The Izaka-Ya By Katsu-ya Awards

The Izaka-Ya By Katsu-ya Restaurant Review:

Japanese chef Katsuya Uechi operates this izakaya concept with locations in Manhattan Beach, West Hollywood and Sherman Oaks. Like the izakayas in Japan, which are lively after-work pubs, this is a fun, popular place so we suggest making reservations. The food may not be that remarkable, but the ambience is great. Guests can sit under the paper lanterns at the sushi bar and watch the chefs at work, or gather around the closely packed tables. The menu is fairly standard with classic and Americanized sushi, plus kushiyaki (grilled skewers), soba noodles and Katsuya signatures such as crispy rice with spicy tuna. Skip the seaweed salad and start off with snacks like sautéed shishito peppers or halibut cheek karaage (a fried preparation) before selecting from the daily specials. Among them you’ll find a number of specialty sushi rolls, including the Sunset Roll with freshwater eel, cucumber, avocado and eel sauce and the Robert Roll with spicy tuna, crab and shrimp wrapped with sliced avocado. Cocktails are not served here, but there is beer, wine and saké available.