It doesn't get much more LA than this. Upscale and buzzy, Hamasaku combines two local obsessions, sushi and the entertainment industry (one-time super-agent Michael Ovitz is an owner), and it's in a strip mall. Japanese chef Yoya Takahashi is as talented as he is (prodigiously) tattooed, bringing in seasonal, sustainable seafood and delectable Japanese side dishes to go with it.
The wide-ranging menu includes lots of nigiri and sushi rolls, some named for Hollywood insiders, and popular small plates include miso-glazed black cod, and spicy tuna and avocado over crispy rice. Try an elegant chirashi bowl, an assortment of fish and seafood over rice, or go for omakase (chef's choice) courses: prices ($65/$75 lunch/dinner) are a bargain for the Westside.
Artworks on the walls are by some leading contemporary Japanese artists and photographers.
