"Anyone who knows their blue crab rolls from their spicy tuna has heard of Katsu-Ya. What started as a small sushi bar in Studio City was spun off in the 2000s into the glitzy Katsuya empire, with locations in Brentwood, Hollywood, LA Live, and even Dubai. But aside from the menu, the original location has little in common with its clubbier cousins. That said, Sushi Katsu-Ya still has a strong following—this laid-back strip mall spot on Ventura remains packed every night with sushi enthusiasts snapping selfies with their avocado-topped rolls. Sushi Katsu-Ya is the birthplace of the famed spicy tuna crispy rice, which has made it onto the menus of sushi restaurants everywhere. And while they deserve some points for contributing to sushi history, the version you'll find here is pretty forgettable. Supplement your meal with rolls or other specialties that they do excel at, like the seared spicy albacore and popcorn shrimp tempura. You can find these dishes on the menus at high-end Japanese spots such as Nobu (or Katsuya) for double the price, but it’s still a pleasure to order the stripped-down originals from the place that did them first. Food Rundown photo credit: Kim Fox Crispy Rice With Spicy Tuna You’ll see this dish leaving the kitchen every few seconds, which might give you high hopes, but don’t get too excited. There’s a little heat that creeps up your nose, but that’s about all the flavor from the spicy tuna. The block of crispy rice has zero crisp and the dense chewy texture might makes you wonder if something went wrong in the fryer. photo credit: Kim Fox Seared Spicy Albacore With Crispy Onion There’s albacore in there somewhere, but the mound of fried onions takes over the dish. But we do like that there’s a ton of crunch in each bite. photo credit: Kim Fox Creamy Popcorn Shrimp Tempura Like movie theater popcorn, this is something you’ll keep reaching for. Each piece is coated in just the right amount of tangy sauce that has an almost custard-like consistency. photo credit: Kim Fox Baked Crab Handroll Warm, fresh crab wrapped in soy paper so soft that it makes it easy to inhale in two bites. You’ll want at least one of these. photo credit: Cathy Park Robert Roll We have no idea who Robert is, but we hope he’s more interesting than this roll. A spicy mixture of tuna, crab, and shrimp is wrapped in a thin layer of rice and topped with avocado and some spicy mayo. Nothing mind-blowing or memorable. photo credit: Kim Fox Tempura Ice Cream This dessert looks expensive, thanks to the center strawberry carved into a rose. And even though the concept seems gimmicky, the tempura shell adds just enough crunch to be a surprisingly great vehicle for the melty ice cream." - Cathy Park
