SugarFish by Sushi Nozawa in Marina del Rey

It has been a while since we have had sushi anywhere outside of Yen in Belmont Shore. Two reasons: one, we haven't been eating out that much (economic downturn, people!) and two, we really like Yen Sushi and Sake Bar.

But I found this new place, SugarFish, through my work, and through some samples generously provided by management, I was hooked and charmed and decided that hubby and I should try this place for a real dinner.

SugarFish is a casual off-shoot of the original Sushi Nozawa out in Studio City, which I have never gone to, but had heard was nick-named the Sushi Nazi because Chef Nozawa doesn't take kindly to those who use tons of soy sauce on his delicate fish, or ask for non-Japanese dishes such as California rolls.

I have heard that Sushi Nozawa is excellent, and I do hope to go there someday. But last weekend we did experience SugarFish, and this is what we learned.

You can order a la carte at SugarFish, but I think most people get the prix fixe meals, which are posted on a rotating computer screen on the wall. Oh yes, speaking of the wall reminds me I should speak about the decor. The decor is minimalist and modern, at the same time casual. This is not a ritzy, high end place in terms of the atmosphere, but the idea is the food is the freshest you can obtain in such a relaxed environment.

So back to the food. The fish is excellent. The sashimi, sushi, and rolls are all melt-in-your-mouth, with a delicacy and succulence that is very different from that found at Yen. The style is, I would say without knowing much about authentic Japanese food, more authentically Japanese, with the focus on delicate, balanced flavors. Contrast this to Yen, which is owned and operated by Koreans, and the cuisine is bolder, with bolder flavors and spiced up sauces and slices of Jalapeno sometimes adorning some of the less orthodox rolls. The food at SugarFish is definitely more classic, at least to me.

The downside is that though this is a casual restaurant, ie. you don't have to dress up to eat there, and plenty of Marina del Rey locals are coming in with their kids, etc, and some are bellying up to the bar to have their dinner, the prices are high. Dinner for the two of us ended up being around $120 (we did have beer and sake though). And after the $120 dinner, we were not stuffed; instead, we were a bit craving for more food. In other words, portions are not big. Contrast to Yen, where we leave pretty stuffed, because the fish portions are big.

Conclusion: the restaurant is a good one, the food is way above par, and if money were no object, I would eat here and eat here often, and probably add a la carte pieces to the prix fixe options. However, until the time when money is truly no object, I would hesitate. But that's just me! If you love fine sushi though, you should go and try it!