Tokyo’s Tuna King Opens First-Ever U.S. Location of Sushi Zanmai in Los Angeles | Eater LA

"Tokyo’s “Tuna King,” Kiyoshi Kimura, brings his Japan-based chain to Koreatown’s Chapman Market with a first U.S. outpost that opened August 2, inaugurated by a dramatic 500-pound tuna butchering with a katana-like sword before a hushed crowd; since then, servers eagerly recommend the tuna while retelling that origin story, and a smiling statue of Kimura with outstretched arms greets diners. The room mirrors the Japanese locations with a casual, minimalist look: a pergola-like wood structure over a long, room-spanning sushi bar, iPad ordering at each table, and plates arriving quickly on black stones. The straightforward menu covers hand rolls, cut rolls, nigiri, and more, from starters like edamame, shishito peppers, and spicy tuna crispy rice with a thin slice of jalapeño to shareables such as agedashi tofu, sunomono cucumber, chawanmushi, karaage, and miso black cod. Rolls range from salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna, natto, and shrimp tempura to signatures like the Tsukiji (seared crab on a shrimp tempura roll) and the Hokkaido (seared salmon on a California roll). Nigiri comes one piece at a time with cuts like toro, salmon belly, and whitefish, plus combination sets priced from $8 for three pieces to $55 for a deluxe set; four chirashi bowls run $28 to $35 with toppings like toro, soy-marinated tuna, and albacore. Beyond sushi, there’s hot or cold udon and soba, tempura, salads, and toban cooked in ceramic ware (salmon, tuna, oyster, tofu steak, vegetables, or mushrooms) for $13 to $22, as well as $32 bento boxes that include three pieces of sushi, six pieces of sashimi, tempura, edamame, and a choice of proteins such as grilled mackerel, chicken teriyaki, grilled salmon, or karaage. Open daily from 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. and 5:30 P.M. to 12 A.M., it nods to a brand long known for affordable sushi while establishing an immediate sense of occasion around the fish." - Rebecca Roland