Tonight at Sadie: Suntory Time!

San Francisco bartender Neyah White, the Suntory whiskey West Coast Brand Ambassador, will be holding court this evening at Sadie, the Hollywood restaurant and hot spot.  He will be guest bartending at Sadie tonight, the first in a planned series of guest bartenders.  Not only will he be making signature cocktails with the Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskeys, but there will be other special elements.

If the Suntory whiskey is not enough of a draw, there will be a Japanese ice carving demonstration in which blocks of ice are carved into perfect spheres.  Sadie beverage director Gio Martinez described the Japanese style of service as "one gesture of appreciation after another.  The act of taking the time to make perfectly shaped ice shows attention to detail and service that is so admirable and cool."

Your chance to experience the Bill Murray of whiskeys is tonight from 7 - 11 pm at Sadie.  I have tried these whiskeys and am a fan; these are truly delicious.  White is very understated and Martinez is the consummate host, so tonight should be a blast.  Kampai!

The Parlor at Sadie: 1638 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood | 323.467.0200 | www.sadiela.com

Katsu at Kagura (Torrance)

Torrance and Koreatown may be the two neighborhoods/cities in Southern California with the greatest concentration of specialist restaurants due to their concentration of Japanese and Korean restaurants and the popularity of such restaurants in those cultures.  Kagura in Torrance is arguably the preeminent Katsu specialist; in addition to pork katsu, there is chicken katsu and a millefeuille pork katsu, which like the pastry has layer upon layer within the breading, only in this case layers of sliced black pork loin cutlet, not pastry.  If you prefer your fried food in seafood form, oyster cutlets, salmon cutlets and crab cream croquette are all available to be fried to order.

I recently had the Chicken Oroshi Katsu Gozen lunch ($12.95) which is a deep fried free range chicken cutlet served with a radish ponzu sauce.  The accompaniments are sliced cabbage, steamed grain rice, pickled vegetables, tofu and another veggie.  A pork miso soup was also included but was not sampled.

The cutlet itself was a thing of beauty.  Lightly fried, the cutlet arrived on a metal grate, so that the breading would not separate from the chicken cutlet due to steam and to facilitate saucing.  The breading was nice and crispy and remarkably free of grease.  The radish ponzu sauce added to the salty crunchy flavor by adding another layer of taste as well as cooling the piping hot katsu.  The cutlet itself is quite large; this is not a light lunch, more the type of meal you want to come home and take a nap after eating.

Service was friendly and efficient and everyone in the restaurant seemed to be eating katsu of some form or another.  Toyko Katsu is written on the sign above the name of the restaurant, in case you were wondering what to order.

Kagura: 1652 Cabrillo Avenue @ Carson St, Torrance.  310.787.0227 | Kagura Website

Take a Dip at Ikemen Ramen

Ikemen is "The Dip Ramen".  The new ramen spot recently opened up a stone's throw from the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in a minimall at the intersection of La Brea and Hollywood Boulevard.  The specialty of the house is dip ramen, in which the noodles are served alongside, rather than in the ramen soup.

I am happy to report that there are ample choices for fans of chicken ramen.  For pork-challenged ramen fans, this is an occasion to celebrate.  The Chicken #1 Dip is made with chicken broth, thick chewy noodles and grilled chicken.  I added Onsen Tamago, a hot poached egg, for $1 more.  There are ample noodles provided, so much so that I ended up ordering extra broth to finish them all.  The noodles are significantly chewier than those used in the "Genuine Ramen."  I began by using the broth as a sauce and dipped the noodles and then ate them; then progressed to putting the noodles into the broth and eating it as a soup.

The dip ramen was good but I confess to preferring the Chicken Miso Ramen, among the Genuine Ramens. It was made with chicken broth, green onions, thin noodles and grilled chicken.  The miso broth was intensely flavored and the thinner noodles were less chewy than the dipping version, which I find preferable. 

Dip ramens are $9 and genuine ramens are $8.  All in all I can see the chicken miso ramen joining my regular rotation of casual inexpensive spots.  As a bonus, the restaurant is open very late.  Ikemen is small, fewer than a dozen seats at tables and two counter areas.  No fuss, reasonably priced, delicious and friendly service.

Ikemen: 1655 N. La Brea, Hollywood.  Phone: (323) 800-7669.  Website: http://www.ikemenhollywood.com/

Osaka - Japanese by way of Peru in Hollywood

Peruvian cuisine is the "it girl" of the moment in Los Angeles culinary circles.  The cuisine first gained notice here when Nobu Matsuhisa opened his eponymous restaurant in 1987, bringing Miso Black Cod into the culinary lexicon.  That restaurant showcased Japanese food with Peruvian influences reflecting the years the chef spent living in Peru.  Peruvian food did not have another moment in Los Angeles until Ricardo Zarate opened Mo-Chica in Mercado La Paloma in the Spring of 2009.

2011 has seen the opening of three significant restaurants serving different styles of Peruvian cuisine.  Zarate (now a Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chef) followed up Mo-Chica with Picca, an upscale cantina with gourmet takes on Peruvian food.  This summer Mario Alberto, who had previously worked at Mo-Chica and The Lazy Ox, opened up Chimu, a casual Peruvian spot adjacent to the Grand Central Market.  Now comes Osaka, a Peruvian restaurant with Asian ingredients and techniques, from Adolfo Suaya of Surly Goat and BoHo and his partners from Lima: Diego de la Puente and Diego Herrera.  This is the 5th branch of Osaka, following the original in Lima, and others in Buenos Aires, Santiago (Chile) and Mexico City.

Osaka may follow in the footsteps of the other Peruvian spots that recently opened but it is certainly its own restaurant, blending Peruvian and Japanese as well as the strong influence of its Hollywood location.  The decor is quite dramatic.  Designer Kris Keith of Spacecraft created three rooms: a front bar, an outdoor pisco garden, and the main dining room, centered on a 40 seat ceviche and sushi bar.  There are ropes hanging from the ceiling in the dining room and to enter the restaurant, diners pass by a water feature and pond, which is effective in transporting customers away from the noise of Hollywood Boulevard.

I was recently invited to visit Osaka and try some of the menu.  My visit began with a Pisco Sour made with ORO Acholado Pisco that was a delicious beginning.  The cocktail is only $9, a deal for a delicious cocktail in Hollywood.

I sampled various items including the Tiraditos and Ceviches, which were some of the menu highlights.  The halibut (below left) and the tuna (below right) were nicely seasoned and attractively presented.

The Niku Abura nigiri, made with seared beef, was another hit.  It is second from the left in the photo below.  The salmon (left) had a buttery texture, while the beef was warm and had a sweet and savory marinade that made me want second helpings.

The menu is divided into Causitas, made with Peruvian yellow potatoes, Anticuchos (skewers), Tapas, Soups, and Signature Dishes, in addition to items from the Sushi & Ceviche Bar.  Entrees range from $15 - $25 but at Osaka it is best to make your meal of many little dishes, so you can have a variety of tastes and flavors.

If you are inclined to order a Signature Dish or two for your table, the Miso Truffle American Kobe Skirt Steak is a fitting way to settle in to the heartier stage of your meal.  This dish is not shy about announcing its presence on your plate as the miso puree and truffle salt provide an aromatic accompaniment to the tender kobe beef.

It really feels like a night on the town when you step into Osaka, whether for a round of Pisco sours or a full meal of sushi, ceviche, and cooked dishes.  Osaka may be serving the "it" cuisine of the moment, but service is welcoming and there is genuine excitement about the cuisine and dishes that is apparent from the hostess to the waiters and busboys.  So stroll down the Walk of Fame, have a cocktail, munch on ceviche and tirado and enjoy the glamorous room.  It is Hollywood after all.

Osaka: 6327 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood.  Phone: (323) 785-0360.  Website: http://www.osaka.com.pe/

Ramen Jinya: lives up to the hype

Ramen Jinya opened up in Studio City only a month ago but immediately began acquiring acclaim, beginning with Rameniac's review, which was quickly followed by that of Jonathan Gold, Joshua Lurie of FoodGPS, and Dylan Ho of Eat, Drink,& Be Merry. I was especially excited as their signature ramen is a chicken broth ramen, not a common option in Southern California, and one I could eat/slurp to the last drop.



I recently headed there with Ron of Sauce Supreme to check out what all the hullabaloo was about. For $12.50, Jinya offers a set meal of salad, gyoza and ramen. The gyoza are also made of chicken and are pictured above. I was starving so ate these in two minutes flat. They were good but the main event was the ramen. I opted for the Spicy Ramen (pictured below), which is chicken broth, chicken meatballs, spicy beansprouts and spinach. The broth was rich and flavorful and the noodles were great. The only weak spot was the chicken meatballs, which were not that tasty. The portion size is large: the soup spoon was ladle sized. The soup is $8.55 a la carte.



The service was quick, friendly and efficient. There is ample free parking in the underground parking structure, which is always a big plus. Overall Ramen Jinya is a winner with good food at reasonable prices, ample portions and good service. Worth going to whether you are in the Valley or not, especially if you eat chicken but not pork.

Ramen Jinya: 11239 Ventura Blvd (in a strip mall with a Marshalls), Studio City. Phone: (818) 980-3977. Website: http://www.jinya-la.com/ramen/

Mitsuwa Marketplace Centinela: Misasa

In my first of two posts today on restaurants in the Mitsuwa Marketplace Centinela food court I focus on Misasa, a donburi (a rice bowl dish with the meat or fish and or veggies served on top of a bowl of rice) specialist. Almost all of their Yelp reviews begin with "I wasn't in the mood for Santouka..." They are fortunate to get the bountiful Santouka overflow.



I recently had lunch at Misasa and had the Wafu Teriyaki Chicken (pictured above), which was served with miso soup, a bowl of rice, tofu, and a pickle plate. It was a lot of food but none of it was more than fine.



The teriyaki chicken in particular (pictured above) lacked flavor. Go to Hide Sushi for a much better version of chicken teriyaki. The sauce at Misasa was too thin and lacked sufficient sweetness. The chicken itself had a subpar texture.



The tofu, miso soup and pickles were fine, but nothing to seek out. It is a lot of food for a small amount of money, but not especially tasty, so not a good value.

Misasa: 3760 Centinela Ave @ Venice Blvd, Los Angeles. In the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court.

FuRaiBo: Japanese Fried Chicken Wings on Sawtelle

FuRaiBo hit two birds with one stone for me as it specializes in fried chicken and it is located on Sawtelle, two restaurant types that I have been exploring. Furaibo's specialty is Teba, Japanese fried chicken wings, and the restaurant is affiliated with a chain of several hundred outlets in Tokyo.



Once you walk through the noren entrance, there is counter seating around the grill as well as ample tables. The menu is focused on chicken wings and other food you would eat while drinking beer or sake.



At lunch they have set options such as the double teba course (2 orders of chicken wings) or the teba and chita course (1 order of chicken wings with a leg and thigh), each for $7.50. These options come with rice, miso soup and pickles. I recommend the double teba course as it is only $1.50 more than the single teba and when at FuRaiBo, the best thing is their focus, the wings.

The miso soup had significantly more seaweed than the run of the mill miso soup you might find at other spots on Sawtelle, which I consider a plus. The pickles came with pickled cabbage as well.

I ordered the teba and chita and the teba outshone the chita. There was also some shredded chicken that resembled tuna fish and the accompanying salad was below par. The chicken wings are not very meaty, have nice crispy skin and are a little spicy. As each wing has so little meat, the double order makes the most sense. The crunch is nice, the mild spiciness is good without causing a searing fire in your mouth.

I sampled the cold Hakutsuru draft sake which came in a 300 ml bottle. Crisp with a hint of sweetness, it was a fine beverage to accompany the chicken wing meal.

FuRaiBo: 2068 Sawtelle Blvd (@ Mississippi). Telephone: (310) 444-1432. Website (in Japanese): www.furaibou.com

Hide Sushi: No frills sushi since 1979

If you grew up in West LA, then you have probably been to Hide Sushi at least once. It opened on Sawtelle Blvd in 1979 and has been serving sushi and cooked Japanese food at reasonable prices ever since. Hide has always been cash only and has an ATM machine on the premises. For as long as I have been going there, Hide has had a wait to be seated at dinner. They have a dry erase board for diners to write their name on and hungry customers frequently check the board to see their position in the queue.


I have been going to Hide Sushi for roughly twenty years; I wouldn't eat sushi when I first started going there. They have a parking lot and my family went so frequently that the parking lot attendant would ask about anyone who wasn't with us on that visit, especially my grandmother. So I have an affinity and history with this restaurant.

On a recent visit I opted for the teriyaki and sashimi combination. This came with miso soup,rice, tsukemono (pickled greens) and sunomono (cucumber salad). I opted for the beef teriyaki and the salmon sashimi and added an order of two pieces of inari. The hot soup arrived quickly in a lidded bowl, along with the sides of tsukemono and sunomono. These sides are nothing to get excited about. The beef teriyaki comes with a great version of teriyaki sauce, with just the right element of sweetness. The teriyaki is served with a salad with the traditional ginger salad dressing.



The salmon sashimi was fresh tasting and nicely cut. The number of slices is greater than expected.



The inari (fried bean curd wrapped around sweet rice) look like little footballs. For me, they are a great dessert because of the sweetness, although they are really part of the meal. They are listed on the menu as six to an order, but you can order them in multiples of two.

If you go, plan on bringing cash. Your party must be complete in order to be seated and expect a wait. They turn the tables quickly so this is not a spot for a long drawn out meal. Their cooked food and sushi is a good value. They have a parking lot with free validation, although it often fills up and street parking can get tough on this stretch of Sawtelle, due to the large number of Japanese restaurants.

Hide Sushi: 2040 Sawtelle (between La Grange & Olympic), West LA. Phone: (310) 477-7274. No website.