Udatsu (Los Angeles, CA)
Udatsu Sushi LA
6634 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-493-3461
www.udatsusushila.com
Sat 11/16/2024, 05:45p-08:10p
There's no dearth of sushi joints in Southern California, and new debuts don't always capture my attention, but one that did recently is Hollywood's new Udatsu Sushi (宇田津 鮨), which opened back in September along with an attached, more casual eatery called Rokusho (緑青). It's the brainchild of Chef Hisashi Udatsu, and is actually an outpost of his first restaurant in Tokyo. Interestingly, for this LA spot, he's teamed up with Boulevard Hospitality Group, the company behind Yamashiro (and others), a place not exactly known for the quality of its Japanese cuisine.
About the Chef: Udatsu Hisashi (宇田津久) hails from Kunitachi (near Tokyo), and grew up in his parents' butcher shop. Next door was a sushi restaurant, and it was here where he was first exposed to the cuisine. Discarding his original goal of becoming a baseball player, he decided to pursue a career as a sushi chef instead. Udatsu thus began his culinary training when he was 14, and after finishing high school at age 18 in 2003, started working at a sushi-ya in the Kanda neighborhood of Tokyo. When he turned 26, he moved over to Ginza Sushi Ichi, where he was soon promoted to second-in-command (and also worked at Ichi's Bangkok location). He then transitioned to a similar role at Sushi Tou in Nishiazabu.
Wanting to strike out on his own, Udatsu teamed up with Chef Naotaka Ohashi (most known for his work at Tirpse) and, in March 2018, founded Three Star Lane (3SL), a Tokyo-based hospitality group. He subsequently launched the first Udatsu in Tokyo in spring 2019 when he was 33, and the restaurant even earned a Michelin star in November 2022 (though the star was lost in the most recent guide, released in October). It was followed by the first Rokusho in 2021 (also co-located, with Ohashi in charge), this Hollywood location, as well as a third Rokusho in Ho Chi Minh City, which bowed at the end of November this year. A second Udatsu in Hong Kong dropped this past August, just weeks before the Los Angeles location's grand-opening on September 18th. Running the day-to-day in LA is Shingo Ogane, a pupil of Udatsu's who previously worked at the original Tokyo restaurant.
Upon arriving, we were ushered up the stairs to Sushi Udatsu's outdoor terrace (which overlooks Sunset Boulevard) for some preprandial libations.
Composed of what I believe was sake, vermouth, and sherry, our welcome drink was a semi-sweet and rather nutty concoction that made for an acceptable apéritif.
Following, we were given the option of ordering additional beverages, and pictured above is the restaurant's cocktail list, sake selection, wine offerings, and array of spirits. Click for larger versions.
We ended up going with a trio of cocktails. Left to right:
With the drinks drunk up, we were then led inside. Here we see my view from the leftmost position of Udatsu's eight-seater sushi bar. Penned by local firm Gry Space, it's a compact, minimalist room rendered in gray, and occupies the façade of an old Streamline Moderne structure (built 1919, remodeled 1937) that was previously home to Cinema Libre Studio.
Shown above is a printed copy of the night's omakase menu, which was priced at a pre-paid $225 per head, plus 20% service, 9.5% tax, and a $5 Tock order fee. Also depicted are Udatsu's beverage options, which include a small sake list and wine list as well as sundry cocktails, beers, and spirits. Corkage was $50 a bottle. Click for larger versions.
The place setting is somewhat unique given its use of both a dark-toned napkin and oshibori, not to mention a hexagonal plate for sushi.
Tonight's first bottle was a grand cru Chablis, the 2010 Domaine Billaud-Simon Vaudésir. The nose here was teeming with lemon and saline, which is sort of what one would expect. On the palate, I found powerful sensations of lemon curd alongside sweet, tropical fruits, with an offsetting mineral backbone. With time, the wine transitioned to a softer, rounder phase, and demonstrated more of a butterscotch character, with touches of smoke.
1: Seasonal Herb Roll
Our meal got off to a strong start thanks to this king mackerel roll, which juxtaposed the brininess of the fish against a wonderful herbaceousness as well as the unmistakable savor of that seaweed wrapper.
2: Smoked Fatty Tuna
Toro arrived lush, fatty, and thoroughly imbued with a delightfully aromatic smoke. At the same time, the tuna was perked up by pinpricks of salt, while the sting of wasabi was even more crucial for balance. Superb.
3: Seasonal Vegetable Roll
Here, the brightness of both endive and Swiss chard was contrasted by cuts of mushroom and the umami-laden depth of aged miso, all while the grassiness of the nori came in toward the back end. This was far tastier than I thought it'd be.
Udatsu's gari was more savory than most, with a palpable ribbon of brine. And as always, the arrival of the ginger signaled the beginning of the sushi portion of the meal.
4: Marinated Yellowtail Nigiri with Shallot
Our first serving of nigiri brought out a rich cut of buri, draped over zesty shallot, and I really appreciated how the rice's assertiveness tamed the bite's long-lingering salinity.
5: Seared Akamutsu Nigiri
Charcoal-seared nodoguro showed off a superb smokiness that made a lot of sense with the innate flavors of the blackthroat seaperch. I was also a big fan of the sharp wasabi heat on the finish, as well as the counterpoint offered up by that warm, tangy rice.
6: Clear Soup with Black Sea Bream and Fresh Seaweed
Kurodai arrived with a gratifyingly meaty texture, and its savory, smoky qualities paired like clockwork with all that grassy seaweed.
7: Hairy Crab and Mizuna with Crab Vinegar Jelly
Here, the sweetness of kegani was on clear display, set against the zippiness of mizuna and, more importantly, the tart, acidic nature of that jellied vinegar. Curiously, this actually reminded me of a somewhat similar hairy crab-jelly dish I had at Ryugin in Tokyo back in 2019.
Back when I first started eating out seriously in the mid-2000s, Asahi Shuzo's Kubota Manju represented my first experience with "good" sake. Given that I hadn't had it in over a decade, it was nice to revisit it tonight with this limited-edition version: the Kubota Manjyu Original Yeast YX Edition Junmai Daiginjo, created using Gohyakumangoku rice polished down to 40% along with proprietary yeast. Aromas here were intense and fragrant, recalling both banana and bubble gum. Taking a sip, I found the nihonshu soft and slightly viscous, with a healthy dosing of deep, melon-y sweetness evened out by smidges of savoriness and heat.
8: Lean Tuna Nigiri
Akami zuke made using Japanese tuna was tarted up by just a hint of yuzu, but the headiness of the fish was really balanced out by classic elements of vinegary rice and wasabi.
9: Medium Fatty Tuna Nigiri
The chutoro was a definite upgrade in the fattiness department, and boasted a very apparent soy-powered heft that was well-countered by the shari.
10: Seared Fatty Tuna Nigiri
The final entry of our tuna three-way, otoro arrived super fatty and luscious, so again, Ogane-san's aggressively-flavored rice and a liberal amount of wasabi were key for balance.
11: Fried Fish Cake with Cod and Seasonal Vegetables
I'm generally quite the fan of fishcake, so it should come as no surprise that this course was a favorite of mine. I loved the salinity of the surimi, and how that played with the lighter flavors of carrot and green bean, all while the whole thing was encased in a wondrously toasty fried exterior.
12: W Shrimp Nigiri
Apparently, both tiger prawn and rock prawn were utilized in this ebi sushi, giving it an unusually meaty, gratifying bite, while flavors were delectably sweet and saline.
13: W Sea Urchin with Fried Nori Nigiri
A marriage of Hokkaido bafun uni and Santa Barbara murasaki uni yielded a creamy, oceany sweetness that worked hand-in-hand with both the rice and a sheet of crispy nori.
14: Simmered Scallops Nigiri
Ni hotate made for deeper, darker, more umami-forward flavors than you typically find with scallop, and I much appreciated that sprinkle of salt on top, too.
15: Miso Soup
The requisite misoshiru arrived comforting, cozy, and somewhat more potent than most.
Last to imbibe was the 2022 Kongsgaard Chardonnay. The wine smelled pretty concentrated, giving up loads of black sesame, popcorn, and smoke. In the mouth, I found the Chard lush and round, with plenty more of those toasted popcorn notes accompanied by a spine of citrus and mineral. With more time, the nose was still teeming with sesame, but the palate went in a tarter, more acidic, "greener" direction. I'd be curious to see how this evolves with more years in the cellar.
16: Tuna Roll
This rather massive futomaki made for an uncomfortably large mouthful, but certainly delivered in the taste department, with its constituents of fatty tuna, soy, wasabi, rice, and seaweed all in harmony.
A hot, roasty cup of green tea was then provided.
At this point, we were given the option of adding on some supplemental courses to our meal.
Supplement: Tuna Collar [$28.00]
Kamatoro is a pretty uncommon sight around these parts, so it was a must-add for me. Taken from the jaw area of the fish, the cut ate soft and sinewy, with a lush-yet-elegant fattiness that was nicely moderated by the rice.
Supplement: Golden Eye Snapper [$15.00]
Given my penchant for kinmedai, this was another one I wanted to try. Flavors were cool and delicate, which seemingly emphasized the chew and tanginess of Ogane's su-meshi.
Supplement: Mackerel [$15.00]
Saba conveyed a powerful, yet never overwhelming salinity that was equalized by this slightly herbaceous element that I didn't expect.
17: Tamagoyaki
Last up was an unusually rectangular preparation of tamago that was noticeably eggier and sugarier than most I've tried.
My dining companions and I left Udatsu a tad hungry (it's a short meal--we actually picked up pollo asado fries on the way back), but very satisfied with the food. I feel like the sushi here is rooted in edomae tradition, but at the same time, the Chef likes to throw in his own twists and touches of creativity, which integrated seamlessly. Of particular note was the rice utilized, which I found far more robust than most with regard to both chew and vinegariness. Overall, Udatsu adds something new to the Southland's sushi scene, so the place is certainly worthy of your consideration next time you're in the mood.
6634 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-493-3461
www.udatsusushila.com
Sat 11/16/2024, 05:45p-08:10p
There's no dearth of sushi joints in Southern California, and new debuts don't always capture my attention, but one that did recently is Hollywood's new Udatsu Sushi (宇田津 鮨), which opened back in September along with an attached, more casual eatery called Rokusho (緑青). It's the brainchild of Chef Hisashi Udatsu, and is actually an outpost of his first restaurant in Tokyo. Interestingly, for this LA spot, he's teamed up with Boulevard Hospitality Group, the company behind Yamashiro (and others), a place not exactly known for the quality of its Japanese cuisine.
About the Chef: Udatsu Hisashi (宇田津久) hails from Kunitachi (near Tokyo), and grew up in his parents' butcher shop. Next door was a sushi restaurant, and it was here where he was first exposed to the cuisine. Discarding his original goal of becoming a baseball player, he decided to pursue a career as a sushi chef instead. Udatsu thus began his culinary training when he was 14, and after finishing high school at age 18 in 2003, started working at a sushi-ya in the Kanda neighborhood of Tokyo. When he turned 26, he moved over to Ginza Sushi Ichi, where he was soon promoted to second-in-command (and also worked at Ichi's Bangkok location). He then transitioned to a similar role at Sushi Tou in Nishiazabu.
Wanting to strike out on his own, Udatsu teamed up with Chef Naotaka Ohashi (most known for his work at Tirpse) and, in March 2018, founded Three Star Lane (3SL), a Tokyo-based hospitality group. He subsequently launched the first Udatsu in Tokyo in spring 2019 when he was 33, and the restaurant even earned a Michelin star in November 2022 (though the star was lost in the most recent guide, released in October). It was followed by the first Rokusho in 2021 (also co-located, with Ohashi in charge), this Hollywood location, as well as a third Rokusho in Ho Chi Minh City, which bowed at the end of November this year. A second Udatsu in Hong Kong dropped this past August, just weeks before the Los Angeles location's grand-opening on September 18th. Running the day-to-day in LA is Shingo Ogane, a pupil of Udatsu's who previously worked at the original Tokyo restaurant.
Upon arriving, we were ushered up the stairs to Sushi Udatsu's outdoor terrace (which overlooks Sunset Boulevard) for some preprandial libations.
Composed of what I believe was sake, vermouth, and sherry, our welcome drink was a semi-sweet and rather nutty concoction that made for an acceptable apéritif.
Following, we were given the option of ordering additional beverages, and pictured above is the restaurant's cocktail list, sake selection, wine offerings, and array of spirits. Click for larger versions.
We ended up going with a trio of cocktails. Left to right:
- Yuzu Rikishi [$18.00] | Roku Gin, Yuzu, Topo Chico – The most straightforward and easiest-drinking of the troika; think sweet, citrusy, and refreshing.
- Asteroid Blues [$18.00] | El Tesoro Blanco, Amaro Montenegro, Averna, Lime, Topo Chico, Salt – This was my favorite and the most interesting of the threesome thanks to its almost umeboshi-like character.
- Got Gyunyu? [$18.00] | Kikori, Don Fulano Añejo, Pierre Ferrand Curaçao, Calpico – This one went in a generally fruity, herbal, earthy direction, but didn't quite come together for me.
With the drinks drunk up, we were then led inside. Here we see my view from the leftmost position of Udatsu's eight-seater sushi bar. Penned by local firm Gry Space, it's a compact, minimalist room rendered in gray, and occupies the façade of an old Streamline Moderne structure (built 1919, remodeled 1937) that was previously home to Cinema Libre Studio.
Shown above is a printed copy of the night's omakase menu, which was priced at a pre-paid $225 per head, plus 20% service, 9.5% tax, and a $5 Tock order fee. Also depicted are Udatsu's beverage options, which include a small sake list and wine list as well as sundry cocktails, beers, and spirits. Corkage was $50 a bottle. Click for larger versions.
The place setting is somewhat unique given its use of both a dark-toned napkin and oshibori, not to mention a hexagonal plate for sushi.
Tonight's first bottle was a grand cru Chablis, the 2010 Domaine Billaud-Simon Vaudésir. The nose here was teeming with lemon and saline, which is sort of what one would expect. On the palate, I found powerful sensations of lemon curd alongside sweet, tropical fruits, with an offsetting mineral backbone. With time, the wine transitioned to a softer, rounder phase, and demonstrated more of a butterscotch character, with touches of smoke.
1: Seasonal Herb Roll
Our meal got off to a strong start thanks to this king mackerel roll, which juxtaposed the brininess of the fish against a wonderful herbaceousness as well as the unmistakable savor of that seaweed wrapper.
2: Smoked Fatty Tuna
Toro arrived lush, fatty, and thoroughly imbued with a delightfully aromatic smoke. At the same time, the tuna was perked up by pinpricks of salt, while the sting of wasabi was even more crucial for balance. Superb.
3: Seasonal Vegetable Roll
Here, the brightness of both endive and Swiss chard was contrasted by cuts of mushroom and the umami-laden depth of aged miso, all while the grassiness of the nori came in toward the back end. This was far tastier than I thought it'd be.
Udatsu's gari was more savory than most, with a palpable ribbon of brine. And as always, the arrival of the ginger signaled the beginning of the sushi portion of the meal.
4: Marinated Yellowtail Nigiri with Shallot
Our first serving of nigiri brought out a rich cut of buri, draped over zesty shallot, and I really appreciated how the rice's assertiveness tamed the bite's long-lingering salinity.
5: Seared Akamutsu Nigiri
Charcoal-seared nodoguro showed off a superb smokiness that made a lot of sense with the innate flavors of the blackthroat seaperch. I was also a big fan of the sharp wasabi heat on the finish, as well as the counterpoint offered up by that warm, tangy rice.
6: Clear Soup with Black Sea Bream and Fresh Seaweed
Kurodai arrived with a gratifyingly meaty texture, and its savory, smoky qualities paired like clockwork with all that grassy seaweed.
7: Hairy Crab and Mizuna with Crab Vinegar Jelly
Here, the sweetness of kegani was on clear display, set against the zippiness of mizuna and, more importantly, the tart, acidic nature of that jellied vinegar. Curiously, this actually reminded me of a somewhat similar hairy crab-jelly dish I had at Ryugin in Tokyo back in 2019.
Back when I first started eating out seriously in the mid-2000s, Asahi Shuzo's Kubota Manju represented my first experience with "good" sake. Given that I hadn't had it in over a decade, it was nice to revisit it tonight with this limited-edition version: the Kubota Manjyu Original Yeast YX Edition Junmai Daiginjo, created using Gohyakumangoku rice polished down to 40% along with proprietary yeast. Aromas here were intense and fragrant, recalling both banana and bubble gum. Taking a sip, I found the nihonshu soft and slightly viscous, with a healthy dosing of deep, melon-y sweetness evened out by smidges of savoriness and heat.
8: Lean Tuna Nigiri
Akami zuke made using Japanese tuna was tarted up by just a hint of yuzu, but the headiness of the fish was really balanced out by classic elements of vinegary rice and wasabi.
9: Medium Fatty Tuna Nigiri
The chutoro was a definite upgrade in the fattiness department, and boasted a very apparent soy-powered heft that was well-countered by the shari.
10: Seared Fatty Tuna Nigiri
The final entry of our tuna three-way, otoro arrived super fatty and luscious, so again, Ogane-san's aggressively-flavored rice and a liberal amount of wasabi were key for balance.
11: Fried Fish Cake with Cod and Seasonal Vegetables
I'm generally quite the fan of fishcake, so it should come as no surprise that this course was a favorite of mine. I loved the salinity of the surimi, and how that played with the lighter flavors of carrot and green bean, all while the whole thing was encased in a wondrously toasty fried exterior.
12: W Shrimp Nigiri
Apparently, both tiger prawn and rock prawn were utilized in this ebi sushi, giving it an unusually meaty, gratifying bite, while flavors were delectably sweet and saline.
13: W Sea Urchin with Fried Nori Nigiri
A marriage of Hokkaido bafun uni and Santa Barbara murasaki uni yielded a creamy, oceany sweetness that worked hand-in-hand with both the rice and a sheet of crispy nori.
14: Simmered Scallops Nigiri
Ni hotate made for deeper, darker, more umami-forward flavors than you typically find with scallop, and I much appreciated that sprinkle of salt on top, too.
15: Miso Soup
The requisite misoshiru arrived comforting, cozy, and somewhat more potent than most.
Last to imbibe was the 2022 Kongsgaard Chardonnay. The wine smelled pretty concentrated, giving up loads of black sesame, popcorn, and smoke. In the mouth, I found the Chard lush and round, with plenty more of those toasted popcorn notes accompanied by a spine of citrus and mineral. With more time, the nose was still teeming with sesame, but the palate went in a tarter, more acidic, "greener" direction. I'd be curious to see how this evolves with more years in the cellar.
16: Tuna Roll
This rather massive futomaki made for an uncomfortably large mouthful, but certainly delivered in the taste department, with its constituents of fatty tuna, soy, wasabi, rice, and seaweed all in harmony.
A hot, roasty cup of green tea was then provided.
At this point, we were given the option of adding on some supplemental courses to our meal.
Supplement: Tuna Collar [$28.00]
Kamatoro is a pretty uncommon sight around these parts, so it was a must-add for me. Taken from the jaw area of the fish, the cut ate soft and sinewy, with a lush-yet-elegant fattiness that was nicely moderated by the rice.
Supplement: Golden Eye Snapper [$15.00]
Given my penchant for kinmedai, this was another one I wanted to try. Flavors were cool and delicate, which seemingly emphasized the chew and tanginess of Ogane's su-meshi.
Supplement: Mackerel [$15.00]
Saba conveyed a powerful, yet never overwhelming salinity that was equalized by this slightly herbaceous element that I didn't expect.
17: Tamagoyaki
Last up was an unusually rectangular preparation of tamago that was noticeably eggier and sugarier than most I've tried.
My dining companions and I left Udatsu a tad hungry (it's a short meal--we actually picked up pollo asado fries on the way back), but very satisfied with the food. I feel like the sushi here is rooted in edomae tradition, but at the same time, the Chef likes to throw in his own twists and touches of creativity, which integrated seamlessly. Of particular note was the rice utilized, which I found far more robust than most with regard to both chew and vinegariness. Overall, Udatsu adds something new to the Southland's sushi scene, so the place is certainly worthy of your consideration next time you're in the mood.
posted by kevinEats at
5:45 PM
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