the Seasonal sumiyaki selection and salad - consisting of three skewers, first of perfectly grilled, lightly salted chicken and spring onion sections, a chicken and duck sausage-like skewer that was perfectly grilled and seasoned, tender, juicy inside with an intoxicatingly fragrant char on the outside (though Designer had to send hers back at first since the meat looked a bit undercooked, second time around it was perfect), and a stack of shishito peppers.  Chicken has disappointed me too many times as a bland, tasteless meat, that I would only spend minimal amounts of money on in fried, fast food form (or from LudoTruck) - and I've long decided that it's my least favorite meat.  However, these skewers surprised me with flushes of flavor, tender and juicy without being fatty.  Looking down into the open kitchen, you can tell the care the chefs put into the quality of each skewer - they are cooked one by one, with sous chefs fanning them by hand over the robata grill with paper / bamboo fans.  Would order these again on my next visit.  The shishito peppers were a bit too spicy for my taste - I prefer the ones at Sushi Katsu-ya, but others might enjoy them here as well.

Our last savory course was a Soba tasting - Gonpachi prides itself on their hand-pounded buckwheat soba noodles, threshed and milled on the premises fresh.  So we were looking forward to the course, albeit it being served hot vs. the cold noodles we were more accustomed to.

Perhaps it was the buckwheat, or the preparation (hot), but this one was not a favorite of our meal.  We wanted more layers of complex flavor in the broth, and the noodles to be more smooth and pliable.

For the finish, we had a Traditional dessert of ice cream with pumpkin (?) sauce topped by berries and red bean paste.  Interesting, but I wanted a bit more personality from the sauce - for me it just sort of didn't reallly add anything to the dish more than the vibrant burst of color.  The consistency of the sauce could also have been thicker - as it was, it just didn't come together with the ice cream and toppings cohesively.

Feeling stuffed, we took a quick stroll around the other wings of the restaurant, checking out the museum-style displays of artwork, vintage samurai armor, sake barrels and teaware upstairs,  and took in the beautiful central garden one last time before heading out.

All-in-all, it was a very filling meal with two out of five courses being great, in an amazing setting - for $45 (plus a bottle of sake for $10, which for us made the total bill under $20 extra per person after we applied the Travelzoo gift cert - $35 for $70 off our bill). 

And, I'm happy to report that Gonpachi according to their site also offers daily, Happy hour specials: 5pm-7pm & 10-close: half-price sakana (appetizers and house specialties) and 2-f o r-1 select draft beers, house sake & wines, well cocktails and sakegria - at the bar.  Will definitely be back to check out their Happy Hour.

Valet parking: $3 only!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks regular menu)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Gonpachi Beverly Hills
134 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Ph: 310.659.8887

Website: gonpachi.globaldiningca.com
Look for reservations: Opentable.com/Gonpachi
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Sushi Nozawa - Sushi Served Seriously in Studio City (CLOSED)

First off, I should disclose at the start that a trip to Tsukiji market in Tokyo (sponsored by my awesome family) last year ruined sushi for me forever.  Nothing will ever compare to the freshness of the amazing sashimi we had at the world's largest fish market - it was actually the first fish market we'd ever been to that did not smell of fish, at all.  This was largely due to the fact that - as my mom so delicately put it:  "the fish is so fresh they haven't started decaying yet".  The fish was structured, smooth and tasted like it was still flailing against its captor mere seconds before it landed on your plate.

That said, there is very good sushi to be had back in the States.  Despite the proliferation of the Tokyo Delve's of the world, which seem to focus more on entertainment and cater to the sake-bombing set, than foodies who revere the cuisine as an art form - there are many restaurants that take their sushi seriously.  On the extreme end of that spectrum is Sushi Nozawa.

In fact, Sushi Nozawa became known as "that place with the sushi nazi" because of chef Kazunori Nozawa's alleged propensity to throw out patrons who dare to place an order versus trusting his expertise.  According to legend, when you enter Sushi Nozawa, you surrender all that you know about how and what sushi should be served and eaten, and put yourself in the hands of Chef Nozawa, who knows best what you should be eating that day.  They call this "Trust Me" style service - which in other Japanese restaurants would be known as "Omakase" but with less draconian overtones:  you pay a fixed price, and the master chef brings you the best on offer within that limit.

Though I've heard from many friends and acquaintances about Sushi Nozawa over the years, and was curious about the concept, for one reason or another I have never ventured out there.  This weekend, I finally made my first trip with my brother and his wife - and couldn't wait to see if the fish merited the hype (and the 'trust me' style service). 

Located in the Valley, away from more high profile and alluring neighborhoods like Robertson or Malibu, where one might expect to find great seafood / sushi - Sushi Nozawa has a singular focus unusual for a successful and highly frequented dining venue in Los Angeles - it only cares about its food, not about image. Tucked away in a non-descript strip mall on Ventura Blvd., Sushi Nozawa's decor is bare bones - with an entrance adorned simply with constantly closed venetian blinds that seems to say 'keep out', the requisite glass counter at the bar, and a handful of tables strewn around a confined space, surrounded by metal chairs with stuffed vinyl seats (the kind you would find in a cheap Chinese hole in the wall in Alhambra).  Behind the counter is Nozawa himself, along with a sous chef - practicing their art in front of various signs that convey essentially the same message:  "Trust Me".

As the hostess was busy, one of the servers came by and told us we actually have one decision to make - we can either wait for a table, where we can place orders, or we can sit at the sushi bar, where we would have "no choice".  Wanting to have the full experience, we asked to be seated at the bar.

Chef Nozawa took a quick glance at us, we assume to assess what our wallets and palates could handle.   As expected, we were never offered menus or asked what we would like - after being offered our second and final choice of the evening - drinks - plates of fish started arriving over the counter immediately.

Worried about any actions that could possibly be interpreted as disrespect, we restrained from the usual frenzy of photography (in fact, we exhibited monumental levels of self-restraint and did not snap a single photo).  Without this preferred method of documenting my meals, it's a little difficult to remember every single dish that came out - but will try my best to recount the highlights here.

Each sushi / roll came on its own separate plate, the better to avoid flavor cross contamination.  The fish was always brushed with a liquid before being served - which we think is rice vinegar - making the fish glisten and adding a little tartness to the fish itself (versus just on its usual medium, in the rice roll).  We had several rounds of plates including yellowtail, toro, red snapper and scallop rolls, followed by a blue crab handroll.  All were prepared traditionally and simply to let the quality of the fish shine through.  There are no modern/ fusion rolls with gimmicky names like baked 'lobster dynamite' or even 'rainbow' rolls here.  Just a simple slice of fish a top a rice roll, or fish with rice inside a seaweed wrap in the case of handrolls.

However, we noted that each rice roll was served warm - which was highly unusual.  In a sushi class I took years ago, it was mentioned that you typically would not see any female sushi chefs - because women have higher body temperatures (I know, weird because we always feel cold while men always feel too hot), so they have warmer hands, which would in turn warm the fish that they would be preparing.  So temperature is a highly sensitive area of concern - makes sense (temperature control, not the gender discrimination) for fish that is being handled and served raw - which made Sushi Nozawa's decision to serve fish on warm rice rolls interesting.  We were told by other frequent Nozawa diners that this is his style.  The warm rice does serve as a nice contrast to, and enhance the coldness of the fish - and seems to help it release its flavors.  It's also worth noting that the nori (seaweed) used for the handroll wraps - unlike other restaurants, where the seaweed could sometimes be tough and hard to chew through (often causing semi-violent explosions of rice to fly through the other end of your roll onto your plate) - the nori used at Nozawa is 'crisp' and separates cleanly and easily with each bite.

Aside from the red snapper, scallops and blue crab roll, which were very good, the crowning piece of our meal came after when a 'regular' diner might perhaps be done - at a certain point, I think it was maybe 6 or 7 plates in, Chef Nozawa asked if we wanted any more sushi?  We gave an immediate, unanimous and resounding "YES!!!".  We had been eyeing the gorgeous tongues of uni in the glass counter all night, but of course knew enough not to ask for it.  Once we responded that we did indeed want more sushi, it seemed we had passed some test proving our worth to Nozawa - and we felt like all the fish we had consumed up to that point had just been to show that we are indeed not culinary 'tourists', but worthy of Nozawa's backroom specials - we gathered all this when he finally reached for the golden ticket - the sea urchin we had been coveting all night.

The sea urchin was simply - amazing.  Aside from the live sea urchin we had at Sushi Iki in Tarzana, where a live sea urchin was cracked open in front of our eyes, and the golden 'tongues' are served on top of the newly cracked shell - this was the freshest I'd had in the U.S.  It had the perfect, for lack of other adjectives - girth, and you can tell its freshness partly from its firm structure - uni tends to get 'relaxed' and to leak liquids over time.   It was buttery and smooth, and melted in our mouths on contact.  I was literally in pain about the fact that we could not capture its perfection in a photo for the blog.

After the uni, we felt our meal was complete.  Time for the tab - and to see the damage.  Unlike other Omakase - where you get at least advance notice of the price you would be working with, if not the specifics of your meal, Sushi Nozawa does not offer any idea of pricing - it's something you have to 'trust' Chef Nozawa with, along with your food.  For about 8 plates of sushi (18 pieces) each, our bill came out to about $75 per person.  With tip, this came out to about $90 each.  Ouch!  I liked the sushi, but not for $90 - at which price I could get a conservative two course, or nice prix fixe meal at a fine-dining restaurant in an upscale setting for a nice evening out (e.g. TWO meals at Osteria Mozza's Amaro Bar, or a two-courser at Providence).  Or you could have Michelin-starred sushi at Asanebo down the street, also on Ventura in Studio City, served in a much more comfortable setting and with friendlier service.  And while skill with the cuts of fish can be a sort of art form, I personally value the creativity in combining unusual textures and flavors in a beautiful presentation over this - at least at venues outside of Tsukiji (and Tsukiji by the way is much cheaper than this - you can get the same meal with much fresher fish at about $30 prix fixe). 

Also - as I am a sucker for the full experience when dining out - ambience, service (love an informative server that makes me learn something new about the chef, ingredients used or inspiration for a dish) in addition to quality food and creative preparations - Sushi Nozawa only fulfills one of many requirements for a great night out for me.  While I am a fan in concept of authentic food and unpretentious settings / service - it's nice when these converge with a thoughtfully designed space and great hospitality. 

While the chefs at Sushi Nozawa were cordial - and nicer than I thought they would be given the carefully crafted reputation of the place - they are definitely not poster boys of hospitality.  This I fully knew before I set foot in the place, that is part of the mystique of the restaurant, and Nozawa's philosophy that it should be all about the food - but to play devil's advocate for a second - the austerity and 'advertised lack of hospitality' in itself could be seen as a gimmick - and given a choice I would much prefer to dine where I feel at least comfortable, and even better to be invited inside the circle of knowledge about what is involved in getting the food that I see on my plate in front of me.  Also, to those who say Sushi Nozawa serves "the freshest (fish) from the world’s waters" - I have to question whether they have been to Tsukiji market. (Ok, bracing myself to be flamed)

All in all, an interesting experience and something I am glad to have checked off my list - but definitely not one I would feel compelled to / crave to repeat anytime soon.

Nozawa's son does have the more modern and accessible SUGARFISH chain Downtown, Brentwood and Marina del Rey (and coming soon to Santa Monica) for those who want experience dining combined with traditional omakase - I would perhaps try those next.

Update April 2012: Sushi Nozawa has closed, to be reincarnated as Sugarfish at a date TBD.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 4.5 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience - 3.5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 60%

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Sushi Nozawa
11288 Ventura Blvd Ste C, Studio City, CA 91604
Ph: 818.508.7017 Website: sushinozawa.com

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