Sushi|Bar

Sushi|Bar Restaurant Review:

About chef Phillip Frankland Lee: When we first met chef Phillip Frankland Lee back in 2012 --- before he even opened Scratch|Bar in Beverly Hills --- we knew his creativity and attention to detail would lead to a bright future. He's still a young chef, but he's already well on his way to fulfilling that. Together with his wife, Margarita Kallas-Lee, he is drawing attention to his hometown of Encino with the since-relocated Scratch|Bar & Kitchen and Sushi|Bar, all located on the second floor of a shopping center.

View the full dinner on YouTube.

About the restaurant: Sushi|Bar is not your average sushi experience, but rather an "omakase speakeasy" complete with Japanese jazz to set the mood. After entering the tiny room, guests find their names on chalkboards assigning their places at the sushi bar, with a prime view of the meal's preparation. If you and your fellow patrons arrive as strangers, you're likely to leave as friends after sharing such memorable food and drinks in this intimate setting.

Likes: interesting omakase menu and beverage pairings, convivial setting.
Dislikes: none.

Drinks & Food: The omakase menu consists of 17 different bites, which are eaten with your hands and no utensils. (We highly recommend adding on the beverage tasting, featuring petite portions of cocktails, Japanese beers and saké.) Patrons enjoy one delight after another, including “classics” like yellowtail with sweet corn pudding. The unique take on sushi continues with roasted bone marrow presented in nigiri form. For dessert, Kallas-Lee contributes charcoal mochi encasing toasted brown rice tea ice cream. At the end of the feast, the chef asks if you want to add on any à la carte dishes. You may want an encore of a particular course, or be tempted by specials of the day, such as live lobster or wild-caught Japanese jellyfish (market price). Sushi|Bar is the kind of restaurant you’ll look forward to returning to again and again.