The Venue

The Venue Restaurant Review:

The Venue, along the swanky El Paseo, prides itself on the use of the term "omakase," which literally means "in the chef's hands." In essence, you're trusting the chef to turn out a memorable meal and chef Engin Onural does just that. The selection of specialty rolls include the "Bosphorus," which pays homage to the sea bordering Onural's native Turkey and includes a mélange of shrimp tempura, crab meat and avocado, topped with escolar. Beyond the rolls, check out the tuna tartare, the calamari salad and the gyoza, a form of Japanese dumpling. Onural is also a saké sommelier, so there's a good list of sakés, as well as beers, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Tibetan imports. Additionally, there's an affordable wine list, while a mixologist has created five house cocktails as innovative as The Venue's rolls. The décor is elegant but informal, the atmosphere bright, young and full of energy.