As an Asian food mecca, Sawtelle Blvd. is colloquially referred to as Little Osaka by Angelenos. Located just west of the 405 Freeway, Sawtelle Blvd’s delicious stretch of eateries and Japanese influenced stores generally spans from Santa Monica Blvd. to Olympic Blvd. This handful of blocks boasts a plethora of restaurants ranging almost every spectrum of Japanese cuisine and many other options beyond that.
The hub’s stores and activities make for a great weekend stroll. Usually bustling with people, this is a lively corridor for couples, families, and friends to enjoy. The Hashimoto Nursery, The Jungle and The Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery are all charming destinations bursting with lovely flaura and fauna to improve your green thumb, or just peruse. Blackmarket is an undeniably, but not overwhelmingly hip shop offering a fantastic range of clothes, jewelry, shoes, home decor and an assortment of baubles for both men and women. Rima carries women’s clothing and accessories for the budding fashionista, and Giant Robot is a must-see store for silly knickknacks.
Equally dynamic are the dining options. This street has rightfully gained a reputation as an exceptional foodie destination in LA. The most prominent eatery here is unquestionably Tsujita LA and the Tsujita LA Annex (which only serves ramen, yet a different and somewhat heartier version than the original location). The ramen at Tsujita is touted as some of the best in the country, and you will continually see lines of people pouring out of both storefronts. Other noodle joints that are a bit less cult-invaded, but still offer a good meal include Chabuya Tokyo Noodle Bar, Asahi Ramen and Tatsu Ramen. A new branch of The Little Tokyo restaurant Daikokuya has also opened serving up what should be some deliciously competitive ramen.
The sole shabu shabu joint, Mizu 212, is a pricier albeit decadent option; while two great curry spots, Hurry Curry of Tokyo and Curry House provide a wide variety of comforting foods including katsu, pastas, teppan dinners and of course Japanese curry.
And, naturally there is no Japanese food without sushi. Hide Sushi, Sushi Stop and Kula Revolving Sushi Bar offer cheaper (but decent) fare; while Bar Hayama and Kiriko offer a more costly, higher quality sushi product.
There is also a range of tasty non-Japanese restaurants. Korean cuisine includes Tofuya and Seoul Tofu with traditional Korean food, and Seoul Sausage Company boasting Korean barbecue-influenced street food. Nong La Cafe serves standard Vietnamese dishes such as pho and banh mi, while R.O.C. is known for its Chinese soup dumplings.
If all this variety isn’t enough, new restaurants are popping up featuring even more ethnically diverse menus. Plan Check is a modish burger joint, Slicetruck presents cheap New York-style pizza, and the ever chic Flores serves market fresh Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
No food-centric area would be complete without some serious dessert options. Blockheads Shavery Company is a very popular Hawaiian shaved ice spot, and if the line is too overwhelming, Brian’s Shaved Ice is just down the street. Coco Fresh Tea & Juice offers an extensive list of truly fresh boba teas, and Beard Papa’s has a selection of delicious French pastries including their infamous cream puffs. Coffee Tomo is a well-respected coffee house serving small snacks, while familiar chains Lollicup and Yogurtland can also be found on the block. After all the indulgence, be sure to stop by Nijiya Market to pick up any variety of prepared Japanese food and goods for the budding home chef.
Sawtelle has become a true destination unto itself. Its esteem as a food and culture mecca is steadily growing as Los Angeles takes notice of the scurmptious, innovative, and varied options here.
Leave a reply