"Udatsu is a brutalist, eight-seat sushi bar in Hollywood that serves a 17-course omakase for $225 per person, which isn’t cheap but not bad by LA omakase standards. Expect a lot of tuna. This Tokyo import dedicates nearly a third of its menu to various cuts of toro: lean tuna, medium fatty tuna, tuna in a smoke-filled cloche, etc. Even if you’re not someone obsessed with the subtle savoriness of hay-smoked bluefin, though, Udatsu’s omakase is largely enjoyable, with more ups than downs. Cooked dishes like steamed cod and fried trout with roe-speckled tartar sauce taste so mellow they border on muted, and though the sushi rice has a nice vinegar kiss, some cuts of fish are served too cold to showcase their flavor. But highlights like the uni nigiri with two types of sea urchin, the crunchy vegetable roll, and shrimp stuffed with spot prawn tartare—plus the calming smooth jazz and intimate space that makes date night feel like a private dinner—make up for it. There’s also an outdoor terrace with views of the Hollywood sign for pre-dinner cocktails and Rokusho downstairs for, well, post-dinner cocktails. Oddly enough, online reservations at Udatsu are only available to even-sized parties but just call ahead if you plan to dine solo. photo credit: Gry Space" - Sylvio Martins
