RESTAURANT REVIEW: Katana Robata & Sushi

By MICHAEL AUSHENKER | Pali Life Editor

“Katana” is a word for “large knife” or “Japanese sword” so let’s cut to the point: anyone craving an intimate dining experience or a buzzy ethnic hole-in-the-wall, do not read any further.

Katana takes the opposite route: it’s a Hollywood sign-sized, show-bizzy affair that happens to skew Japanese in color and flavor. After all, Riviera resident Adam Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions crew used to frequent this Asian fusion (translation: Americanized) destination quite often while on the Thursday night the Palisadian-Post  dropped by, songwriter Aaron Phillips (Demi Lovato’s “Heart Attack”) was supping at the popular restaurant.

Which is not to say that the cuisine is lacking, it’s certainly not, especially with Executive Sushi Chef Koji Matsuzaki, now a decade with the restaurant (Katana opened in 2002), lending his creativity to both the palate and the aesthetics of every dish that emerges from his kitchen.

Firmly entrenched in the heart of West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, Katana delivers the ultimate larger-than-life Hollywood nightlife dining experience. Step up to Katana’s looming, Gothic facade after nightfall is to witness this restaurant brooding in the spotlights like a brooding grey gargoyle. This place could easily pass muster for a crazy mansion that millionaire Bruce Wayne hits in an operatic Christopher Nolan Dark Knight epic.

Really, there are no wrong moves on Katana’s menu. The Maguro Carpaccio ($18), a Japanese/Italian mash-up featuring delicate morsels of tuna sashimi (“maguro” is Japanese for blue fin tuna) dashed with wasabi soy truffle oil, arugula, avocado and upright wedges of shaved Parmesan, is a solid preface to your entrées.

The Wagyu ($20) offers a tasty Japanese premium beef as does the Yaki Niku (Short Ribs in Asian Marinade), which comes in two modes: ($16) and the premium Japanese A-5 Wagyu (a much steeper $52). Other options include the Halibut Orange ($17); thinly sliced blackened halibut topped with a very pronounced sea salt taste with its orange marmalade and cilantro topping, this dish is another winner.

Sushi-wise, definitely try the Katana Roll ($19) —an unbridled swell of yellowtail and tuna atop spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. The White Lotus ($18), a rock shrimp-with- avocado-and-asparagus journey with an overlay of albacore tuna and crispy onions in truffled soy, also delivers.

The serviceable cocktails come in varied flavors. The acai liquor-based VEEV La Geisha ($14) is a berry delicious drink, filled with blackberries with a touch of mint and lime juice. The Kimono Dragon ($14) draws its fiery breath from Bulldog Gin, aperol, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon sour, muddled lemon and basil. One of the tastiest concoctions here is Katana’s Tropical Fusion ($13), forged of Svedka Vodka, fresh pineapple, cantaloupe and watermelon.

More pertinent if you go the sushi route, the bar offers an extensive menu of more than 50 premium sakes—a roster constantly rotated and updated—while in the Japanese beer department, the restaurant prefers to serve Orion, a brand actually imported from Japan, over American-distributed Sapporo and Kirin. (With uni —sea urchins — brought in from Santa Barbara and toro—the tuna’s fatty belly meat—from Croatia, credit Katana for not going the lazy route when sourcing its delicacies).

Like at Sushi Roku and BOA Steakhouse—two other major jewels in parent company Innovative Dining Group’s crown—at Katana Robata & Sushi Bar, the quality is excellent and the atmosphere, sleek and luxurious as a G650, makes for a sensuous Hollywood dining experience.