The night before our trip to Japan we headed over to Katsuya Brentwood for some “Japanese” food. We wanted to celebrate B3LOE’s birthday with the girls since they didn’t join us for golf. Katsuya isn’t intended to be an authentic Japanese restaurant, so obviously there are a ton of other places in the city for better sushi. Katsuya is a place you go to impress someone: a date, a client, an out-of-towner. The experience begins before you enter, as a murdered-out Porsche or Gallardo will most likely be parked in front. As with any SBE establishment, the interior is spectacular. Designed by Philippe Starck, it’s sophisticated & elegant. You leave wishing your own living room looked like this.

There are so many places in LA that are expensive for the sake of being expensive and make no apologies for the bad food; Katsuya is not one of them. There might be a miss thrown in with the hits, but overall the food is very good. Watch what you order because yes this place is expensive, but there are a lot of small plate options that are borderline cheap ($3-7) considering the establishment. The drinks are really expensive (“that’s how they get ya”) so don’t go crazy. Oh, and don’t come with a large group or you’ll all be wondering how the hell the bill got so big. Don’t be scurred, the experience is very worth it. You are trying to close the deal right?

Make it look like you know what you are doing and order a couple Italian Proseccos, skip edamame, and start with the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño & Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice before you even open the menu. The albacore sushi is good & salmon skin hand roll is big, but skip the normal sushi and go straight for any of the Katsuya Signatures. I’ve tried half of the Signatures and they have all been very good. The Robata selections are also really good, so order a couple. You have to try the Teba Chicken Wings though, I love chicken wings and would say these are some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever had; better than Furaibo on Sawtelle. The Miso Cod is off the charts. It’s no joke when the menu states “unparalleled flavor”. You might be tempted to order, but I don’t think the Special Katsuya Roll nor Kobe Filet with Foie Gras are worth the money.

Is Katsuya pretentious? Not really. The staff does an excellent job of making you feel welcome. Even if they are carrying food, they move aside and smile as you walk by; try that at Geisha House. As with any place in LA, don’t go on a Friday or Saturday night if you want the best experience; even Coffee Bean can throw attitude during peak hours.