Tama Sushi, Studio City, Los Angeles, CA

facts:
* Chef Katsu Michite is part of the Tokyo Sushi Kenkyu Sanchokai, a "prestigious [sushi chef] group headquartered in Tsukiji"
* Katsu-san invented the salmon skin salad
* Katsu-san has been cutting sashimi for LA customers since 1969
* in '05 Katsu Michite received a Sushi Pioneer award for his work in the sushi industry from the California Rice Commission during the Sushi Masters '05 event
* 30 types of seafood are selected personally by chef Katsu every morning from Korean fish mongers in DT LA.
* Katsu-san's employees have since opened: R23, Sushi Roku, the highly touted Hump, and includes Joe Miller (chef-owner of Joe’s in Venice) himself.

in May, i had 1 meal reserved for sushi in LA and was lucky enough to sit in front of Katu-san for 2 different levels of his omakase. i'm a pathetic writer and not a great food photographer, yet i hope the pictures speak for themselves. there was so much information given but unfortunately i was completely unprepared academically.

sunomono w/ house made sesame dressing and roasted sesame:


non-fish platter (left most is a octupus w/ wine sauce aspic):


various tuna:


various tuna:






(fired) conch soup:


few thoughts:
* Katsu-san does not like sake much, he only buys steelhead salmon when in season
* there are 3 levels of omakase, $50, $40, $30. don't bother with latter 2.
* Katsu-san loves tuna - bluefin, yellowfin, toro from each, etc. - and shell fish.
* dailly fresh items are hung on the wall behind the chefs (seen below)
* like many CHers have mentioned, even simple things like scallop sashimi tasted ethereal.
* i do not think think another sushi meal can top this one in '06. considering the dollars spent, this may be the most amazing sushi meal ever. a diner, "taken by the decor", can speak of discounted uber hip restaurants all they want; at Tama, there is no menu for super premium toro. if it's not super-premium, it doesn't come under Katsu-san's knife. there is no kitsch and there are no non-Japanese sushi chefs. god forbid, there are definitely no coupons, half-off-specials nor are dogs allowed.

Katsu-san:


Tama Sushi
11920 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 760-4585

Great report, TonyC; one reason I didn't have sushi in L.A. recently (besides the fact that it was miles from where we were and Korean food was right there) was not feeling that any one place I read about was the stunning, gotta-eat-there place of my dreams.

I think I found it now.