Noma Restaurant

Noma Restaurant Restaurant Review:

Noma has quietly occupied its corner lot in Santa Monica since 1973, long before most Angelenos had consumed their first California roll. As the years passed, it was all but lost in a tsunami of competitors, many of them considerably trendier. Noma is comfortably old-school, with leatherette booths, spare art and a Formica sushi bar, above which hangs one of those ubiquitous sushi posters, like the ones printed by Japanese breweries. Predictably, the veteran sushi chefs dispense plenty of California and spicy tuna rolls, but occasionally more inspired items, like halibut drizzled with hot olive oil or a buttery toro worthy of a pricier restaurant, emerge from behind the bar. Light appetizers include fresh oysters, uni shooters and ceviche. The kitchen also puts out respectable tempura and teriyaki dishes, as well as complete yakiniku (grilled meat) dinners.