Sushi tonight

[MeowMixx]

So I'm hankering for some sushi but want to try something other than Sushi Zo (gasp! is that even possible) and thought you guys could help. I've been craving some yummy deep fried shrimp heads (shrimp heads, shrimp heads, yummy yummy shrimp heads. Shrimp heads, shrimp heads, eat them up, yum) and that's the ONE thing Zo doesn't offer.

I know of Kiriko, Echigo, Sasabune (I've only tried it when it was on Sawtelle/Nebraska) but they're all so west. I'm a lazy pig and Zo is pretty much the westest I go (I'm around Wilshire and Robertson and yes, I'm THAT lazy).

Sooooo, the only other place I can think of is Azami? I've read pretty good things here. Of course, I guess there's also Sushi Gen but I honestly wasn't too wowed by them the last couple times.

Basically, any great sushi places you guys can suggest would be great.

Thank you :)

[eatdrinknbmerry]

btw, it must take the life out of you to avoid Zo haha.

[MeowMixx]

for your information, I actually went to a non-Zo place last weekend (Boss Sushi on La Cienega). But it wasn't too great. Which is why I had to go last night to Zo :)

Thanks for everyone's recs. I think I'll hit up Azami, Sushi Ike and even head west and do Kiriko :)

[Ciao Bob]

Hey MM,
Give Sushi Sushi on Beverly Drive a try if you haven't yet. There's also Wa, or Yabu (lot's of cooked dishes but the sushi is not bad at all). Agree the Ike rocks too. I love Zo and Keizo but find it hard to do alot...something monotonous about it.

[meganinlosfeliz]

I am trying to get to both Zo and Kiriko (both far west for me), but please post how you like Azami (favorite of mine - wonderful sweet shrimp with fried shrimp head - if Niki does not offer it in her omakase, ask for it). Also curious re what you think of Ike (I found it just above average, but perhaps caught on a bad night).

http://meganinlosfeliz.blogspot.com/

[ipsedixit]

Komatsu in Little Tokyo.

Or a bit further west and north, try Sushi Ike in Hollywood.

[MeowMixx]

So, my un-original lazy pig of myself caved in and I found myself at Sushi Zo again last night. At 8:15 it was PACKED and Keizo was working at mach speed, slicing up beautiful chunks of fish for the masses.

I'm really happy for Keizo that business is booming, but my dining experience last night was pretty "meh". One of the joys of sitting at the sushi bar is yapping it up with the sushi chef, finding out what the specials are, if any, and ordering your sushi at a nice leisurely pace. Unfortunately, it was so busy last night that a waitress took our sushi orders and placed the list in front of Keizo.

Don't get me wrong. Each piece was spectacular as always but it kinda sucked to have had only 3-4 pieces of fish within an hour. I felt like a starving dog, sitting in front of my master, pleading with big ole' puppy eyes for another morsel of food. An hour and 45 minutes later, we were finally served the last of our 7piece order.

I love Sushi Zo for the quality of the fish and yeah, if I wanted some sickeningly huge portions of not-so-great fish, I should go to Crazy Fish. I’m hoping it was just an off night, but the portions were significantly smaller than the last time I went, which was only two weeks ago.

In any case, Sushi Zo has definitely not fallen off my list and I will definitely go back. Just thought I’d share :)

[Snoopy]

Interesting. I will be there tonight. We pretty much go every Friday, so I will see if I notice a difference.

[MeowMixx]

So how was your Zo experience on Friday?

[Snoopy]

I really couldn't tell any difference, other than there may have been one piece less of sashimi than usual in one of the first dishes. However, it seems like ever time I go there it gets a little more expensive. I was surprised that it was pretty dead in there too. We had an 8 pm reservation and for a while DH and I were the only people at the bar (there was never more than 5 or 6 total at the bar). Oh, and cuddle fish milk made a return this week. Thankfully I had already consumed at least 2 sakes and was unfazed. The people next to me kept asking what it was and he just told them "spaghetti." Of course, I'm already craving sushi again!

[nimo]

It's at Hollywood and Gower, so it might be too far east for you, but IKE's sweet shrimp and deep fried heads are astoundingly good. Ditto their grilled octopus. And a bunch of other good stuff. Sit at the counter if the wait's not too long. Reasonable prices, great little neighborhood sushi bar. I personally prefer it to Azami, but that's not bad either.

[Cucinamore]

I'll be at U-Zen in Santa Monica tonight--and I will be having the deep-fried shrimp heads served with the freshest sweet shrimp! Also, if Masa has received fresh uni in the last day or two, I'll be having that as well.

[Skorgirl]

Are you willing to go south of the 10? Sushi Karen on Washington in Culvery City is one of my stand-bys if I am not going to Sushi Zo .... there are pretty solid reviews on the board for it. It's west, but not as far west as the places you mentioned! Hmmm, though I don't know if they'll offer your beloved shrimp heads!

[alexfood]

Just had Azami for lunch yesterday and they had really good scottish salmon, snapper from japan, wild big-eyed tuna, and yellowtail toro. Go for omakase at the bar for best results...

[TailbackU]

I dont' know where you live, but if Studio City is not too far of a drive, check out Teru Sushi. I know Katsuya gets all the attention, but I think the quality is so much better at Teru. Ask to be seated at the Sushi bar in Richard's section. He's the head sushi chef and will take good care of you.

[vinosnob]

In the same neighborhood and more reasobaly priced (compared to Asanebo, Nozawa, etc.) is one of my favorites, Tama. EVERYTHING is ultra fresh, the sweet shrimp is phenomenal and the owner Katsu is refreshingly amiable. Don't miss the scallop nigiri sushi.

[wilafur]

come west. come west. give kiriko a whirl.

[eatdrinknbmerry]

i'm with wilafur. Kiriko is pricey omakase... but it is very creative. I remember having the baby candy crabs . They flash fried them w/ some sea salt and perched them atop of fried gobo and made it look like rocks. I felt like I was in a tide pool. and the smoked salmon/mango dish is stellar. the chefs are very nice.

if you go east, Sushi Gen is very good. I always have a good time sitting at the bar.

[Chowpatty]

Have you been to Hirozen? I have to admit it's been a while since I've been but I think there was recently a good report on the board, and I always used to love it.
Azami seemed good but I only had lunch there. Is Sushi Ike too far east?