Oomasa

Although Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo district – once billed as “the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in North America” – is neither a microcosm of the actual Japanese city nor a Japanese version of the typical Chinatown, dense with competing but similar shops and restaurants, its diffuse attractions are very much worth exploring. One of the easiest places to start is the Japanese Village Plaza, which is the closest thing Little Tokyo has to a walkable collection of stores, and Oomasa has been sitting on the edge of that plaza since 1972, serving sushi since well before most Americans had any idea what it was.

We sampled Oomasa’s chirashi, and although prices have gone up since then, you can still get a standard chirashi box (shown) for around $30, or a “bara chirashi” with cubed fish at $25. Each includes a bowl of miso soup despite being priced within striking distance of a similarly sized poke bowl, and the differences in artistry and fish quality are night and day in favor of Oomasa’s versions.

We also enjoyed Spanish mackerel, scallop, and spicy tuna sushi, as well as crispy chicken karaage – all very good, and fairly priced, with a level of obvious pride in presentation that exceeds ‘typical’ Japanese restaurant standards these days. Oomasa also has a solid assortment of Japanese classics including tempura, teriyaki, tonkatsu, squid legs, and broiled fish collars for those who prefer their proteins cooked.

Though Oomasa has significant competition in the area, including Sushi Gen on the high end and Kura Sushi on the… well, whatever part of the spectrum it represents at this point, we’d return again to Oomasa in a heartbeat for the chirashi, and snack on other items as well.