Recently, I discovered that – against all odds – “millenial” is not a word recognized by any official typing program. Think about that for a second – a word used so frequently you probably have heard it multiple times today – has avoided gaining official recognition. So it sits, waiting, used by many, but not as a word – more as a jumble of letters. It might as well be Jumanji.
So what’s the point of this diatribe? Well, judging by the plight of “millenial”, the language czars are severely out of touch with millenials. And from my experiences over the past number of years, most sushi restauarants are a bit out of touch with those of us born after Generation X (or is it Generation Y? I can’t keep up). There are those of us – like myself – who enjoy eating unique, fresh fish in an ambiant atmosphere with none of the frills. That’s sushi.
But there are those who don’t care too much about the fancy fish, or the omakase, or the rock star sushi chef behind the bar. They want good quality fish, sure, but they also want a good quantity of fish. They want different flavours. They want the buzz, the lights, the glitz, the glamour. And for those people – who like me, are part of that nebulous, fake-word Millenial group – Sugarfish by Nozawa in Los Angeles is for you.
Sugarfish is smart. Sure, you can technically order a la carte. But when there are three “tasting menus” staring you right in the face at such outrageous value (compared to everything else), the decision really isn’t so difficult. The caveat? Be prepared for just tuna, salmon, and some yellowtail (which to most people is a positive!). Since Sugarfish serves each course as two pieces, they were practically inviting me and Mrs. Sushi Legend to just split one omakase between the two of us, and then sample some of their other choices on offer. If you’re looking for an authentic fish taste (whatever that means), Sugarfish is not for you. There’s no piece of sushi that hasn’t met excessive amount of soy/mystery sauce. But I can’t deny that I enjoyed what I sampled. Even the sesame seeds on top of the salmon nigiri.
Sugarfish is prototypical Beverly Hills. If you’ve been on Instagram recently searching any variation of a “sushi” hashtag, you’ve likely stumbled on 1 or 100 pictures from what is actually a chain of restaurants that has pretty much taken over Los Angeles. As a result, Sugarfish – and especially its Beverly Hills location – have become “hotspots” for movers and shakers on the west coast. When I went, the bar and all tables were jammed, and servers were constantly at the move, so expect a wait. The kitchen is half open-concept, and the restaurant itself has cavernous spaces; to make up for that design, the main dining room has dimmed lights and a trendy decor. I almost felt like I was eating an episode of Entourage.
If you want to eat sushi in Beverly Hills – I mean, BEVERLY HILLS! – Sugarfish is the place for you. You’ll feel like a big deal. The sushi is fine. In fact, when compared to the rest of Los Angeles, it’s downright reasonable.
