With locations in Tokyo and New York City, Sushi of Gari has established a reputation for tasty, creative bites of sushi made with very high-end starting ingredients. With sights set on the West Coast, Sushi of Gari has opened its first Southern California location in Hollywood.
RESERVATIONS: Recommended for any decent sushi-ya (hey, it’s good manners to let your hosts know you’re coming ahead of time, especially if you’re planning on omakase), and Sushi of Gari is no different. That having been said, phone reservations were very easy to obtain. There is an OpenTable option as well.
LOCATION: Near Hollywood and Vine, in the 6201 Hollywood complex, just up the street from the Pantages Theater. Sushi of Gari is within one minute(!) walking distance of the Metro Red Line Station.
PARKING: Since Hollywood parking is famously bad, you’re gonna be taking the Metro, right? But if you must drive, fear not, for there is validated parking in the garage adjacent to the restaurant.
DÉCOR / LAYOUT: It’s nice. As one would expect from a modern sushi-ya, smart use of wood, clean lines and crisp lighting are the order of the day. There is a gorgeous sushi bar featuring a flat (not the usual raised) neta display which seats 11. Table service is available as well. For private functions, there is a meeting room that seats 10 (tables in the room can be removed to accommodate up to 30 people for mingling).
… and now, onto the FOOD!
There are 3 main types of omakase at Sushi of Gari Hollywood: First, the “Sushi of Gari” signature omakase, approximately 12 pieces of their creations, costing approximately $100 per person. Second, their “Sushi & Sashimi” omakase, which is priced at about $140 per person. And third, their “Sashimi Only” omakase, which goes for about $170 per person. Upon completion of any of the omakase options, the diner will have the choice of ordering additional “a la carte” pieces, if he or she so desires.
Since it was my first time at this location, I chose the Sushi of Gari signature omakase (but as you’ll see if you read on, I went way into bonus rounds afterwards).
Marinated hotaru ika (firefly squid), served with shiro miso (sweet white miso), carrot & cucumber…
Gari (sweet pickled ginger), no relation to the founder of the chain…
Kagua Blanc Beer… Crisp and dry, with a hint of sansho (Japanese pepper)!
Kinmedai (golden eye snapper) with fried nori (seaweed)…
Shima aji (striped jack) with jalapeño…
Honmaguro akami (lean bluefin tuna) with tofu purée and rayu (chili oil)…
Seared gindara (sablefish) with shimeji mushroom paste…
Chutoro (medium fatty tuna) with daikon oroshi (grated white radish), infused with ponzu sauce…
Tai (Japanese snapper) “green salad”, with pine nuts, fried hasu (lotus), drizzled with wasabi oil…
Marinated & seared sake harasu (fatty salmon belly)…
Saba (Japanese mackerel) with sesame paste…
Seared zuwaigani (snow crab) with uni (sea urchin roe)…
Nodoguro (blackthroat sea perch) with lemon cream…
Sake (salmon) with yaki (fried) tomato…
Honmaguro yuke (bluefin tuna strips, Korean-style) with fried nori (seaweed), pine nuts & scallion…
(At this point, the signature omakase is concluded; the following are “bonus” pieces…)
Grilled hirame (halibut) with poached uzura no tamago (quail egg), drizzled with white truffle oil…
Botan ebi (sweet prawn) with ceviche…
“Yaki kaki nigiri” (“fried oyster with rice”) from Kumamoto, gratin-style…
Yukimasu (snow trout) with apple purée & apple strips…
Seared toro (tuna belly) with ginger sauce…
Gunkanmaki (“battleship roll”) of bafun uni (“horse chestnut” sea urchin roe), from Hokkaido…
Hotategai uni with umeboshi (pickled ume fruit) paste…
Seared honmaguro toro (bluefin tuna belly) with onion sauce and fried onion flakes, “carpaccio”-style…
Minced toro (tuna belly) with takuan (pickled gourds)…
Gunkanmaki (“battleship roll”) of sautéed mirugai (geoduck clam) with parsley sauce…
Maine lobster with sea salt infused with sea kelp from Ibaraki Prefecture…
Seared Santa Barbara uni (sea urchin roe)…
Gunkanmaki (“battleship roll”) of ikura (salmon roe) with uzura no tamago (quail egg)…
Saba (Japanese mackerel) with shiso leaf, marinated radish leaf and sesame seeds…
"Crunchy " unagi (freshwater eel), chopped with rice cracker, nori (seaweed), and sliced avocado…
Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette)…
Akami (lean tuna) “salad”, with katsuobushi (bonito shavings) and scallion…
Anago (sea eel) with sesame seeds…
Tea is served… Dessert time!!!
Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato), baked with apricot and raisins, and served with vanilla bean ice cream…
Japanese tiramisu, with azuki (red bean paste), sesame powder, and kuromitsu (black sugar syrup)…
Matcha (gree tea powder) choocolate mousse with strawberry and strawberry compote…
SERVICE: Very attentive, cordial and polite. Tea was refilled without interruption.
If you enjoy new skillful combinations of tastes and textures with a creative flair using upscale sushi ingredients, then Sushi of Gari is definitely the place to be.
RECOMMENDED.
Sushi of Gari Hollywood
6201 Hollywood Bl.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323.400.6300
