"Daichan is a strip mall spot on Ventura in Studio City that specializes in Japanese comfort food. There’s spicy curry udon, Japanese-style fried chicken, cold soba, and gigantic tempura rice bowls–all for under $18. The main draw at this family-run cafe, though, is the “original poki bowl.” Decades before chopped raw fish in plastic bowls became part of the LA food pyramid, Daichan was cranking out giant portions of fresh fish on top of rice and lettuce. The cozy, art-filled dining room is one of the most popular lunch spots in the neighborhood, but at dinnertime, things calm down as tables unwind with bottles of beer and sake." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder