Los Angeles Sushi Rules

One of my earliest memories ever is sitting at the sushi bar with my father at Happy Sushi in Chicago my hands cupping the miso soup bowl, nibbling on shrimp and egg sushi rolls. I have always loved sushi. It is definitely my stranded on a desert island food. I crave it and frankly can't really go more than a week without having some sushi. There is ok sushi in my neighborhood but LA is teaming with melt-in-your-moth, ridiculously fresh sushi options. Someday before I die I will go to Ursawa. The omakase only bank breaking restaurant in Beverly Hills but in the meantime here are my favorite spots (***all of these are East side options because hey that's where I live, but I know there are amazing West side options as well).

SUSHI GEN
The first time I visited this place a regular sitting next to me at the sushi bar informed me that the owner/chef gets first pick along with only two other chefs at the fish market in LA. This ensures that he gets the freshest stuff around. I am not sure if this is true but I am sticking with that story. Everything here is so good. If you order omakase at the sushi bar you won't be disappointed but you will be expected to eat fried shrimp heads (you can ask for them in a soup if that helps!). This place has an incredible lunch special. There are always lines out the door which is a testament to how fresh and delicious everything is. Also it's right in the heart of little Tokyo so it's a fun little neighborhood to explore before or after dinner.

KAZU SUSHI
Kazu Sushi is situated on a stretch of Ventura surrounded by better known serious sushi restaurants - the original Katsu-ya, Nozawa, etc. For the life of me I cannot figure out why this place is not packed every night. Kazu is just as serious as his neighbors. There are no california rolls here. Only fresh and deliciuos sushi. If you go you have to get the blue crab hand roll. It is seriously life changing. I am not quite sure how I discovered this place. I think I may have heard it's George Clooney's favorite secret valley sushi spot. I have never seen him here (although I have seen other celebrities tucked away in this unassuming strip mall spot). This place is so good. You never have to wait and everything is so good. It's also worth doing the Omakase here. A bit of a splurge but everything is so tasty.

SUSHI IKE
For years this was probably our main go to sushi bar. I even crept in here quietly when I was eight months pregnant (I avoided fish with mercury in them just like I avoided my fellow patrons judgmental stares but continued to eat a little bit of sushi throughout my pregnancy). This place was tucked away in a strip mall in Hollywood at the corner of Gower and Hollywood BLVD and man was it good. Unfortunately Ike sold the restaurant a few years ago to open up a reservation only, omakase only spot in Pasadena. People have reported that some of the old chefs are back at the Hollywood spot. I still have yet to try the new Ike but I couldn't leave it off my list.