Got a yen for sushi before the Lakers game? Lucky for you Chef Katsuya Uechi (and the folks at SBE) have opened a fourth franchise at L.A. Live, adding a few touches of kitsch to its familiar sophisticated vibe to attract the yuppies.


All your favorite Katsuya specialties are availabe--like juicy yellowtail with spicy ponzu and jalapeno; albacore with crispy onion; citrus ponzu ceviche; crispy rice with spicy tuna; and a prodigious hand roll (no dirty jokes, please) of baked snow crab "lightly kissed with Chef's signature sauce" and wrapped in soy paper. As the menu says, "one taste will leave you wanting
more," so get the new $65 tasting menu and enjoy all of the dishes Katsuya is famous for in one sitting, plus desserts like green tea mochi and pineapple panna cotta.

The Kobe filet with foie gras (also on the tasting menu) holds a place of pride on the hot kitchen menu. It's so rich you need never fear anemia again, and goes well with a thimble of Yumeakari Junmai Ginjo from the sake list. Cocktails are better suited to the thumping Top 40 soundtrack though, so try a Katsuya Fresh with vodka, sake and hand-crushed cucumbers and lime juice, or a Burning Mandarin with mandarin vodka, hand-crushed Serrano chili, fresh lemon and orange juice, and a splash of cranberry.

The loungey outdoor seating area in the plaza is ideal for people-watching, but grab a seat front-and-center at the sushi bar to catch all the action, or at one of the cushy booths under a photographic mural of a watchful geisha's eye. Don't forget to shake paws with one of the glittery gold kitty statues for good luck before the game.


Katsuya Downtown Los Angeles
Address: 800 Olympic Blvd.
Cross Street: Figueroa St.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Phone: (213) 747-9797
Hours: Sun-Thurs 5:00-11:00 pm, Fri-Sat 4:00 pm-Midnight
Type: Japanese, Sushi
Price: $$$$