One of Toyko’s Best Omakase Restaurants Just Opened an L.A. Outpost
Los Angeles is home to some great sushi, and a recent Japanese import is adding to that tradition.
The Michelin one-star Udatsu Sushi opened its very first U.S. location in L.A. on Friday. The new omakase spot is the brainchild of Hisashi Udatsu, who earned a Michelin star in Tokyo a mere three years after opening his namesake restaurant. The Michelin inspectors have lauded the Japan location as “a fresh intersection between sushi and art” and “a sushi restaurant for a new age.”
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In SoCal, Udatsu Sushi is serving up an incredibly intimate experience—the restaurant has just eight seats. The $225, 17-course menu tends toward classic nigiri techniques, and every shari-rice dish includes the restaurant’s own blend of three Iiyo brewed vinegars. Plates range from Otoro nigiri to smoked fatty tuna to a seasonal herb roll and more. And in a nod toward L.A.’s green-forward tendencies, the restaurant will also offer a vegetarian omakase focused on Japanese flora.
Udatsu Sushi “is not just about sushi, but also a place representative of the city of Tokyo where people from diverse industries and nationalities can interact and deepen their mutual understanding of each other,” Udatsu said in a statement.
Just as important at Udatsu Sushi is the decor and vibe of the space. As mentioned in the Michelin Guide, the Tokyo outpost emphasizes art and almost feels like a gallery. The L.A. location will similarly highlight botanical sculptures by artist Alejandro Bataille, and when you arrive, you’ll walk through an antique wooden door imported from Japan.
Prior to opening his own restaurant in Japan, Udatsu trained at Tokyo’s Ginza Sushi Ichi and Bangkok’s Sushi Ichi. For the Los Angeles opening, he’s handing over the reins to his protége Shingo Ogane, who will man the omakase counter. Throughout his career, Ogane has developed strong relationships with purveyors at Tokyo’s famed Toyosu fish market, from which Udatsu will import its seafood, as Eater L.A. wrote earlier this summer.
More and more, it seems like some of the best restaurants in Asia are opening up shop in the States—or relocating altogether. Earlier this month, for example, the Michelin-starred Korean restaurant Joo Ok completely shut down its Seoul location and moved to New York City. While the new location of Udatsu Sushi may similarly benefit from its Michelin accolades, it’s also possible that the U.S. has hit peak omakase already. Those diners in Los Angeles who can’t get enough of sushi, though, now have one more option to add to their ever-expanding list.
Click here to see all the images of Udatsu Sushi.
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