Sushi and Narcotics: A Review of Kiyokawa Japanese Restaurant

"We can't stay away, Satoshi. What makes your sushi so good?"

"I sprinkle a little bit of crack on it."

You have to appreciate the honesty of Satoshi Kiyokowa, the proprietor, lone chef, and namesake of Kiyokawa Japanese Restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. Located at 265 S. Robertson Blvd, Kiyokawa is the new kid on a block with an ultra competitive sushi hustle, so forgive them if they turn to hard narcotics from time to time to ensure your timely return.

Okay, so obviously you won't be eating the spicy tuna meth roll, but it's clear that Kiyokawa is doing something right seeing as I have yet to go three consecutive days without eating there when I'm in town.

As a result of my girlfriend's obsessive nature when it comes to eating habits, I've eaten more raw fish in the past year than a performance walrus at Sea World. From Hollywood to Malibu I've sampled some of the finest uncooked delicacies that the Southland has to offer, and without question Kiyokawa is my favorite. I've already dropped $700 in the place since girlfriend discovered it through a colleague.

The restaurant itself is quaint and dimly lit, with wooden tables, chairs, and sushi bar. Light jazz plays continuously as you enjoy your meal. I use the word enjoy for a specific reason. Not only is the sushi at Kiyokawa phenomenal, but it also offers something that not many American eateries do these days - a dining experience. If your idea of an enjoyable dinner is one in which you set world records for speed of consumption, Kiyokawa is not the place for you. You should expect to be there for a minimum of an hour and half. If you suck at conversation or consider good service a place where they stick the dessert menu in the mashed potatoes, skip Kiyokawa.

However, it is during some of the down time that the star of Kiyokawa, Satoshi, really shines. He runs the entire kitchen (fully visible from the sushi bar) with just one or two assistant chefs. He is hands on with every piece of sushi, treating them like edible sculptures, and utilizing a number of tools including a blow-torch and mini-barbecues to get it just right. Satoshi adds a mix of performance art as well with the volcano roll, a California roll topped with scallops and spicy mayo. Before he brings your roll he dims the house lights, and sets your dish ablaze with his trusty blowtorch. In addition he's just a cool guy. He greets you like an old friend, and treats you more like a guest in his home than a patron at his restaurant. Buy him a beer, and wait for the quips like the one about the crack rock.

A point not to be overlooked. Eating raw fish can be downright dangerous. It doesn't come stamped with an expiration date, so eating only the freshest ingredients is important. I've heard rumors that there are certain days when sushi is the freshest. As in, "They ship it on Tuesday, so Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days." Well, unlike some of his competitors, Satoshi goes to the fish market every morning to pick up new stock. So everyday is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Kiyokawa.

The menu has all of the standard sushi fare - a variety of sashimi, sushi and cut rolls - as well as some house specials - the Tuna Double-Double (which Satoshi says he can make "animal style" a joke referencing the famous L.A. burger joint In-and-Out) is a spicy tuna roll topped with large pieces of yellow fin tuna. There is also an entire portion of the menu dedicated to Yellow Fin Tuna specialties like the Tuna Tostadas $8.00 (cut up spicy tuna on fried wanton crackers) and Tuna Taquitos $7.00 (basically tuna tempura, Mexican taquito style served with spicy mayo).

Wash all of it down with hot sake, or something that I've rarely if ever seen at a sushi joint - $2.50 draft Japanese beers.

Kiyokawa has been around for less than a year, and I'm hoping that it will catch some word of mouth buzz and be around for years to come. Whether the secret ingredient is crack rock or just love, I can't seem to stay away. Check it out sometime, and invite me, although I'll probably be there already.

For a full menu, pricing, photos and a map, visit http://www.kiyokawa-restaurant.com/home.html