Sushi Suggestion-LA/La Cienga Area?

[Hypnotic23]

O.K. let me prepare on what we're after for some suggestions. This dinner is for next Thursday so we would need a spot thats not hard to get into. I'm thinking $200 to 300 tops per person.

I hear Urzawa is expensive, how is Nobu or Matahisu?

I'm from the Valley so please throw some places at me and I'll make a reservation and report back.

Thanks everyone,

Stuart

[bodie]

Stuart,
Not to pry, but why leave the 'hood for your sushi fix?
IMO, the Valley's greatest culinary asset has to be the wealth of excellent sushi and sashimi joints.
-Bodie

[Hypnotic23]

Bodie-

I agree just if we're drinking we want to be close to our destination. I'm a regular at TAMA, Katsu Ya, and others in the Valley.

This will be a venture over the hill, we decided on WA SUSHI, sounds terrific. As for as KOI goes I heard thats a see & be seen spot vs. good eats.

Thank you,

Stuart

[Mother Hubbard]

Koi-on La Cienega

[ILoveNatto]

nozawa in studio city, order the omakase

[Hypnotic23]

Since we'll be in LA and I want to stay at $200 or less per person its narrowed down to either:

Wa Sushi

TenMasa Sushi

or

Tokyo Table

[Jwsel]

Strange choices. I think the consensus on this board tends to be that, at the price-point below Urasawa, Kiriko and Sushi Zo are the best omakase meals on the westside. I prefer Kiriko, which also has unique and excellent cooked foods as part of the omakase. I believe that is normally under $100, but you can supplement with other items and still stay well within your price point. Ask to sit in front of Ken. Also, save room for dessert. Kiriko makes wonderful homemade ice creams and other desserts (kabocha pumpkin creme caramel and green tee creme brulee are two of my favorites).

[Hypnotic23]

We're simply after some good sushi in that area, not necessarily Omakasa, I searched the web and WA Sushi reviews seem to be top notch? JWSEL, you find Kiriko and Sushi Zo even better for $100 a person average?

[Jwsel]

I have not been to Wa and have probably read the same reviews as you. Most of them are on the older side and the description is that it takes a lot from Matsuhisa. If you search the more recent threads, people tend to be more predisposed to Zo and Kiriko. I don't even recall the last time I saw Wa mentioned in those discussions.

As for price, I've found $100 gets a great meal at Kiriko. I do not always order the most expensive items, so my omakase tends to be less than $100 (and I'm not a big drinker). But if you add the monkfish liver in the martini glass, kobe beef, have caviar with the smoked salmon and mango, etc., you could probably go significantly higher.

Take a look at the menu. http://www.kirikosushi.com/ They actually have two dinner menus -- the standard menu and the menu with the daily specials. The price points are pretty reasonable for the cooked items. But if you want Ken to pull out all the stops, you can always make a special request. On a few occasions, I have asked to have an omakase at a set amount and they have always been willing to accommodate me.

[Hypnotic23]

JWSEL-

You sold me, I will change my reservsations to Kiriko :>)

I"ll report back,

Stuart

[Emme]

I'm one of the few anti-Nobus around. I never find that the food lives up to the price.

Aside from Urasawa, I like Kiriko, Zo, Azami, and Sushi Ike.

[westsidegal]

was very disappointed with the omakase at matsuhisa years ago.
never went back.
at the time it was nobu's main squeeze restaurant.

[spicychow]

I was never a fan of Nobu's either, ever since having a mediocre experience at Matsuhisa a few years back.

But I was recently persuaded to try Nobu Malibu with a friend that really wanted to go, and it was amazing! Everything from sushi to cooked items were wonderful. Especially the alaskan crab leg tempura was so light and crispy, just like tempura should be.

Anyways, it is a bit of a hike up there so I don't plan on going back anytime soon, but I was pretty impressed that night (probably helped that I had such low expectations)

[cls]

Hmmm. Where to begin?
You can eat everywhere but Urasawa for $300 pp. Nobu is in Malibu which is a bit of a hike. Matsuhisa you can skip.
If you want your $300 worth, you could eat omakase at Mori, or Nishimura (although if Nishimura doesn't himself serve you, you'll be dissapointed.
I would suggest Jinpachi on Santa Monica, about 3 blocks from La Cienega, for an intimate omakase meal or, eat at the sushi bar in Gonpachi, sit with Nobu and let him take care of everything.