But only for one night, my love. Don’t get me wrong, The Izaka-Ya, the new spot from famed sushi chef Katsuya Uechi - the man behind the Katsu-Ya outposts in the Valley and Katsuya in Brentwood - is tasty. From sushi to izakaya (small plates), I kept saying, mouth full, mmm, and meaning it, especially after a creamy plate of rock shrimp tempura. But here is why my heart remains faithful to Hirozen, which is a few steps further away, at Orlando and Beverly, than The Izaka-Ya on 3rd Street, between Orlando and La Cienega: Hirozen has a more traditional sushi menu, which I prefer; though always bustling, Hirozen is quieter; plus, our bill was at least 20% more at The Izaka-Ya. That being said, I’m sure there are lots of folks who would prefer the trendy atmosphere of Katsuya’s latest. The nightly jam-packed tables seem to prove this, which is fine by me as I plan to be in the arms of my love again very soon.
3 responses so far ↓
1 marissa // Apr 11, 2007 at 10:59 pm
I liked izaka-ya but it is SO DAMN LOUD. if they could just find a way to absorb the sound, it would be a neighborhood favorite for me. but when it comes to izakayas, izayoi in little tokyo still tops my list.
keep up the good work with the blog, btw. our readers at curbed are referring to things they’re reading here now.
2 Tasha Nita Adams // Apr 11, 2007 at 11:11 pm
I will totally take your Izayoi tip, as I’ve never been.
Yes, the acoustics are insane, like Cynthia’s but much, much bigger. Do they want it to be that loud? I don’t know. I feel like insanely loud would be something you could avoid…
And, thanks for the blog encouragement!
3 marissa // Apr 14, 2007 at 2:18 am
no problem. thanks for the earring tip - I ordered a pair yesterday after I read it here!
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