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A taste of Tokyo?
Ita-Cho, 6775 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. (213) 871-0236. Style: Where Japanese sip sake and eat seasonal fish and vegetables. Setting: Mini-mall mundane. Recommended dishes: Oriental eggplant with minced shrimp; wasu shumai , fish dumplings; steamed white fish in broth with chrysanthemum leaves and Napa cabbage. Cost per person: $10-$15.
Kitayama, 101 Bayview Place, Newport Beach. (714) 725-0777. Style: Orange County’s first serious Japanese restaurant. Setting: Traditional Japanese complete with kimono-clad waitresses. Recommended dishes: 10-course omakase kaiseki (chef’s choice). Cost per person: $50.
Kokekokko Yakitori House, 203 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles. (213) 687-0690. Style: Little Tokyo’s answer to Colonel Sanders. Setting: Log cabin. Recommended dishes: Grilled chicken livers; skewers of chicken with green onions, chicken meatballs. Cost per person: $8-$20.
Otani-A Garden Restaurant, 266 Avenita Caballeros, Palm Springs. (619) 327-6700. Style: Sushi in the desert. Setting: Vehemently Japanese, with waterfall and babbling brook. Recommended dishes: Salmon skin salad; sake oyster shooter; Manhattan roll. Cost per person: $15-$25.
SanSui, 2040 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz. (213) 660-3868. Style: Japanese for the health conscious. Setting: Pure, with environmental music. Recommended dishes: 10-course vegetarian kaiseki. Cost per person: $14.50.
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