Winner (#1)

Itacho Restaurant

This crowded restaurant is a favorite with both local hipsters and Hollywood elite. There's often a line, but the food is shuttled to and from the table at such breakneck speed, the wait is never long.

The Food
There's nary a clinker on the short menu of traditional Japanese fare, from the firm eggplant served piping hot and doused with sweet miso sauce to spicy, soy-glazed, wheel-shaped lotus roots, similar in taste and texture to bamboo shoots but with an added kick. Sashimi is fresh but unremarkable, and cooked dishes like broiled eel with teriyaki sauce, are flavorful, but slightly overdone. Instead, order Japanese fried chicken, which is crisp and tender, and served with tangy lemon mayonnaise. The dessert menu is limited, and even the server-suggested red bean ice cream tastes more like plain vanilla.The Scene