 The Japanese owner of Gonpachi wanted to make sure that coming to his restaurant on La Cienega's Restaurant Row would be like a small trip to the Land of the Rising Sun. Centuries-old houses were disassembled in Japan, shipped here, and then reassembled to create this compound, complete with gardens. The result is quite stunning. The 11,000-square-foot venue, encompassing two floors, boasts a bar; a sushi bar, of course; booths; tables; and private dining rooms. After a hesitant debut, the restaurant has brought on chef Katsuo Nagasawa as executive chef. Remember him? He opened Café del Rey. Nagasawa has definitely elevated the level of the cuisine. You will surely find your favorite sushi or sushi rolls from the authentic Edo-Mae (Tokyo-style) sushi bar. There is a large selection of starters, cold or warm, from soft shell crab with spicy garlic miso dressing to crispy rice topped with tuna and albacore tartare and Japanese eggplant stuffed with king crab, sea scallop and corn kernels in a spicy mayo. The house-made soba noodles are a must-try, made with the best buckwheat. There is a ceremony involved with eating them; ask your server. When ordering skewers from the sumi-yaki (robata grill), you should know that the charcoal used is one of the most expensive in the world, called "Kishu bincho-tan," imported from Japan. Our favorite skewer is the minced chicken and duck. Continue with spaghetti turned black with squid ink and seasoned with lobster, shrimp, calamari, scallops, peppers, enoki mushrooms and shiso-garlic-soy yuzu; nori-crusted salmon; or the Kobe-style beef shabu-shabu, a signature dish. Finish with the pumpkin zensai, a sweet red bean paste or a more traditional chocolate fondue. As in many Japanese restaurants, we recommend the sakés.
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Go behind the scenes of Gonpachi restaurant! Watch our exclusive interview with executive chef Yasu Kusano.
Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
