Tonight, I ventured with my best friend and miso hunting partner to a “new” sushi spot. Why would I put new in quotes? Because this incredible spot has been tucked behind the Ventura farmer’s market for ever: I’d just never wandered far enough to give it a try! If you wander just far enough down Radford avenue, you’ll find this charming little spot, accompanied by ample parking and an open sushi bar.
The first thing I noticed about the spot was how friendly the staff all were! The hostess was very enthusiastic and kind to the both of us, and our waiter was funny and very social. Sitting next to us was a woman, deep in conversation with the sushi chefs, and streaming of the US-France basketball game. A wide variety of music played, ranging from Eminem’s Stan, to Euro-pop classics. Each table is set up with a “Studio Sushi” place setting, with fresh chopsticks, a soy-sauce ramekin, and a sharing plate. The menus were well organized, displaying a wide variety of options ranging from udon to nigiri. All of our food came out quickly, which I personally enjoy and view as a bonus to the already fantastic atmosphere. But we all know what I came for….
It shouldn’t surprise you that I had to start with an iced matcha as my bev of the night. A quick little fact about me is that I tend to start with a Diet Coke at the majority of non-cafe dining experiences, but I had to opt for the matcha for obvious reasons. It had a very nice ice-to-beverage ratio, but was a much darker shade of green than I was typically used to. I ordered it without milk to try to get the best judgement of its flavor, and I honestly was not disappointed. The matcha flavor doesn’t start off too strong – both of us agreed that it felt a bit watery at first – but that the earthy flavor does settle in pretty quickly after. The texture of the drink was very smooth, with the matcha powder being very well dissolved. Numerically, it would be a 7/10, with my main issue being the lack of upfront matcha flavor.
Now, for the main course: one of the best miso soups I have had in the city of LA. There was an absolutely wonderful ratio of tofu-soup-green onion that made every sip so flavorful and textures. I personally enjoy a cloudier broth, as I feel it has a lot more flavor, and thats exactly what Studio Sushi provided. The soup was piping hot when brought out, and the spoon had the perfect surface area per sip. I’m not ashamed to admit that I ended up drinking a bit straight from the bowl – IT WAS JUST THAT GOOD!! If I could make one suggestion, I would say to make the tofu chunks a bit larger. While the ratio was fabulous, I think it could benefit from slightly larger tofu, increasing the silkiness of the soup. I’m starting this blog with some high rankings, giving this miso soup a solid 9/10.
In addition to the soup and sips, we ordered Studio Sushi’s spicy tuna crispy rice, edamame, tamago sushi, blue fin cut roll, California cut roll, beef gyoza, lemon roll, and lime roll. Nearly every dish was absolutely delicious, and totally hit the night’s craving for some good LA sushi. Come back soon for another review this week, and a feature piece from a fellow sushi-lover about the best California rolls in the city! Until then, hit up Studio Sushi on 4037 Radford Ave, Studio City. Until next time!
Happy sipping,
Gabs
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