my go-tos
You know those places you end up going to ALL the time? Trying new restaurants really is one of my favorite things, probably my favorite thing, but I gotta say, I really do enjoy ordering in from a place I love or heading back to a restaurant again and again that is consistent and just always hits the spot. These places in LA have become my go-tos, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that half of these involve some sort of Japanese food.
nagao
brentwood
Living on the Westside, Nagao has become my favorite easy neighborhood sushi spot. The sushi is fresh and inventive, and you wont walk out spending $1 million on sushi. Do what’s right and get the Lemon Box, pressed sushi layered with salmon, masago, shrimp, avocado, lemon and rice. I actually get it without lemon (I know, kinda defeats the purpose of the name), but I just don’t like actual pieces of lemon, k?! It comes with a Japanese mayo/sesame dipping sauce situation that’s pretty addictive.
taste of tehran
westwood
My best friend introduced me to Persian food three years ago, and that’s where the obsession with Taste of Tehran began. Saghar, the owner, is sweet as can be, and you can really taste her passion for cooking in the food. Everything I’ve tried is just downright delicious, but my favorite item has to be the Roasted Eggplant Dip, which is a buttery-smooth blend of eggplant and onion topped with crispy onions and a minty yogurt. They even have free delivery!
sushi yuzu
toluca lake
I was lucky enough to grow up in the same neighborhood as Yuzu, not only because it was super convenient, but also because the sushi is some of my favorite in LA. It’s one of those places where both a sushi purist and a sushi novice can be happy – the fish quality is unreal, and the rolls are original and balanced, without being too crazy. Warner Bros. or Disney studios peeps, if you don’t already know about Yuzu, it’s a great lunch option! Pro tip: Because Yuzu is so busy, the owners opened a second location right down the street called Kabosu. It’s often times just as crazy, but I’ve definitely been able to get a spot at the sushi bar when Yuzu had a two-hour wait.
bay cities
santa monica
You’re probably thinking I’m going to talk about The Godmother, right? Well, while it is a classic, I’m more of a build-my-own-sando kinda girl. I go with ovengold turkey, hot soppressata, provolone, “the works” with mild peppers, NO onions (because I’m anti raw onion – sorry, not sorry), all on the Italian roll. Be smart and call ahead so you don’t have to wait in line, or just get it delivered like me when you’re hungover and know that only Bay Cities can bring you back to life.
sweetfin
multiple locations
With my mom being from Maui, poke is something that I grew up loving, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the mainland finally started to catch on and poke places began popping up everywhere. Sweetfin is one of the OGs, and by far, the best one. This is not traditional Hawaiian poke by any means, but that’s not what Sweetfin is trying to do. They’re more of a California-inspired poke, and I love how I can get sushi-grade fish (the fresh fish is broken down every morning!) with fun and creative toppings and an array of tasty sauces. Co-Owner/Executive Chef Dakota Weiss really knows what she’s doing.
the bigg chill
west la
When I have a hankering for sweets, The Bigg Chill is the answer. This Westside institution has been dishing out froyo for over 20 years, and the toppings are what make them stand out from the rest. The real winner, as odd as it sounds, is the vegan chocolate chip cookie dough. Obvi I’m not vegan, but trust me. It’s just what you do here, and it’s what I get every time I go, which is very, very often. It’s cash only, but if you forget, they do have an ATM machine.