From your blog: I suspect that the true significance of Los Angeles’s sushi scene lies in the middle of the market where quality is very high relative to price, especially at lunch—and which is accessible to a far greater number of Angelenos. See, for example, places like Nozomi where you can get out for a fraction of the price you’d pay at the very high end while still eating very good fish. Places like this abound in Los Angeles. But they don’t seem to get talked about in the serious sushi conversation which is all centered on places that are increasingly out of reach of all but the very rich.
I’ll quibble a bit w/ the “all but the very rich” only b/c some posters here have made a decently compelling argument that some people who are not very rich might be saving up for awhile for that kind of meal b/c food is their priority above car, rent, whatever.
I do absolutely agree that more discussion of the “mid-tier” places is important. And for a totally self-serving reasons… Separate and apart from what I can “actually” afford, I just don’t want to blow a ton (ie., $200+pp) on any type of cuisine b/c, the few times I’ve done it (or was lucky enough to have someone else pay for it), it just didn’t move me that much. I’m not saying it wasn’t objectively worth it. And I certainly think chef/owners should charge whatever they like. But it’s not just not the kind of eating that I get the most pleasure from (see my comment in another thread about Californios).
And, in the case of sushi, the $ would be totally wasted on me b/c, while I can tell the good from the crap, I cannot tell the good from the excellent.
So I need the discussion b/c, since I know so little about sushi (for example), I wouldn’t even know where to start to find the mid-tier stuff (although, after reading your blog, I’ll certainly be trying Nozomi… ).
warrior: i could be wrong, but i think given that the u.s. does not have anything remotely similar to tsukiji market, good sushi requires flying in all the fish from japan and therefore will inevitably be expensive. in japan, i eat lots of cheap sushi (meals under $40), but i haven’t found any place i like here in LA under $200.
Am also a fan of Nozomi and extremely interested in other places in that category… Sunset Sushi comes to mind in that price bracket at least, but any other favorites along those lines?
I believe many quality places that are not very high end do source at least some of their fish from Toyosu in Tokyo (new Tsukiji market). Hakata Izakaya Hero is an example where they post about their Toyosu purchases regularly, even if they’re not technically a sushi place. Sashimi selections there are not cheap ($40+ for a selection of 3-4 if my vague memories are correct), but you can get good quality without having to get all the way to the high end places. Of course not all fish from Toyosu is the same and the top places in LA may be sourcing more desirable selections of the same fish or more rare varieties.
Haven’t been to either Nozomi or Sunset, so I don’t know what might be comparable.
I think Sushi King is a decent hole-in-the-wall.
I very much enjoyed the sushi I had at Hakata Izakaya Hero, but, as @boourns mention, it’s not a sushi place, so I think the selection can vary. And, yes, it’s not exactly cheap.
I also liked the place a few doors down (Masakazu) but only went once pre-pandemic. So no idea what the price is now. @J_L had posted a review on here. It’s only omakase, and some dishes do have some saucing.
If we get enough people responding to this, maybe we can start a new thread.
Was there last week for a nigiri tasting and sat at the sushi bar. Don’t have many high end sushi tastings to go off of but this was excellent. Didn’t take notes or copious pictures but found everything smashed. 12 course nigiri includes a small app and soup (oyster + octopus soup). Options to add on at the end were very reasonably priced. Add ons included more belt fish, hokkaido hairy crab, japanese king salmon and gizzard shard.
Atmosphere definitely transported us to our time in Japan and service was A++. If you’re dead set on sushi bar (highly recommend) but don’t want to shell for a signature course (280++) then I think you’d have good luck with the 8pm nigiri tasting as they had enough space to accommodate everyone dining there at that time. Chef Hide was there to chat us up the whole time but his apprentice Sam was handling prep so we got entertained by 2 chefs!
I have the same feelings as your blog - recently left LA and very much enjoyed Takeda in Spring 2022. Went to Shunji for the last “big” omakase and felt a little cheated (though still very much enjoyed the meal) by the price point - much lower variety of exotic fish than when I went in 2016 and probably double the price of Takeda. Chef Shunji expressed some difficulties with supply chain and staffing issues. I think sushi moving forward will compromise either through higher prices or reduced rarity of ingredients compared to the “golden age” we enjoyed in the 2010s.
I’ve been to Takeda a couple of times this year after an initial visit a year ago, and have enjoyed it immensely. I like that it’s easier to get a reservation there than at many of the other places of similar caliber. I like that there’s an unglamorous, old-school feel to the place. It’s relaxed and homey. The food leaves nothing to be desired, and as has been mentioned, the interspersing of cooked/composed little dishes (and there are plenty of these, which I love) with the nigiri sushi keeps the palate refreshed and eager for more. Hide-san told us that this is how he prefers to eat, himself. We are quite satisfied with the amount of food…which doesn’t prevent us from doing a piggish bang afterwards at Izakaya Gozen, LOL! Which is a perfectly good izakaya, BTW, with authentic dishes I don’t see elsewhere in LA, including a sublime French-style dashimaki tamago that I’ve only had in Japan.
agree with @happycat, went early on and came back recently and really enjoyed it. only nit is hide-san can be a little heavy handed with the nikiri.
highlight of the night was the rare hagashi chutoro that just disappears in your mouth.
rest of the highlights
ainame soup, never had this fish before, loved the texture.
aji
ohagi
hay smoked meji maguro
hotate isobeyaki
kama toro
hokkigai
iwashi maki
nodoguro
Last week, 10/26/24, Nigiri Omakase. Unfortunately, neglected to get the chef’s name, but I think he does Saturday’s service. 21 courses. B a m.
My first time here on the recommendation of a trusted source. Loved this place. Rice temperature was warm, on the border of falling apart, but lovely; texture was bouncy and forgiving. Perhaps a touch over-seasoned, but I was keen. I was keen for all of it, people. Will be coming back.
Toward the last three courses, I seem to have misplaced my diligence with note-taking. Apologies.
).
