Hamasaku: One Who Creates Food from the Sea: Smorgasbarachirashi and Uni Udon Carbonara Extraordinaire

Sushi lovers on the Westside have plenty of great options, many of them on or near Sawtelle Japantown.  So when I first heard about Hamasaku a few years back, that it was owned by Hollywood mogul Michael Ovitz, and a 'celebrity hotspot' complete with rolls named after stars who frequent the place - it immediately became associated in my mind with 'probably overpriced', and 'probably packed with trendy over-sauced rolls with playful names'.

But one visit to the secluded, surprisingly serene spot in the back corner of a strip mall on Santa Monica, and I became a fan in spite of that all. 

The heavy rustic double doors shield the bustle of two of the busiest thoroughfares in LA (the mall is located by Santa Monica and Sepulveda) away from a peaceful, bright, airy space inside.

Though the menu is indeed full of specialty rolls, yes, one even named Rick Castle, after Nathan Fillion's character on the namesake TV series - they are actually good quality, clean and tasty, and prices are affordable.  Sashimi dishes are gorgeously plated.

But the thing that really sealed the deal for me: they also offer elegant, inventive takes on Japanese dishes, raw and cooked - that are some of the most creative and beautiful I've seen and tasted.

Let's start with the visual smorgasbord that is Bara Chirashi ($34) - served at lunch only, this is Hamasaku's beautiful take on the classic chirashi, where cuts of fish and other seafood are 'scattered' (the literal meaning of the word chirashi) with veggies and egg over a bowl of sushi grade rice.

And it's not all looks - there are treasures to be found with every bite from sea urchin to briny bursts of salmon roe, to yellow tail, snapper, bits of tamago (egg omelette) and other deliciousness.

The portion may not look gigantic, but an average sized person would definitely leave satiated without ordering anything else for lunch.

Then there is the unique dish I dream of and now crave on the weekly: Uni Udon Carbonara ($20) udon, uni, butter, shallots, shiso, seaweed, lime zest, egg white.  Definitely a contender for Best Drama of the year in terms of presentation - waves of sea foam like egg whites awash over a half sea urchin shell, crested by two orange tongues of uni for powerful contrast.

I love the skillful balance of levity and decadence here: the airy egg white counters the substantive bites of fresh, springy udon noodles in rich, creamy yet somehow still light and clean tasting carbonara sauce below. 

Definitely one of my new favorite uni dishes in LA, and one that I wish would be served not only at dinner (as I would happily feast on this three meals a day if I could).

As mentioned earlier, Hamasaku's specialty rolls are not ones that sushi lovers would find unpalatable: the Asylum roll ($25) for example, with toro, lobster, avocado, asparagus, cilantro aioli was fresh, only lightly sauced and delicious.  Is it the best sushi roll I've had in the area?  Not by a long shot - I would head to Kiriko down the street if looking for high grade rolls - but I would say Hamasaku exceeded expectations, and is a good option for client or group meals, where you need the whole experience package of upscale ambience, good variety of options for people who may have different levels of preference for level of raw / austerity in their sushi.

And speaking of variety, Hamasaku also offers charcoal grilled skewers at affordable prices: I'm a fan of the Duck breast robata yaki ($4) with yuzu kosho, and they also have everything from chicken to salmon skewers. 









Many Japanese restaurants focus more on the savory, so that when it comes time for dessert you are often faced with standard mochi  or ice cream or some combination thereof. 

I love that Hamasaku offers a delicious Green Tea Budino, that is so smooth and flavorful, I would count it amongst the reasons to return to Hamasaku soon.

One other thing of note, they do have counter seating, and I appreciate that the staff are very solo diner friendly, as someone often in need of places to have dinner while waiting for rush hour traffic to die down.  And you never know who you're going to meet the next seat over, and I don't just mean celebs: on my last visit, I met an awesome UCLA doctorate professor who often dines there solo as well, and had an enlightening conversation about chemistry and diet.

All in all, a great spot for power lunching, and solo dining. Despite the stars.

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 6 bites  
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6.5 bites
Ambience -  6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Hamasaku

11043 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
Ph: 310.479.7636

 

Website: hamasakula.com  
Parking: valet, in attached strip mall open air parking

Look for reservations, and points, at OpenTable
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SHIKI: Affordable Fantastic Omakase and Washoku in Beverly Hills?!?

In the zip code synonymous with luxury, is not the place where you would most expect to find affordable and authentic ethnic cuisine.  Yet there it is, against the odds and expectation: SHIKI, helmed by talent from the kitchens of two of the sushi spots most beloved by those in-the-know in the city from Asanebo to Sushi Gen.

I have a fateful visit to the dentist in the area, and a combination of slowly-fading anesthetic and increasing hunger pangs to thank for motivating me to wander into SHIKI.  Seeing their emphasis on "washoku" (literal translation: Japanese food, but apparently references traditional Japanese cooking emphasizing harmony, respect for nature and balance in satisfying all senses) featured on their menu was the first sign that this would be a 'hidden gem' - but I had to do a triple-take when I saw that the omakase was 'only' $60 - astounding for any higher end place in the city.  It would include two appetizers, and 10 pieces of sushi of the chef's selection.

There was a moment when I worried that it would be the standard, snooze-inducing roster of yellowtail, salmon, tuna, etc. etc.  But at $60, and with my love and trust of Asanebo and Sushi Gen, I decided it was worth a try.  And it turned out to be one of the best omakase I've had in the city, especially for this price.
  

Appetizer #1: Agedashi tofu with tempura - every bite here is prepared with care and pride, and it shows from the start.  This tofu is perfectly silky smooth inside, and nicely fried outside, placed into the most elegant dashi (broth) and topped with two pieces of (eggplant?) tempura and shaved radish and ginger.

Appetizer #2: Seared Snapper and Barracuda with vegetables this dish too, embodied the Japanese pursuit of perfection in every detail: sweet, flaky snapper and barracuda were enhanced with the smokiness (and structure) from torching, and again the refreshing, light yet complex dashi, and chilled bites of boiled eggplant, juicy earthy mushrooms, and bright leaves of perfectly cooked spinach.

Then the sushi started arriving piece by piece, traditional style where you can tell the chef respects every beautiful cut of fish he puts in front of you.  Sushi #1: Snapper. 

I was lucky enough to be placed in head chef Hiro's care, and I need not have worried about the faux omakase some other popular sushi spots serve, where the courses are the same every day, to every diner. These would be the freshest cuts of the day, and I like to think, served based on the chef's interactions with you (he watches your reaction to each piece for feedback before serving the next one).

Here's what I got for the rest of my omakase rolls:
Sushi #2: Squid with ginger and ponzu.- loved the fresh crunch and well balanced savory/sweet with a kick from the ginger and wasabi
Sushi #3: Tuna
Sushi #4: Seared toro (one of my favorite bites of the meal, decadently fatty with just the right amount of smokiness and the whole thing just melts in your mouth and makes your eyes roll back as a gentle moan inadvertently escapes from your lips)
Sushi #5: Barracuda, gorgeously seared and sliced / shaped in such a way that it was somehow evocative to me of an origami armadillo
Sushi #6: Baby toro with ponzu jelly, scallion and ginger
Sushi #7: Sea perch torched for smokiness in perfect balance with the natural sweetness of the fish (chef described it as 'like white fish toro')
Sushi #8: Ikura (salmon roe) marinated in sardine dashi and steamed.  This was another creative departure from the traditional roll - the process of marinating and steaming both pulled back the bright brininess typical of salmon roe, and intensified the umami by introducing another fish element.  Delicious.
Sushi #9: Octopus brushed with a sauce made from tea, lentils and gyoza sauce - this one really exhibited the creativity of the team - they do traditional sushi really well, but also will do some creative things I've never seen at any other sushi spot.  Chef Hiro explained that with this one, they do cut the octopus a little bit thicker, intentionally so that as you bite into the piece and the 'meat' breaks apart, it releases the aromas upwards into your palate.  A fantastic piece to experience!
Sushi #10: Uni (sea urchin) from Santa Barbara, of course one of my favorite bites as an uni addict!!!

I would have been satiated just with the $60 omakase, but I was enjoying the meal so much that I went for the add-on (which by the way was only $20 for an extra 5 pieces of sushi!!! Amazing deal!) 

Extra sushi #1: Amberjack

Extra sushi #2: Shima aji

Extra sushi #3: so, I loved the seared toro so much that I decided to ask for another piece within my extra 5, risking the chance at trying one more type of fish that I might have also fawned over - because I knew I would not be able to sleep that night without having another bite of that proof of divine design. 

Extra sushi #4: chopped toro with pickled radish  this was an interesting one without rice, and a lovely crunches of radish sending bursts of acidity to cut through the fatty fish.  Tasty.

Extra sushi #5: sea eel - from Japan; this is not the oversauced eel that you get at lesser sushi spots - but a fresh one, lightly sauced so that you can still taste the eel itself, and served hot.

And as a reward for my seemingly endless stomach, Chef Hiro also gave me a block of tamago (sweet egg omelette)

Although all that sushi was a lot of food already, I wasn't ready to leave without tasting a few bites from the washoku menu.

Not having known that the first appetizer of omakase was going to be tofu, I also ordered the Goma tofu: unfortunately turns out this was a bit too dense and 'sticky' for me.  I definitely preferred the agedashi tofu.

Momotaro with blue crab, in ume dashi dressing with ohba leaf (half portion $3 + $6 supplement for crab).  a beautiful perfect tomato - jewel toned inside - is served with fresh bits of blue crab in a vinegar-based dressing.  Momotaro is a Japanese tomato that is less acidic than the ones served in American salads, and only slightly sweet. This was a lovely way to feature the humble tomato, but I didn't find this dish as mindblowing as the next one (hmmm, no ingredient based bias there...;))

Then there was the show stopping Uni Shiokara sea urchin brined, then steamed and made into a paste and served with neat, crispy strips of toasted seaweed, and fresh wasabi.

You put a bit of the uni paste inside the seaweed, add a bit of wasabi, then down it goes like a Japanese taco.  The brining, steaming and pasting technique is interesting in that it made the texture more dense, and amplified the natural funk of fresh uni and made it more pungent (in the best way).

Serving it with toasted seaweed to add crisp crunch to counterbalance the richness of the uni paste was perfect.

Loved this dish!!!!

There were so many more washoku dishes I wanted to try, including a few A5 wagyu ones, but I'd tested the limits of my stomach capacity, and by this time I'd also pushed past their official closing time.  But I vowed to be back again soon!

(And for sake / Japanese whiskey fans: SHIKI also serves tasting flights of sake for $18, as well as award winning whiskeys like Yamazaki, and interesting ones like Akashi White Oak.)

All in all, omakase at SHIKI is a fantastic deal that I would definitely return for, even without a dentist visit as my excuse to be in the area - I would drive out for this, one that I now consider among my favorite sushi (and washoku) spots in the city.

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 6 bites  
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience -  6 stars
Service - 7 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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SHIKI 

410 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.888.0036

 

Website: shikibeverlyhills.com  

Parking: lunch: free for first 2 hours; dinner: $5 flat fee for entry after 6pm, in public structure below Crate & Barrel (short walk)
  



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Sushi Tsujita: from Ramen to Riches of the Sea

To ramen fans, Tsujita (and its subsequent Annex) represents a pilgrimage-worthy temple of tsukemen, worth any amount of time spent in line any day of the week.  It's been so successful with its signature super rich pork broth and dip-in noodles, that the announcement of the latest in their restaurant ventures would be that ubiquitous (in LA anyway) sushi - it was met with much skepticism.  What would ramen masters know about sushi?

The space is a very conscious, extreme departure from the lunchtime hotspot from the outset.  An exquisite chandelier presides over Sushi Tsujita's chic and orchid-adorned outdoor patio, boldly stating in no uncertain terms: "upscale". 

And then I enter the serene, jewelry-puzzle-box interior, intimate yet expansive feeling at the same time, and realize that it is instantly one of my favorite restaurant designs in LA.

I had read about the special lunch deal at $15, another reason to love the place - but I knew that at the limited supply of 15 lunches at that price, first come first served, that I would not be able to make it out of work in time.  But, looking at the lunch menu got me excited again - there were various rice bowls topped with fish for the still affordable $18-$35 range.  And one of them involved my favs uni & salmon (I read things in order of personal importance...)!

To get a better sampling of their sea creature offerings though, on this first visit I opted for the Special Assorted Bowl ($35).  It's a set lunch that started with chawanmushi (steamed egg) presented in a lovely tea cup.  As a pleasant surprise, the silky smooth, melt in your mouth egg was served chilled - and punctuated with generous bites of seafood and mushrooms.  On the side: deep fried fish with pickled veggies, and fresh ginger to cleanse your palate.

The attention to detail was evident in the miso soup, which tasted like they made it from scratch to order, and was carefully served at a pleasingly hot temperature - you'd be amazed how big of a difference this makes to your experience of the soup, that I wonder why others don't take the care with this (you can still see the steam rising in the photo!).

The main attraction: Special Assorted Bowl, was also artfully presented - and contained lovely, fresh and unexpectedly generous pieces of sea urchin (4 pieces to be exact!), salmon roe, eel (thankfully not drowned in sauce), shrimp (total of 1 but cut up into pieces and spread throughout), and various pieces of tuna, yellowtail, mackerel and the always lovely savory-sweet, chilled tamago (grilled omelette).  A pretty good deal for $35 given the quality and quantity of food you get.  (Though I have to note that the iced green tea is made of matcha - and while refreshing, delicious and markedly higher quality than other iced teas you can get in the area, cost $7 - so don't make assumptions on price when you place your drink order!)

While not the most exciting fish I've had in LA for lunch (I am possibly a Shunji fan for life, for being introduced to new cuts of fish at lunch for their $40 13 piece special!!)  - Sushi Tsujita definitely exceeded my expectations, the quality of fish is excellent (I've read that it's cut and cured the traditional way, though all but the shrimp tasted deliciously fresh to me) for the $35 set, and I can't think of a more gorgeous space for sushi lunch in West LA! 

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 7 stars
Service - 6.5 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Sushi Tsujita
2006 Sawtelle Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90025
Ph: 310.231.1177

Website: sushitsujita.com

Look for reservations, and OpenTable points, here

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Hide Sushi: A Gem of a Sushi Lunch Special

Hide Sushi is a not-so-hidden neighborhood gem for locals in the know.  It took me a year of working in the area to make it here and I'm kicking myself for losing all that time that I could have been having awesome affordable sushi for lunch!

An old school, cozy little place without any obvious signage outside, the best way to locate the restaurant is to head just across Sawtelle from the modern complex currently housing lunch hotspots Tsujita, Nongla and ROC Kitchen, then look for the traditional-style Japanese house facade, white-washed with brown tiled 'roof'.

It can get crowded at lunch, and when my co-worker and I went they did not have tables for us, but we were happy to slide up to the counter - you get faster service there anyways as the chef is right in front of you! We of course skipped the cooked foods (teriyaki, noodles) section of the menu, and dove straight into the lunch specials.

We both got the Nigiri special ($12.80) which had very generously sized rolls of mackerel, salmon, yellowtail, tuna, shrimp, egg, and (impressively considering the price and instinct of most other restaurants to cater to  the lowest common denominator with their lunch packages) surf clam and octopus.

Every piece was good quality for the price (obviously you're not getting Tsukiji quality in this price range - but it's very good compared to others in this tier).  I really loved the portion size as well - definitely a filling lunch for average sized ladies!

Though the special was satisfying in itself, I can never pass up ankimo (monkfish liver) - especially now with the foie gras ban in effect, this is kind of like my sea creature substitute (they do say ankimo is like foie of the sea!).  It was cool to see the chef's eyes light up when I ordered it too - perhaps the usual office lunch crowd doesn't always venture into this area of the menu. Hide Sushi does have a full a la carte menu of nigiri and hand rolls - unfortunately I was so excited I didn't take notes on pricing for the ankimo - but if memory serves correctly, these two massive rolls were under $5 total. 

All in all, a fantastic lunch spot - that, even with all the newer options constantly popping up on Sawtelle - we'll be coming back to often!!! (We'll just have to remember to bring cash, as they don't take credit cards - though there is an ATM machine right inside the entrance.)

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Hide Sushi
2040 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025
Ph: 310.477.7242

Parking: free valet on Missisippi west of Sawtelle (behind Tsujita...for that complex ;))

Note: CASH ONLY
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SushiStop: Best Kind of Affordable Prix Fixe Sushi in WLA

Happy New Year!

Fresh back in LA from an amazing trip with the fam, I have so many places and stories to share that I don't even know where to start!!

So I'll begin the year with a practical post: more of a reminder to myself - a place I will need to frequent as what's left of my bank account recovers from our 2 week vacation.

SushiStop is a place that serves every food item on the menu for $2.75. Yes, it's true. It's part of that hopping complex on Sawtelle Blvd packed with ever buzz worthy concentrations of fantastic small business restaurants - the same one that houses Tsujita, Nongla and Seoul Sausage.

There has been so much attention recently on the exciting expansions of more diverse offerings from Korean (Seoul, Seoul Sausage) to Vietnamese (Nongla) to Chinese (ROC Dumpling House) to American (Plan Check) where Sawtelle north of Olympic had been for the most part focused on Japanese before 2012 - but Sushi Stop is a noteworthy pre-expansion spot for those who live/work in the area and looking for an affordable lunch/dinner option without Tsujita-length waits.

How do they control for more expensive ingredients vs less expensive ones with this fixed price system? By varying the number of pieces you get per order - so for example, an order of Salmon Sushi consists of 2 pieces, while the Uni (yes they have this too for $2.75!!) will only feature a single piece.

On a filling visit a few months back (I am seriously behind on posts!), Mims and I got:

Tofu Seaweed Udon - not a big fan of udon in general, but this is a nice option on a cold day. They also have mini-bowls with tempura udon.

Uni (Sea Urchin) / Ikura (Salmon Roe) with Quail Egg (!!!)

Salmon Belly flame seared salmon belly with caviar and ponzu and White Tuna flame seared albacore tuna with yuzu kosho and 'hint of truffle oil'

Salmon, Tuna and Scallop

Baked Green Mussels 4 pieces in 1 order - lots of mayo and cheese, which I usually don't like with seafood in the shell, but these were delicious (especially for the price :P)

And something I can't remember the name of now, but was a special.

The Ikura with raw quail egg was probably my favorite of the meal.

SushiStop is not a trailblazing, mind-blowing high concept destination dining kind of place, but a cozy, neighborhood spot that offers decent, not all run-of-the-mill sushi for an affordable price (so manage your expectations accordingly).

Seating is counter only, first come first served - if you arrive before or right at noon usually you should have no problem securing a seat as long as you don't have a huge group.

Also, they keep costs low by only accepting cash for payment, so be sure to bring some or you'll have to run to the ATM or try to get cash back at Nijiya market closeby.

Glad to have this life saver close to work - will be seeing you again soon, SushiStop!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 4.5 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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SushiStop
(West LA location - check website for others in LA)
2053 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
Ph: 310.473.3999

Parking: Free valet on Mississippi

Website: sushistopusa.com

***Cash only***
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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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