Scouting Sushi Row

BuzzEditor — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:16:00 GMT

Sea-fare from Yuta on Studio City's "Sushi Row"

Photo: Alen Lin

The recent opening of chef Katsuya Uechi's newest, Kiwami, brings the count of Zagat-covered sushi spots on Studio City's Ventura Boulevard to a whopping nine and further cements the strip's nickname, "Sushi Row." A quick tour follows, after the jump.

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Yen Sushi & Sake Bar

12930 Ventura Blvd.; 818-907-6400

With a handful of locations dotted around LA, this Japanese mini-chain is a “convenient” choice for “fresh and flavorful” (if not especially “adventurous”) sushi, noodles and other “nicely presented” specialties; they lure a “kid-friendly” crowd early on, but considering their “hip” feel, smooth service and long list of sakes and cocktails, they’re also handy for “dates.”

Yuta

11266 Ventura Blvd.; 818-985-9882

Even against stiff competition in Studio City, connoisseurs claim this French-Japanese newcomer stands out with “inventive” small plates and “artfully” presented sushi; service “aims to please” and the simply decorated room is “quiet enough for conversation”, so even if tabs can tally on the “expensive” side, most insist it’s a “pleasant experience” nonetheless.

Sushi Nozawa

11288 Ventura Blvd.; 818-508-7017

He “makes the Soup Nazi look polite”, but “follow his rules and you’re in for a culinary treat” advise acolytes of “artisan chef” Kazunori Nozawa, who provides a “sublime balance of superb fish and heavenly rice” at this “expensive” “old-school sushi bar” in a Studio City strip mall; true, “it’s not cozy and you won’t be pampered like royalty” (in fact you could get “kicked out” for using your cell phone), but it’s a “must” for the “serious” omakase connoisseur.

Katsu-ya

11680 Ventura Blvd.; 818-985-6976

Boasting “brilliant”, “inventive” sushi and cooked dishes, these Encino and Studio City Japanese “gems” provide “exceptional” culinary quality while offering a “better deal” “without the attitude” of their “flashier” unhyphenated cousins; their “small” “nothing-to-look-at” digs are “always crowded” with a “cult” following and then some, so vets advise “make reservations” and “order from the board for a gastronomic treat.”

Kiwami

11920 Ventura Blvd.; 818-763-3910

For a change, Japanese chef Katsuya Uechi has opened a restaurant that doesn’t bear his name, even though its diminutive space is located just down the street from the original Katsu-ya on Studio City's Sushi Row; open for dinner only, with Uechi behind the counter more often than not, it serves a midpriced menu of dishes that made the chef famous - along with some new creations.

Teru Sushi

11940 Ventura Blvd.; 818-763-6201

“The place that started it all on sushi row”, this moderately priced Studio City Japanese keeps rolling with “solid”, “tasteful” sushi and a “lovely” outdoor patio; though detractors dub it “a shadow of itself”, the dated but “welcoming” space remains “crowded” with “Valleyites” who consider it a “sure bet.”

Asanebo

11941 Ventura Blvd.; 818-760-3348

Loyalists liken the “incredible” fish dishes to works of “art” (should you “look at it or eat it”?) at this Japanese in Studio City, where chef Tetsuya Nakao sends out “impressive” displays of “stellar” sushi and sashimi and “immaculately seasoned” daily specials that require a big appetite as well as a “big wallet”; given the “tiny” space jammed with “studio heads and industry players”, “reservations” are recommended and insiders assert the bar seating is the way to go.

Ahi Sushi

12915 Ventura Blvd.; 818-981-0277

“Put yourself in the chef’s hands” advise enthusiasts who are “hooked” on this “midrange” Japanese “find” on Studio City’s sushi row turning out “really fresh” fish and “well-prepared” Asian fusion plates matched with inventive cocktails; the less-impressed say it’s “nothing special”, though service is “efficient” and the Zen-inspired patio with a trickling fountain is certainly a plus.

Iroha

12953 Ventura Blvd.; 818-990-9559

“Forget the fancier places”: this long-standing “hole-in-the-wall” Japanese on the Studio City “side of the hill” lures a “cool neighborhood crowd of music and industry folk” to its “covered outdoor patio” for “excellent” sushi served by a “competent” staff; while some prefer the kitchen’s more “innovative”, “pricier” preparations, traditionalists say “stick with the fish.”

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