Sakura Japanese Restaurant

  • 3.4 star rating
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3.4 rating over 4 reviews

4545 S Centinela Ave
Los Angeles, CA
(310) 822-7790 View the Menu
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Description: Sakura Japanese Restaurant is a Japanese, Sushi, and Asian restaurant where most Menuism users came for fun with friends and paid between $25 and $50.  Tags: , , and
   
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  • 7 dishes entered by diners
  • 5 users wants to eat here

Reviews Write a review

  • 4 reviews
  • First reviewed by MarkI

February 15, 2009

  • 1.0 star rating
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+6 0
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6 Votes
 

big fishy smell

When you walk into a Japanese restaurant that serves raw fish, and you are immediately hit with a big bold fishy smell, that is a really bad sign.

Lesson: If there is a big fishy smell, do not eat the raw fish. Good fresh fish don’t have a smell.

I got a bowl of tempura udon, it was not good. There were a couple of shrimp tempura, a few string beans tempura, some cheap udon noodles, and an ok broth. That’s it. No carrots, no mushrooms, not even scallions.

The service was great, though. Too bad about the food and fishy smell.

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October 13, 2007

  • 3.0 star rating
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2 Votes
 

workin' man's sushi. family-run business,...

workin’ man’s sushi. family-run business, fills up fast. dependable nabyeki udon and soba tenzaru.

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January 9, 2009

  • 4.0 star rating
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1 Votes
 

This Japanese Joint is Jumping

I went to Sakura a few nights ago with a group of 8. The restaurant does take reservations for parties of 6 or more, but we still had to wait nearly and hour for the table. If you want to avoid waiting, pretend you’re over 60 and get here by 6pm.

The restaurant offered to give us separate checks which was way beyond the call of duty, so that was swell. I orderd the monkfish liver and chirachi. I have yet to have monkfish liver served the same way at any two Japanese restaurants. Here it is on the sushi list, so I expected a completely different version than what was served. Although one or two bites are nice and rich like foie gras, I would not order it again here as it seemed a bit overcooked and not well seasoned.

But the chirachi bowl is another story. I always believe the best value at any Japanese restaurant is the chirachi bowl. Usually for under $15 you can sample about 8 kinds of sashimi on a bowl of sticky rice. The chirachi at Sakura was one of the most artfully arranged bowls ever placed before me for $14.95. They also sprinkle some shredded nori on the rice for additional great flavor.

I tasted some of my dining companions dishes, and the spinach with benito salad was a nice neutral starter. The tempura here is also very good. One outstanding highlight to note is their ikura (salmon eggs) are slightly marinated and D-licious with a raw quail egg on top.

There is some really good energy in this place from the fine wait staff to the clientele, and definitely some very tasty food, but I don’t find it’s worth the wait. Get here early for total satisfaction.

Dishes I tried:

Monkfish Liver

  • 2.0 star rating
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was a bit overcooked and not well seasoned compared to other places I’ve had it.

Chirachi Bowl

  • 4.0 star rating
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I said it before and I’ll say it again, this is a very pretty chirachi bowl.

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February 16, 2009

  • 4.0 star rating
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Great Deal on Sushi!

This is another great find in LA! Considering the long wait (averaging 30 minutes), it is no longer a secret. The portion is good, fish is fresh, and the price is reasonable, so worth the wait. Besides, the Chefs are actually Japanese (not so easy to find nowadays)! Friendly staff will help you choose the food, whether you’re a sushi expert or novice. You’ll have to find parking on the street.

We had toro (fatty tuna), Spanish Mackerel, Shrimp Tempura, Spicy Tuna roll (got a nice kick to it), and we finished it off with unagi (Fresh Water Eel), which the Chef recommended eating last since it is sweet like dessert. We sat at the counter to enjoy watching the sushi preparation and talking with the Chef.

All the sushi was very fresh and full of flavors. We also had the Oyster shooters, and I have to tell you that I never have them like these before. There must have been 3-4 oysters served with a raw quail egg, wasabi, soy sauce, sake, and other unidentified ingredients. This was all served in a hefty glass, and it took a while to shuck it down.

Dishes I tried:

Fresh Water Eel (unagi)

  • 5.0 star rating
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I have to say this place serves the biggest, fattest slices of BBQ unagi on top of rice rolls I have seen. The eel was so fresh and tender and the marinate is sweet.

Shrimp Tempura

  • 4.0 star rating
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Crispy and fluffy batter covering the succulent shrimp rolled up in rice and seaweed and tasty sauce.

Spanish Mackerel

  • 5.0 star rating
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Very fresh and good-sized mackerel. This is becoming one of my favorite sushi.

Oyster shooters

  • 3.0 star rating
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There must have been at least 3-4 oysters served with a raw quail egg, wasabi, soy sauce, sake, and other unidentified ingredients. This was all served in a hefty glass, and it took a while to shuck it down. You must be adventurous to really appreciate this.

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Chicago, IL
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