Urasawa
Often voted as the best sushi in the city, as well as one of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles, Urasawa offers not only excellent food, but a true dining experience, with a simple restaurant setting, exotic menu items, and food prepared while you watch, including individually seared tuna belly. The preparation for your meal begins when you place your reservation, as everything, from the soy sauce to the salt, is prepared in house, and special ingredients are flown in from Japan. The price for the full experience, which includes 29 individually-prepared courses, was $275 in 2009, and while pricey, this is always considered worthwhile.
Urasawa
218 N. Rodeo Dr
Beverly Hills, California 90210
(310) 247-8939
Asanebo
Asanebo's location in Studio City makes it a haunt of music industry types, and Japanese locals are known to frequent it as well. Asanebo eschews the typical sushi bar trappings and offers sophisticated tastes featuring only food that is in season. Executive Chef Shige Fujimoto's restaurant specializes in multiple course dinners, from light appetizers through tasting trays to delectable desserts, but you can order ala crate if you want to keep things simple or keep your costs lower. Asanebo also specializes in sashimi, which is also raw fish, but not presented in rolls. This preserves the flavor of the freshest ingredients and lets each ingredient speak for itself.
Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, California 91604
(818) 760-3348
Sushi Sushi
This restaurant's simple exterior belies a sophisticated menu, an intimate dining area, and dishes favored by expatriate Japanese. Try the Omakase for a sampling of the best Sushi Sushi has to offer, including sashimi, various sushi rolls, soup and dessert. Regulars tend to eat at the sushi bar, but there are a few tables as well. However, Sushi Sushi is not a good choice for beginners. It caters to a crowd that knows what they want in sushi, so its tasting menus tend toward the sophisticated. For upscale sushi, this restaurant offers a reasonable cost, in that you can find several options, including ordering ala carte, that will let a couple dine for around $100.
Sushi Sushi
326 1/2 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, California 90212
(310) 277-1165
