Tsujita LA is a brand new Japanese cuisine opened just about a month ago. This tiny restaurant located at the heart of Sawtelle has plenty of street parking available within walking distance, but can only seat 30 guests. This place was highly recommended by our foodie buddy(Toorima.com) and since it serves both raw and cooked dishes; it served a duo purpose for my cravings and my wife’s needs.
Don’t let the name fool you, Tsujita does not serves ramen at night.
A bowl of charcoal greets you upon arrival.
The ceiling was designed by Takeshi Sano, using 25,000+ drum stick shape like wooden sticks to create the cloud image.
A very unique design chopsticks pocket, which can be use as chopsticks stand as well.
Amy is scratching head of what she can order. It took us quite a while to figure out what to eat and the waitress had come check with us quite a few times too.
Toro: the spam like pinkish color with the marbling fat, every single pieces of the sashimi melted in my mouth.
I did feel a little guilty… just a little. =P
Grilled Silver Cod Marinated w/Saikyo Miso: This is by far one of the top notch miso cod we ever had, the cod was grilled to perfection with the moisture maintained within the fish. The miso didn’t take away the flavor of the fish as well, a very good job by the chef.
Braised Pork w/daikon radish: It’s the daikon radish! Yes, its the daikon radish that make this dish so special. As I poke the chopstick in the daikon, the juice started to pour out from within. It is that juicy, once I put the whole thing in mouth, it felt like the daikon was as juicy as eating watermelon. Its like a bowl of daikon soup injected within the radish. Yea, its that GOOD. I never liked eating radish, but this time is the exception. By now, we already feel this restaurant could become one of the hottest spot in LA very soon, the quality of the dishes has put them to a whole new level and above any other Japanese cuisine in the West LA.
Organic Boiled Spinach: Don’t ask, but they really called it S-P-I-N-A-C-H on the menu, served cold.
Lobster Dynamite: Roasted with organic broccoli with cream sauce. Its pretty good and fell within my expectation.
Uni Shooter: Wifey had instigated me to order the Uni Shooter, served in a champagne glass. The hardest part was, I drank all the ponzu sauce before I could start slurping the uni. These are top graded uni too, nom nom nom.
Broiled Kama: Fatty fish meat from back of the neck broiled with salt. HaHa, that’s the english description from their menu, very interesting. Again, their chef had done a good job of the broiled item, the yellowtail collar was still very juice and tender inside. We were both very satisfied.
Crème Brûlée: I always say a good dinner need to end with good dessert. Tsujita had delivered that, the Creme Brulee has that very rich egg flavor but never make you feel it’s too sweet.
I so wanted to have another cup of it.
I thought I needed another quick bite at home to satiate my hunger, but by the time I was done I was full and content.
PS: During dinner, we saw numerous people walked in and each time the waitress had to tell them no ramen was being served during dinner time, they all walked out. I later asked the waitress about it and she told me Tsujita’s Ramen (lunch menu) was featured on LA Weekly a little more than a week ago and was named one of the 99 Essential Restaurants in LA. I guess I will go back some time soon to try their famous ramen. Anyone want to join me?