61682 Wed Jul 21 02:13:25 -0700 2004 84 2 Los Angeles Area 0 327791 Just came from my second, and last, meal at this vastly overrated place. This guy has some gall. Only two couples at the bar, yet the "master" only deigns to interact with me to gruffly inform me that I cannot choose. I reply that I already know that. Immediately his hispanic busboy hands me a pre-made dish of tuna sashimi...average, but significantly better than what is to come. Said busboy prepares my next dish while I eat the sashimi, and before I've swallowed my last bite hands it to me: yellowtail nigiri, incompetently made. The fish is fresh, but the rice is sopping wet and not at all compacted; it cannot be eaten and immediately dribbles onto the plate & counter. Next is red snapper nigiri, then toro nigiri; in each case the rice disintegrates, clinging to my hand, falling to the counter, dribbling down my lip...landing, in fact, everywhere but my mouth. I toy with the idea of asking Nozawa to make my stuff himself -- he's not doing anything, btw, other than furtively issuing orders ("Snappah!") to busboy -- but I can't bring myself to humiliate the busboy. But I have had enough of this foolishness, and signal 'check' rather than endure more of the charade. And I discover that while Nozawa has not trained his busboy to make rice, he has managed to make him rude; when I get up and (God knows why) utter thank-you's, both Nozawa and busboy ignore me. It needs to be said: the emperor has no clothes. Let the masochist sheep flame away; this guy is a lazy, arrogant ASS who has managed to cow the frightened trendies of this burg far too long, and any critic who gives him a decent review is a craven CLOWN. It is DISGUSTING that the charming, expert owner of Tama down the street doesn't do half the business of Nozawa. And the idea that Nozawa's fish is somehow superior is nonsense. My last time at Tama, I complimented the (superlative) nigiri Katsu served me, and he couldn't resist impishly noting, "Same as 'Mister Trust Me!' This morning, I take this half, 'Mister Trust Me' take other half!" Doubtless he is well aware of the pervasive myth of the superior Nozawa fish, but Katsu and Nozawa are both there, at the same damn market, at the same damn time, buying the same damn stuff. The difference is that at Katsu's place, the master will make it for you himself, deign to speak with you, really try to please you, and charge you less to boot. Further, you won't have to wait an hour for the pack of black Excursion-driving chumps in front of you to take their abuse before you can get some of your very own. And no busboy will be screwing up your fish at Tama! Wed Jul 21 02:13:25 -0700 2004 0 Gene 1 327799 If you use your chopsticks, the rice won't stick to your hands. See link below for good site on instructions. Link: http://www.kauaibeachpress.com/chopsticks.html Wed Jul 21 03:19:11 -0700 2004 327791 0 Larry 2 327809 Knowing how to use chopsticks is irrelvant. Sushi is actually finger food that is to be eaten with your hands! I have a feeling that Gene knows how to use chopsticks. Wed Jul 21 11:03:19 -0700 2004 327799 0 john 3 327860 Growing up, I was always taught to dip only the fish in the soysauce/wasabi mixture, never the rice. Family members do this by turning it upside down. I remove the fish from the rice, dip it lightly and place it back on the rice. I have not idea whether Gene or anyone else who mentioned the warm-rice-will-easily-disintegrate-all-over-you phenomenon did or didn't do this, but this method definitely helps with the traditional warm rice and even with cold rice, will help maintain rice integrity and prevent over-saucing. Wed Jul 21 13:54:58 -0700 2004 327809 0 happycamper 1 327805 I must agree with Gene that Nozawa is vastly overrated. The service I received at Nozawa was adequate (not really friendly but not particularly horrible either). My beef was purly with the quality of the sushi. I know people will claim that I just can't appreciate the "warm rice sushi" phenom but the rice aside, the quality of the fish is unfortunate. It's a crime that the place is rated "the best sushi in LA". The average sushi bar in New York serves fresher fish. I would say the fish at Nozawa is at least a couple of notches below Yama. As for comparing it to places like Sushi of Gari or Sushi Yasuda...it would actually do the latter establishments a great injustice. The most glaring example of the poor quality of sushi served at Nozawa was the giant clam. The unsightly wrinkled outer layer of the clam wasn't even peeled off. All they did was dice up the mirugai. It's the first time EVER I've seen that happen. You can't tell me that's how the people in Kyoto or Edo eat their sushi. The fact that the tuna and the bonito were a little dark and gray around the edges didn't help our experience any. The only item that I could remember in a positive light was the heavily stuffed blue crab hand roll. Regarding the rice, I can't tell you if that's the way people in Japan eat it, but the warm rice just doesn't have enough starch to adhere to itself. It falls apart and quite frankly, makes a mess. And yes, I've been using chopsticks for 22 years so no, that is not a matter of skill. Once again, I have yet to find anything in LA that comes within 3000 miles of Sushi Yasuda in New York. It saddens me even more to see people rave about places like Nozawa and proclaim it "authentic" just because they happen to do omakase. Again, true sushi afficianados please visit Sushi Yasuda in NYC and order Omakase with Mr. Yasuda. Then try going back to Nozawa. It can't be done. Porthos Wed Jul 21 04:32:38 -0700 2004 327791 0 Porthos 2 327812 Better sushi in NY? Have you been to any of the various small, primarily Asian clientele sushi places in the San Gabriel Valley? (e.g., Z Sushi and my old favorite but now closed Hiro Sushi). I would say most of them are equal or better than NYC's (e.g., Blue Ribbon) at a fraction of the price Wed Jul 21 11:13:45 -0700 2004 327805 0 Ernie 3 327979 Blue Ribbon is also middle of the road sushi IMHO. Again, I assert that the likes of Gari and Yasuda, LA has never seen (aside from Ginza that is). Wed Jul 21 22:40:46 -0700 2004 327812 0 Porthos 4 328018 Neither the crazy long wait or prices of Blue Ribbon were middle-of-the-road. What precisely do Gari and Yasuda serve that is so elevating? Do they serve things like live scallops? Thu Jul 22 11:00:48 -0700 2004 327979 0 Ernie 5 328056 No, but in Jewel bako, Masato-san did grab fresh ebi out of his tank and served it up for Sashimi. The anntennea on its head he used for decoration was still twitching from the sudden death. Thu Jul 22 13:45:15 -0700 2004 328018 0 Mike Lee 6 328262 Yes, you know they serve live shrimp as well at (to get back here) shibucho costa mesa, sushi ryo, sushi mori and formerly at tsukasa. Quite spry... Fri Jul 23 15:14:40 -0700 2004 328056 0 Jerome 6 328294 That's not unusual, a lot of places serve live shrimp. My local place in Northridge (Hyakumi) serves up live sweet shrimp from the tank, and like many places deep fries the head for you. Fri Jul 23 19:35:19 -0700 2004 328056 0 markn 5 328163 The sushi at Gari is innovative. It will be like eating sushi all over again. Toro is slightly charred to elevate a already great dish to the sublime. The giant clam is kissed with a touch of vinagrette and sea salt to contrast the sweet, the salt, and the sour. It's what Nozawa is feebly trying to do. As for Yasuda, it's straight-up sushi with the emphasis on the texture and the taste of 30-40 different types of fish. He will serve you 4 different kinds of tuna side by side for you to taste the subtle differences between each fish...4 different types of hamachi, 4 different types of salmon...you get the point. Yes he has live scallops, live abalone, live giant clam... The fish is so CLEAN and perfect that you can't imagine it getting any better. My sister said it best when she said, "You can't help but smile" when you take that first bite of sushi at Yasuda. Sigh...I miss it already. Thu Jul 22 22:10:42 -0700 2004 328018 0 Porthos 4 328045 Finally! Someone that went to NYC and LA and thought nothing of the rumors about LA sushi being better. Seriously, Blue Ribbon is not middle of the road but definitely not something to use for gauging NYC sushi. Gari, Yasuda, Kuruma, and maybe Jewel Bako should be the standard. I have been to Yasuda and Jewel Bako many times and must regretfully say that Nozawa, Tama, Tsukiji, Shibucho (Beverly Blvd.), and Sasabune does not hit the spot for my sushi craving. Thu Jul 22 13:03:14 -0700 2004 327979 0 Mike Lee 5 328048 What I do not understand is that since sushi is a Japanese cuisine, the fish is based on Pacific varieties. There is physically no way ocean-caught Pacific fish can be fresher on the East Coast, as at a minimum it will always be ~6 hours older than something served on the West Coast. Unless there is some fish transporter technology I am unaware of, Pacific Ocean-caught sushi in NYC will never be as fresh as that found on the West Coast. Thu Jul 22 13:11:34 -0700 2004 328045 0 Ernie 6 328054 Fish is frozen no matter where it comes from unless you are on a boat and fish them out yourself. Do you really think that Japan gets the freshest fish since thats where sushi came from? According to my information (and I can be wrong) top quality seafood products are very selective in getting shipped to certain markets. Whereever someone is willing to pay the higher dollar/yen/euro is where the best supply will usually end up. Japanese consumption for the varities of fish used in sushi is the highest. That is why many vendors sell to the Japaneses market, pretty basic economics in regards to supply and demand. Santa Barbara Uni (local to LA area) would be the best example. If I remember correctly, the Japanese got a strangle hold on the numbers they get. Another interesting statistic is that the majority of the bluefin tuna on the fish market came from New England (East Coast). The Japanese also got a monopoly on the numbers they get on that one also. The difference between top quality fish in top quality restaurants are in their preparation. Defrosting procedure and preparation with marinade such as vinegar/sake or soy or any special ingredients they use. The key still is the defrosting procedure. If defrosting is done too fast ,even on top quality fish, it will result in less tender fish or to some a less-fresh fish. The opposite is true if the defrosting is too slow, some people might experience the inner parts to be too moist. Also, the debate about the rice (warm style in Nozawa) is also key. The chefs have their own mix of rice they tend to use which can go something like this 30% California, 20% Thai, and 50% Japanese rice. So regardless of the hour difference, the result of people experience difference between top quality fish is with the chef's preparation. Thu Jul 22 13:38:31 -0700 2004 328048 0 Mike Lee 7 328065 Thanks for the information, but that still means the frozen fish is ~6 hours older on the East Coast Thu Jul 22 14:08:18 -0700 2004 328054 0 Ernie 8 328066 FWIW, the difference in 747 flying time between NAR and JFK and NAR and LAX is 2 hours and 45 mins. Thu Jul 22 14:23:19 -0700 2004 328065 0 Chuckstake 8 328067 Only if you believe that ALL fish was caught in the pacific ocean then your assertion that NYC gets 6 hours old fish compared to LA. Like I said, Bluefin tuna (the vast majority) is caught in NEW ENGLAND. Then in your argument, Japan gets the least fresh fish since they get Bluefin Tuna ~15 hours late. Thu Jul 22 14:26:13 -0700 2004 328065 0 Mike Lee 9 328069 I specifically mentioned Pacific Ocean-caught fish in my original post Thu Jul 22 14:32:32 -0700 2004 328067 0 Ernie 10 328159 I agree with you Ernie that theoretically, LA SHOULD have better sushi. That's why it pains me so to find over and over and over again that it doesn't. The pacific coast logic might hold if we weren't living in the days of fed ex. Yasuda has his fish shipped from Japan, Australia (his New Zealand sea trout), etc via fed ex every day. I don't know how many times a day Nozawa gets his fish but if it's less than every day, then obviously the fish would not be as fresh. Yasuda is about 3 times as pricy so he can afford to fed ex his fish every day. Nozawa might not. Again, speculation and theorizing is all good but I would really really recommend trying Yasuda. As Mike mentioned before, I have yet to hear a single unsatisfied client complain about Yasuda's omakase. That's says a lot especially when you consider that it's roughly $150/person when you sit at the bar. Thu Jul 22 21:57:07 -0700 2004 328069 0 Porthos 11 328198 Fed Ex still takes ~6 hours coast to coast, unless they have perfected sublight travel I am not enamored with omakase, as if I am paying $150 for a sushi meal, I want exactly what I want. If Yasuda has ultra-fresh pompano, Hawaiian toro, hamachi, etc., I will consider on my next visit. Until then, I am quite happy with my neighborhood joints that are less than an hour from the Pacific Ocean. Fri Jul 23 11:05:55 -0700 2004 328159 0 Ernie 7 328096 I started a big posting on General Topics a few months ago on fresh vs. frozen sushi fish. Several people made the argument that all sushi fish is frozen and that it is the quickness of the freeze and subsequent thaw that determines quality of the fish (the faster the freeze/thaw, the less degradation of the meat.) However I still have a problem accepting that argument for this reason-- I have walked into enough Asian fish markets, Hong Kong style seafood palaces and Asian grocery stores to know that their specialty is tanks upon tanks of live, still swimming fish. (usually with a few unlucky ones floating at the top). I would think that the best grades of sushi come from fish that was still swimming that morning, but I have yet to have this confirmed by a sushi expert. Mr. Taster Thu Jul 22 16:30:33 -0700 2004 328054 0 Mr. Taster 8 328103 Your reasoning is absolutely correct except for one thing. How many fish would you eat raw off the fish tanks you see at Asian supermarkets/Hong Kong style restaurants? I suspect very few if any. What the freezing accomplishes is that it kills bacteria, germs,and other contaminants which can cause a few problems for the patrons dining at the said sushi restaurant. There are sushi or sashimi that are prepared right out of the tank but these require very special care. Geoduck clam sashimi at Hong Kong style restaurants require a thorough scrubbing and the tank SHOULD be kept at TOP notch condition. Also, there are restaurants that do prepare "fresh" sashimi that is killed right infront of you. This also requires a very clean tank and some knowledge about the fish. Most places (I hope) similar in this style would need to starve the fish for roughly 2 days to cleanse the fish off the toxins and the tank would require cleansing and water exchange every day. Another point that might convince you is even if the above is said and done. How many top grade adult size tuna, yellowtail, snapper, can a fish tank fit? My taste buds wouldn't be knowledgable to differentiate between a top grade non-full grown tuna, yellowtail, or snapper but I would assume that you would not find fish that fits in a fish tank to give you the pieces of o-toro that your favorite sushi bar serve. Hope this helps. Thu Jul 22 17:38:38 -0700 2004 328096 0 Mike Lee 8 328169 We've veering off topic folks, and the topic Mr. Taster raises is certainly an interesting one, but belongs on the General Topics board. Please move further discussion about the freshness of fish thataways. Thanks. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general/general.html Thu Jul 22 22:53:12 -0700 2004 328096 2 The Chowhound Team 2 328049 Side note: I wouldn't go as far as saying Nozawa's fish quality is worst than Yama. My one and only meal at Yama left me feeling disgusted (maybe it is the size) but Nozawa does have good quality fish. However, I know exactly what you mean by going to Yasuda and then going back to Nozawa. It really can't be done. I can give the benefit of the doubt that top sushi restaurants cannot be cross compared due to the quality of fish varying, but the consistency factor (or the lack of) at Nozawa from so many different opinions seems to speak more about the establishment. I'd love to find someone who speaks ill of the Omakase done by Yasuda-san or even his other well trained sushi chefs at the bar. Thu Jul 22 13:19:23 -0700 2004 327805 0 Mike Lee 1 327814 Everyone I know has had a rough experience with Nozawa, and yet they still go back. One evening, at Matsuhisa, I was talking to one of their sushi chefs about Nozawa. He said the whole thing he does with his rice is intentional, and his style. There's a method to his madness. Wed Jul 21 11:34:45 -0700 2004 327791 0 Frank 1 327815 ditto. same can be said for sasabune. coachboy Wed Jul 21 11:45:20 -0700 2004 327791 0 coachboy 2 327827 Totally agree. I object to being "thrown" fish within 20 minutes and being asked for $100.oo or more. Wed Jul 21 12:17:50 -0700 2004 327815 0 Laurie 3 327888 Oh is that why a former boss managed to take such fast lunches there. Glad I've never been despite living near it for almost 10 years. Wed Jul 21 15:52:03 -0700 2004 327827 0 Suze 4 328083 After plowing through most of these posts, I am now more determined than ever to never to set foot in the place. While I'll admit the allure of experiencing the "Sushi Nazi" shtick once held some moderate sway, the culture of brusque attitude and bullying that seems to seep from the walls there is just untenable. I realize that "your mileage may vary" holds true for most things in life, and we are all entitled to our opinions. Some people have great experiences and others just suffer in silence. But going out for a dinner and spending YOUR money at HIS establishment should not be an ordeal. That is simply inexcusable and I despise that type treatment. I have colleagues who go regularly to Nozawa simply because they have to say they've been there. Granted, they would eat rancid lemur entrails if they felt it had the necessary cachet attached. And it is that mystique and the willingness of so many to worship false Messiahs that has allowed Nozawa to flourish. As other posters have noted - the Studio City area is swarming with sushi bars and they all welcome their regulars. We enjoy Katsu-Ya and Matsuda, both of which offer exceptional food and have polite and cordial staffs. We have never witnessed any disdain or annoyance towards their customers at either establishment. I deal with enough arrogance and unwarranted egos during the day, that I refuse to pay for a meal - a luxury and a privilege I do NOT take lightly - only to be treated like a second class citizen. I have yet to read a post to convince me that I must go to Nozawa. Thu Jul 22 15:15:47 -0700 2004 327888 0 Theo 4 328084 After plowing through most of these posts, I am now more determined than ever to never to set foot in the place. While I'll admit the allure of experiencing the "Sushi Nazi" shtick once held some moderate sway, the culture of brusque attitude and bullying that seems to seep from the walls there is just untenable. I realize that "your mileage may vary" holds true for most things in life, and we are all entitled to our opinions. Some people have great experiences and others just suffer in silence. But going out for a dinner and spending YOUR money at HIS establishment should not be an ordeal. That is simply inexcusable and I despise that type treatment. I have colleagues who go regularly to Nozawa simply because they have to say they've been there. Granted, they would eat rancid lemur entrails if they felt it had the necessary cachet attached. And it is that mystique and the willingness of so many to worship false Messiahs that has allowed Nozawa to flourish. As other posters have noted - the Studio City area is swarming with sushi bars and they all welcome their regulars. We enjoy Katsu-Ya and Matsuda, both of which offer exceptional food and have polite and cordial staffs. We have never witnessed any disdain or annoyance towards their customers at either establishment. I deal with enough arrogance and unwarranted egos during the day, that I refuse to pay for a meal - a luxury and a privilege I do NOT take lightly - only to be treated like a second class citizen. I have yet to read a post to convince me that I must go to Nozawa. Thu Jul 22 15:15:52 -0700 2004 327888 0 Theo 5 328094 What about this one? Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/61682#327973 Thu Jul 22 16:19:43 -0700 2004 328084 0 Mr. Taster 5 328120 Look, I have been to Nozawa many times and have never seen him treat anyone rudely. And many of my friends go there regularly and never have a problem. If you ask me this whole "Sushi Nazi" thing is way overblown. Granted he's not the friendliest guy, but so what. As far as "....it is that mystique and the willingness of so many to worship false Messiahs that has allowed Nozawa to flourish"......not true. The reason people pack the place is because it's top quality sushi. I prefer Tama over Nozawa because 1) it's bigger and less crowded; 2) it's cheaper; 3) there is more variety to what you can order whereas Nozawa's "trust me" menu is always the same; 4) I believe quality-wise Tama is not much different than Nozawa. Having said that, eating at Nozawa is not an "ordeal" (except for the possible wait to get in) and don't worry, he won't bite your head off. Thu Jul 22 18:26:36 -0700 2004 328084 0 markn 6 328168 Agreed! But the part about Tama being Cheaper? I don't think if you compare the size of the fish portion you will still have that opinion, Nozawa's are HUGE and that's one of my biggest complaints along with my Japanese friends who prefer small bite size, like SUSHI WASABE in Tustin. Small pieces of fish, but perfect! Thu Jul 22 22:46:21 -0700 2004 328120 0 russkar 6 332613 I've been going to Sushi Nozawa since he moved from Santa Barbara several years ago, and he DOES insult with a crabby, disdainful attitude sometimes..I've vowed a couple of times never ever to go back because he was so "mean" to me, but after a few weeks my tastebuds demand Sushi only by Nozawa. There's no mystery why people crowd into Nozawa's, no masochism, no being trendy, I go because Mr. Nozawa serves the freshest, best sushi I've ever tasted, his delicate condiments are subtle yet most enhancing and he gives his clientele the very best fish that money can buy, not the best deal he could get on fish. Nozawa's sushi is right out of the water and cold, the rice is warm, and although Nozawa is not Mr. Personality, his wife is very pleasant and agreeable, the service is excellent, and the sushi, oh dear Lord the sushi is mouth-wateringly the BEST. If you've been there and do not think the sushi is the best, you don't have nearly as many tastebuds as I. Did you know that some people have more tastebuds? It's a fact. So maybe that's why you didn't go for the heaven-on-earth tastes of Nozawa. Thu Aug 19 17:27:33 -0700 2004 328120 0 Francesca 7 332621 Excellent! Our sediments exactly. Thu Aug 19 21:12:32 -0700 2004 332613 0 russkar 1 327818 OK, blow your wad in cult sushi emporiums if that's your druthers. Hey, it's your money to spend as you wish & you only go around once in life, right? But for simple & inexpensive, albeit less glamorous or exotic sushi, try Bristol Farms. Ignore the pre-made stuff in the case & ask the sushi man to prepare an assortment of your liking. Common fish like ahi, yellowtail & salmon are almost always available, but they often have other choices as well. You can have prepared as shashimi, nigiri, hand rolls or long rolls as you prefer. If you wish, you can also order freshly shucked oysters (malapagues right now) & clams on the half shell from the fish guy adjoining. While they're preparing your order, select a bottle of sake or white wine. Take your chow to the cafe, ask them for glasses & have them open your wine. No pretense, no attitude, just ultrafresh sushi & mollusks with fine wine for a pittance, so relax & enjoy. Wed Jul 21 11:50:54 -0700 2004 327791 0 bernardo 2 327845 Sounds good to me. I just don't get all these over-hyped, over-priced sushi snob places like Nozawa. It is just raw fish folks, it is either fresh or not. Unfortunately these places will probably always exist to serve sushi-snob-yuppies trying to outdo each other's name dropping. Growing up in Monterey Park, I have had the best sushi at small family run places with mainly Asian clientele Wed Jul 21 13:21:32 -0700 2004 327818 0 Ernie 3 327850 Hey Ernie, I grew up in Monterey Park also. Can you tell me what places you're talking about? I knew of two, and I can't remember the name either places off the top of my head. One is on Garfield, a few blocks north of the 60. Though it was bustling with patrons, I did have some unfresh fish. The second place is on Atlantic, about half a mile south of the Washinton Mutual Bank. That place was pretty decent. Sorry with the vague descriptions of restaurants. Could you tell me which ones you like? Wed Jul 21 13:31:18 -0700 2004 327845 0 Panoz 4 327851 Hiro Sushi in Alhambra near the Mervyn's was my favorite, but last time I checked it was sadly closed. Very low key and unpretentious, they were fantastic and I especially liked their pompano the nice sushi chef would hand out free of charge, then fry up the bones extra crunchy. I have had good experiences also at Taihei Restaurant which is on Garfield north of the 60, but it also stands right next door to another sushi place I have never tried. Z Sushi in Alhambra is also good, and have also had good experience at Ai in South Pasadena Wed Jul 21 13:37:27 -0700 2004 327850 0 Ernie 5 327856 Taihei was the place that I had the unfresh fish. Maybe it was an off night. I'll give it another chance. Thanks for the other recs. Wed Jul 21 13:46:08 -0700 2004 327851 0 Panoz 4 327866 kayo sushi? 816 south atlantic monterey park i used to go there when i was younger. as i recall, they had a grilled fish bar...? Wed Jul 21 14:34:29 -0700 2004 327850 0 noTC 4 327871 A little farther south in the Hacienda Heights is Akasaka. They have, in my opinion, the best sushi I've tasted. Very relaxed atmosphere, tucked away in the middle of nowhere. Akasaka Restaurant 14926 Clark Ave. Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 Phone: (626) 336-0871 Wed Jul 21 14:49:07 -0700 2004 327850 0 elmomonster 1 327831 Im sorry that you had such a bad experience at Nozawas. I have been going to Nozawa for a few years now and have enjoyed every meal there. The fish is always of a pristine quality and the rice is amazing-always perfectly seasoned and the grains cooked so that they remain somewhat separate and not clumpy. As for the attitude, I can see how some people might be a little put off. He is certainly not the most gregarious person, but he has always answered all my questions politely. His "busboy" that you refer to is named Jose. He has been working side by side with Nozawa for a few years now. He is well-trained, works cleanly and efficiently, and always courteous. All the sushi that he has prepared for me has been on par of that of Nozawa's. I have tried Tama's and while it is not bad, I just didn't feel that it was of the same high quality of Nozawa's. Wed Jul 21 12:35:50 -0700 2004 327791 0 not a "cowed trendie" 2 327838 the thing is Tama's has the nicest chef and all but the sushi is just not that great in my opinion. but with nozawa i've never been disappointed w/ the sushi for the most part, his consistency levels is quite for a restaurant. meaning you get the same goods every time except that it won't be that exciting since you'll always get the same stuff when you go there which is fine by me because that's what i expect when i go there. i expect the baby tuna to start, then some tuna sushi, albacore, yellowtail, red snapper, maybe some oysters, and then a blue crab handroll, or a toro roll to finish off. it works like clockwork every time, and of course it's not a true omakase in that sense of the word, since his chef's choice never really changes but that's the inherent beauty of it. if i want something different go's mart, or mori, or nishimura may serve that purpose. Wed Jul 21 13:01:09 -0700 2004 327831 0 kevin 3 327867 Like the original poster said, Katsu & Nozawa are both buying their fish at the same place, at the same time, and often times sharing the SAME FISH. The notion that the fish at Nozawa is somehow fresher than at Tama is ridiculous. Wed Jul 21 14:39:10 -0700 2004 327838 0 markn 4 327954 We go to both and we like Tama a lot but his fish is almost never at the same "level" or as fresh as Nozawa. I have seen Nozawa at LA Fish ,IMP, PF before 6a some mornings, sometimes long before the rest of the Chefs show up, he buys the finest only, the rest goes everywhere else(just like the coffee bean commercial)! If you really want the best there is you have to go to MASA'S in NYC (formerly Ginza in LA), he's the only Big Game(outside of Tokyo) in this Raw Fish Eating Sport, $$$$$$$(500-min ea for dinner but you'll be blown away and possibly broke). First course, Wild Blue Fin O-Toro chopped w/an ounce of Beluga on top, etc. Wed Jul 21 20:23:10 -0700 2004 327867 0 russkar 5 328125 Sounds good Russ, send me your credit card # and I'm there! Thu Jul 22 18:38:32 -0700 2004 327954 0 markn 6 328166 What makes you think I paid? Successful friends are very good to have especially in such situations, especially with big expense accts, of course! Thu Jul 22 22:41:34 -0700 2004 328125 0 russkar 6 328179 But unless & until he offers, let's go slumming where he isn't -- at Bristol Farms, where we'll feast on ultrafesh shashimi & sushi along with some freshly shucked shellfish on the halfshell, all washed down with sake or a fine dry white for little more than a song. I know, I know, Bristol doesn't sound Japanese & they don't have any celebrity sushi chefs. C'est la vie pour le hoi polloi. Fri Jul 23 01:07:51 -0700 2004 328125 0 bernardo 5 328236 Zzzzzzzzzz. Give it a rest, huh? Fri Jul 23 14:19:55 -0700 2004 327954 0 S. 1 327835 Ditto to everything you said. This past Friday was my first trip to Nozawa from NoCal. After the first set of nigiri, we were very surprised with the hot and floppy rice. I was sure that our sushi was made by the chef not the assitant. Our biggest laugh was the "PLASTIC" plates! I don't know what we were paying for, his time? For the price people paid to eat off plastic plates.... we were speechless. Americanized ethnic food to the new high. Wed Jul 21 12:45:41 -0700 2004 327791 0 soyo 1 327853 I had my first (and last) experience with Nozawa about six years ago, and had much the same problems. I was denied seating at the sushi bar because all of the empty seats (about half) were "reserved." Well, okay that's fine, although during the hour I was there, no one came in. Okay again, people make reservations and don't show up, that's out of the owner's hands. But the sushi is indeed in the owner's hands (or should be). The rice is a joke. I complained that it kept falling apart, and was told that it was indeed intentional, that sushi rice needs to be soft, yada, yada. Nonsense! Sushi is not supposed to fall apart! And you shouldn't need to take special chopstick lessons on how to eat Nozawa's sushi! The fish itself was good, but by no means superior to what you can get in many good sushi bars around LA. And the surly attitude was just icing on the cake. It's been six years since I've been there and I still remember that awful meal. Obviously others have had the same experience, and I can only say that Nozawa would be a whole lot wealthier if he acted differently. I guess he just doesn't care. Wed Jul 21 13:41:59 -0700 2004 327791 0 Tusc 1 327859 Not necessarily relevant to the quality of the sushi, but I recall watching Jay Leno one night when Charlize Theron spoke of an "incident" where she'd been ejected by the owner of a restaurant and had quite a lot to say about her treatment there.. After a bit of hesitation she named Nozawa as the place. So the guy's reputation is nation-wide. Sounds like it only helps his business though. Wed Jul 21 13:48:30 -0700 2004 327791 0 Midlife 1 327881 Having tried Nozawa, and having had sushi in many different Los Angeles area restaurants, I have to agree with you. There is no reason to subject one's self to abuse (or a surly chef) while dining. There are so many other places with sushi as good as, if not better than, Nozawa. I can see no reason to eat there. Wed Jul 21 15:28:56 -0700 2004 327791 0 havetobeanonymous 1 327885 I personally love the warm soft sushi rice that falls apart. For friendly attitude and same caliber if not better sushi, Toshi at Echigo makes the same style of sushi and it is all very fresh and less expensive. Lunch special 12-2pm weekdays for only $10 and you can double up if it's not enough food. My personal favorites are the fresh oysters and uni and crab roll. And usually I don't like salmon, but I do at Echigo. Echigo 12217 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles CA Wed Jul 21 15:48:30 -0700 2004 327791 0 Alice 2 327913 Toshi really blossomed once he got out of Taku's shadow at Sushi Spot. Wed Jul 21 17:35:39 -0700 2004 327885 0 TomSwift 1 327899 While not a fan of Nozawa, surliness is just that. I don't go to sushi bars to make friends with the chef, although it's nice. Shibutani is great. Shige at SHibucho has always been a nasty cuss to me and i patronized the place for years. Then he started closing at midnight, so that was that. But his sushi is stellar and I have no problem going to his place, sitting at a table, ordering what I like, and having him work for me with no interaction. And I don't mind going with someone else to shige's. He's usually pleasant enough to my guest so we sit at the bar then. The real reason I don't care for Nozawa is that I hate the style of scallop sushi with that milky mayonaisse-like sauce. And I don't care for the rice. I don't like cold congealed rocky rice either. And I only dip the tane so that's not the issue. Likewise, i don't care Echigo. Went once, disliked the service at table, didn't think the fish was special although a decent value as far as price went, and again the rice. So it's a matter of taste. But again, if as a customer you feel you aren't being treated well, you are perfectly within your rights to leave and tell others about your bad experience. I recommend Shige's Sushi to people who really like sushi, with the caveat that I find him unpleasant, and the admission that perhaps it's mutual. Wed Jul 21 16:18:33 -0700 2004 327791 0 Jerome 2 327900 Am I correct in assuming Shige is at the BH Shibucho? As you said, Shibutani-san is a great guy (in fact, everyone at Shibucho in Costa Mesa is very nice); it may be icing on the cake, but it just makes the experience that much more pleasant. And his hotategai is made with a single slice from a huge scallop - so much better than the mayo stuff. He doesn't seem to offer it very often though. Wed Jul 21 16:34:04 -0700 2004 327899 0 JC 3 327920 the Shibucho (shige's)is on Beverly blvd about 1/2 mile east of Vermont. I don't know the Shibucho in Beverly Hills. Wed Jul 21 18:06:30 -0700 2004 327900 0 Jerome 4 328088 Er, meant Beverly Blvd. My bad. Thu Jul 22 15:38:17 -0700 2004 327920 0 JC 1 327907 Although I happen to be a fan of the sushi at Nozawa, I can certainly appreciate that his personal style (or lack thereof) is not to everyone's liking. And while I ordinarily let this kind of thing slide, I must take exception to your reference to his "busboy." For the several years that I've been going, Nozawa's colleague behind the counter has been there. And given Nozawa's legendary attitude, the fact that he treats his colleague with obvious respect is quite telling. Say what you will about the Nozawa experience, but to belittle his colleague is unfair and unwarranted. Wed Jul 21 16:52:42 -0700 2004 327791 0 drewben 2 327921 Actually, it was Nozawa's belittling tone which led me to believe he was a busboy. Nozawa certainly didn't treat him as a "colleague;" he coldly barked one-word commands at him the entire time I was there. The whole display rather offensive, but, like you, I also prefer to let that kind of thing slide. But I can assure you that there was no respect, obvious or otherwise, in evidence last night. Wed Jul 21 18:09:14 -0700 2004 327907 0 Gene 1 327919 I couldn't agree more. Nozawa's fish is very good, but no better than Echigo, Sushi Spot, Sushi Ryo, or Kazu (and probably a dozen others). They all buy from the same wholesalers at about the same time of the morning. So he has good albacore, so do all of the others on my list. The way I see it, if I'm paying $50+ a person for a meal, I expect to be treated nicely. Nozawa treats almost everyone like he's doing you a favor by letting you eat there. I will not support this type of treatment, especially when there are lots of options. Wed Jul 21 18:04:40 -0700 2004 327791 0 Stuart 1 327925 After reading this thread, I wonder why ANYONE would go to a restaurant where they KNOW that they will be treated poorly. No level of food would be enough to draw me in. It reminds me of an ad that had the heading "Nasty Boss Seeking..." I guess there will always be people, who on some level, enjoy mistreatment. Wed Jul 21 18:25:55 -0700 2004 327791 0 Funwithfood 2 327935 I think Nozawa's reputation precedes him and is not rooted in practical reality. In the 5 years (on-and-off) that I've been going to Nozawa, I have never once been treated rudely or seen someone treated with disrespect... but I definitely have heard the "sushi nazi" and "california roll" stories. It makes me wonder if people enter this place with the Zagat-popularized "Sushi Nazi" line at the fore of their brain, and then so seek to "draw the bullseye around the arrow" so to speak. If you seek something in earnest, you will find it. Mr. Taster Wed Jul 21 18:59:49 -0700 2004 327925 0 Mr. Taster 3 327947 NOZAWA,HE DIDN'T GIVE THEM(MEXICAN GUY)TIPS! Wed Jul 21 19:42:38 -0700 2004 327935 0 LONDA 3 327960 I went in with no preconceived notion, only the rec of my friend who said it's the best sushi in LA. He was wrong on that count, and I just found the whole experience unpleasant. Wed Jul 21 20:37:34 -0700 2004 327935 0 havetobeanonymous 3 328040 That's ridiculous. Who on earth goes into an expensive restaurant with a pre-conceived notion it will be bad??? The majority of posters here have had problems with Nozawa, myself included. If you haven't, then good for you, but don't try to psychoanalyze people, you're not that smart. Nozawa simply acts rude to many customers -- it's not all in their imaginations! Thu Jul 22 12:44:50 -0700 2004 327935 0 Iceman 4 328082 It's human nature that if something is harder to obtain, its psycological value increases. That's what draws people to these places-- the reputation, the stories of these taskmasters who supposedly create wonderful food. The poster who likes to berate people's intelligence said: > Who on earth goes into an expensive restaurant with a pre-conceived notion it will be bad??? In general, of course, you are correct. Nobody goes to Spago expecting rude service. But that's because part of the Spago experience is service, just like the McDonalds experience is cheap, processed fast food without service. We have different expectations for difference restaurants. Similarly, there are several niche places that people go to with the expectation that they will be treated "rudely" as part of the schtick. (For example, in addition to Nozawa there is House of Nanking in San Francisco and Soup Kitchen Intrnational in New York.) Whether or not the food is worth the supposedly rude treatment is another argument that I am not making here. The legions of patrons who queue up in lines out the door and down the street for these restaurants are there for the experience-- to verify the stories first hand, to see if their personal experience is like what they've read about. Then they tell their friends how they "survived" the Sushi Nazi, and if they food was any good, they come back. Mr. Taster Thu Jul 22 15:13:44 -0700 2004 328040 0 Mr. Taster 5 328092 Ah yes, I remember years ago, Sam Wo's in San Francisco had a famously rude waiter called Edsel. When he died in the '80s he had a large obit in the LA Times. Restaurant was reputedly not terrific, but tourists would line up to be abused by him. Thu Jul 22 16:09:28 -0700 2004 328082 0 quiz wrangler 6 328098 Edsel never took himself seriously, though, and he was an equal opportunity abuser! But a pat on his cheek (face) and he'll go meow. Thu Jul 22 16:48:08 -0700 2004 328092 0 Sarah 6 328099 Ah yes...Edsel Ford Fong. Great name. Ate at Sam Wo many times while living in Berkeley during the late 70's and 80's. Cheap food, open late, fun to get your food delivered from the first floor kitchen via a dumbwaiter. Thu Jul 22 16:49:51 -0700 2004 328092 0 Debbie 6 328104 But at Sam Woo's you EXPECTED the rice to fall apart!! Thu Jul 22 17:42:23 -0700 2004 328092 0 Redshirt 5 328161 Glad you brought up the soup nazi. The difference there is that the soup was THAT good. Yes it was $10 for lobster bisque, but there were large chunks of lobster. Pretty much a chunk in each bite. The portabello mushroom chili...awesome. If Nozawa's fish were pristine, I could care less the attitude. My beef is purely with the sushi. Thu Jul 22 22:01:35 -0700 2004 328082 0 Porthos 6 328216 That is why I said that I was not arguing the merits of the food. Some might find the soup nazi's food not worth it, just as you find Nozawa's not worthwhile. That's not the argument I was making. Mr. Taster Fri Jul 23 13:03:51 -0700 2004 328161 0 Mr. Taster 7 328218 I've been to the Soup Nazi a number of times, The soup is indeed that good -- it's worth tolerating the chef's absurd rigidity. That people invariably line up around the block is testament to how good the soup is. I suppose there are probably some people who won't go there because of his attitude, but anyone who has any taste buds left knows it is fantastic soup. And you just can't get soup like that elsewhere. People do not line up around the block for Nozawa. Partly it is the high price, partly it is the fact that you can get equally good sushi at a lot of other places around town, and even aroud Studio City. And partly it's because Nozawa sometimes acts like a jerk. Maybe you need to go there regularly for ten years to earn his respect. For most people, it's just not worth it. Obviously you disagree with this, to each his own. Fri Jul 23 13:28:04 -0700 2004 328216 0 Bigg Doggie 8 328230 > People do not line up around the block for Nozawa. You have obviously never eaten there for lunch when the line of people extends out the door and well out onto the sidewalk (just drive past at 1:00 on almost any given weekday to see). I used to work in the area and had to take an extra long lunch break because of the wait. > And you just can't get soup like that elsewhere. Similarly, the crab salad handroll is an item that I have not tasted elsewhere. Mr. Taster Fri Jul 23 14:04:11 -0700 2004 328218 0 Mr. Taster 9 328291 mr. taster, the crab handroll, the blue one at least is popping up at a lot of places now, at kazu down the block, ahi sushi, go's mart, sasabune (althougth sasaubene sucks), hiko, and echigo, i think that runs the gamut. Fri Jul 23 19:00:12 -0700 2004 328230 0 kevin 1 327970 I regularly eat at Nozawa and have eaten at Tama. I grew-up eating from Katsu when he was located on Hillhurst in the eighties and I consider him a master but second to "trust me" man. Nozawa consistently serves marvelous fish. The rice is supposed to be like you describe but you need to be an expert chop stick user to be able to eat the sushi without spilling. You only get special dishes if you have earned position with him. I am sorry that you only get served the junior fish dishes. I would be unhappy too. I am lucky that my wife has been eating there regularly for 17 years. I mooch off of her position with Nozawa. When I was there on Monday, we had Uni, Oysters, Scallop, Giant Clam, Salmon Egg, Monk fish liver hand roll, Blue crab hand roll, and a few other dishes. It was all great and possibly the best sushi I have eaten in six months or more. Nozawa was friendly and chatted with us about when his restaurant started and how he had no customers until he started getting positive reviews in the times. He's not for the pushy entitlement type. You have to be old school and reverent to get the good stuff. Wed Jul 21 21:26:28 -0700 2004 327791 0 DavidSL 1 327973 Wow, it's sure a shame to hear you refer to Nozawa's assistant as a "busboy." He's been there for years and is consistently competent. I have been eating there since the late eighties, when he first opened, and I have never seen Nozawa treat an employee disrespectfully. As a restaurant owner I can tell you that quick, distilled communication you criticize is preferred to "will you please make snapper for this customer" when there's work to be done. Paring communication down to essentials is a matter of necessity. Nozawa is an impressively professional place, if you ask this professional. Yes, Nozawa is quiet and gets to know customers slowly. He doesn't kiss butt. He insists on quiet politeness from customers. It is true that he may not thank you or smile as you leave. Why does that matter? If that's important then Teru Sushi ought to be great. They make a great show of it. Yes, he's aloof, but aloof and impolite are different things. Nozawa is not there to make friends. He's there to serve sushi in the way he chooses to. He rarely speaks, except when he scolds rude, loud, demanding customers. Contrary to many opinions written here, he does not cater to snobs. He hardly tolerates them. He prefers quiet, reverent types. The fact that Nozawa buys fish at the same time as others is not relevant. It's like saying that anyone who bought that fish could do as well as Nozawa or Katsu. It's like suggesting that going out and buying photoshop will make you a great computer artist It takes years to learn what these men, Katsu and Nozawa know: in addition to the essential freshness, the way the fish is prepared is the key: the cuts, the handling. I think that the differences between Katsu and Nozawa are largely in presentation, and that you can have a wonderful meal at either place. Both men are at the top of their profession. I prefer Nozawa because it's pared down and simple, and I really, really like the warm, loose, brightly-flavored rice. I have eaten sushi at the Tsukuji market in Tokyo, at Toro dives in Japanese college districts, and at revered Edo style places. They're all different and all good. There's plenty of lousy sushi out there but Nozawa... come on. Are you really gonna put him in the same category as run-of-the-mill, all-you-can-eat places? Nozawa is up there with the best. Katsu is great, too. The reason Katsu isn't as busy is probably because he hasn't been in that location long. There are enough sushi eaters for both of them, I would venture to guess. Wed Jul 21 22:09:38 -0700 2004 327791 0 NeNePie 2 327989 Another reason Katsu might not be as busy is that there are at least 17 sushi bars in Studio City to share the business, and only one has Nozawa's level of reputation, only one has Asenebo's reputation, and with Katsu-Ya and Teru Sushi both doing more business than either one of them, for some obviously justifiable reason, then you get the picture that the competition factor is huge. Katsu/Tama does great work, as his longevity in the business attests to. His problem is that he could not use his own name Katsu without creating major confusion with Katsu-Ya who was there first, and its owner's first name is also Katsu. Things happen! Thu Jul 22 00:29:40 -0700 2004 327973 0 carter 1 327977 While my experience was not as bad as yours, I totally thought Nozawa was overrated. The rice is not supposed to fall apart! Definitely! This I learned when my mother used to live in Tokyo. The shape of nigiri sushi should be like the fabric part of a fan. Wed Jul 21 22:39:26 -0700 2004 327791 0 tissue 2 328093 I enjoy Nozawa's sushi very much, but I must admit that I have always been confused by the loose sushi rice. The flavor of it is marvelous, but it does take some fancy parallel chopstick scoop work to get it successfully into your mouth. For this reason I eschew sushi etiquette and dip the rice side of the nigiri and get it quickly to my mouth before too much rice can fall away. Here's a question that Jerome may have some knowledge of-- do you know if warm rice sushi is a regional specialty of Japan (if so, which region? History of the method vs. cold rice sushi?), or is it an Americanized thing? Mr. Taster Thu Jul 22 16:16:10 -0700 2004 327977 0 Mr. Taster 3 328153 Wish I knew. One point though - if you've cleaned your hands with the oshibori towel, and keep the towel, you can (if you choose to use your hands) keep the tane on the rice by using a lightly placed digit. Thu Jul 22 21:25:45 -0700 2004 328093 0 Jerome