Asanebo

Asanebo, is my first visit into the Studio City sushi corridor. Within a five mile radius there are at least five well known and highly touted sushi restaurants. Asanebo which means "late riser" in Japanese is definitely not just your average sushi restaurant. It received a Michelin star earlier this year. As a matter of fact, the cooked dishes are highlighted equally with the fresh fish brought in from Japan. The business card says "Japanese Gourmet" and overall all the dishes are well thought out.

The menu includes a page with daily specials, including seafood brought in from Japan. The rest of the menu has entrees and assorted fried specialties. Our server was well educated on the ingredients as well as the preparations of each dish. Dishes that stood out for me were the Lobster Sashimi with Black Truffles, Wild Spanish Mackerel Sashimi from Japan, and the Kampachi with Miso Sesame Sauce.




Some of the misses of the night were the King Crab Tempura in ponzu sauce, which looked so crunchy, but was soggy in the ponzu sauce. The sauteed Abalone with Asparagus and mushrooms was bland and under seasoned. Many of the daily specials were sold out, but that's understandable given the day.

Overall, Asanebo is an above average Japanese restaurant. Creativity and variety make it a worthwhile visit. Next time, I'll try the Omakase which I hear so much about.

3.5 out of 5 stars