Sushi in the San Fernando Valley: 4 places that do it right

Ventura may not be a Boulevard of Dreams, but it is a Street of Sushi — lots of sushi.

The 18-mile stretch of Ventura along the southern rim of the San Fernando Valley arguably contains more sushi bars than anywhere this side of the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. For at least four decades, dating back to the opening of Teru Sushi in Studio City, when sushi-oholics thought of their rice and fish as a culinary object of desire, it’s Ventura that has come to mind.

And yet, while we searched for parking along Ventura (which is not easy!), sushi has spread north, filling the landscape with exceptional destination sushi bars that have — yes! — far easier parking.

Lest you think of me as fresh off the turnip truck, the growth of sushi north of Ventura has been going on for a while. But viewed all together, they make the SF Valley not just the capital of Los Angeles sushi, but possibly of sushi across America. The orange trees are gone. It’s tuna that fuels the culinary ecosystem.

And, when it comes to sushi in the area, this is where you should start:

Oishi

8215 De Soto Ave., Canoga Park; 818-882-6958, www.restaurantji.com/ca/canoga-park/oishi-japanese-cuisine-/

Oishi is a new sushi bar that first opened back in 2003. What makes it new is that it was closed for nearly two years thanks to a fire. It reopened just recently, serving world-class seafood in a peaked building adjacent to a Mexican mariscos house — fish next to fish.

The menu follows the style of sushi bars from the days when not everyone dreamed of albacore and octopus. There are 12 salads; salmon, chicken and beef teriyaki; shrimp and vegetable tempura. There are boat dinners, which sail to your table piled high with baked mussels and grilled shrimp. But mostly, there’s sushi … and of course, sushi rolls.

There are 28 sushi and sashimi options on the menu, plus more than 40 rolls with the usual assortment of quirky names. The Power Puff Hand Roll contains baked scallops and avocado. Da Bomb Roll is baked scallops and krab. There’s shrimp tempura, albacore, tuna, yellowtail and salmon in the Bingo Rolls.

There’s a big screen playing sports behind the sushi chefs. When the Dodgers are winning, the sushi tastes that much better.

Chiba

7515 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; 818-765-9119, www.chibasushinoho.com

As with most (but not all) of the north-of-Ventura sushi bars, this is not a doctrinaire Japanese restaurant, with signs up about how spicy tuna rolls are not served, and nigiri sushi should not be dipped in soy unless you’re directed to dip by the chef.

Chiba, and Chiba’s success, is based on doing what its diners want and like. No wonder its history dates back to 1973, when it was first opened by the father of current owner Shig Chiba. This is a restaurant with deep roots in Japan that also understands that American tastes are perhaps a bit more … eclectic.

The selection of rolls, though not insane, does veer off into high creativity at times — as it does in the case of the Tennessee Roll, a combination of shrimp and tempura crunchies. Or the Baked Scallops and Mushroom Roll, combined into a cucumber and avocado roll with smelt roe. Tasty — and totally Chiba.

Katsu-Ya

9701 Reseda Blvd., Northridge; 818-678-1700, www.katsu-yagroup.com

The first item under the heading Katsu-Ya Creations is “crispy rice with spicy tuna.” … Did Katsu-Ya create that dish? Really? There’s hardly a modernist sushi bar in town that doesn’t offer it.

There are restaurants that aren’t Japanese in the least that serve crispy rice with spicy tuna. For my daughter and her friends, it’s a go-to dish, as much a non-discussion as a bowl of edamame.

And look at what else is under his creations: standards like yellowtail sashimi with jalapeños, seared spicy albacore with crispy onions, garlic seared albacore with shaved truffles, crispy sesame tuna, popcorn shrimp tempura — and, OMG!, a spicy tuna and crab cone!

These aren’t just good dishes — wonderful dishes, in fact. This is the food that defines sushi bar chow for many of us — especially those of us who have grown bored with the set-in-stone world of carefully wrapped nigiri sushi — rice in seaweed bondage topped with a slice of fish. Been there, done that. Bring on the kiwi topped scallop with yuzu lime vinaigrette.

Go’s Mart Sushi Bar

22330 Sherman Way, Canoga Park; 818-704-1459

One approaches the fabled Go’s Mart Sushi Bar with much anticipation, expecting perhaps the modesty of the original Matsuhisa. What you find instead is a storefront in a Canoga Park mini-mall, with a sign overhead that reads “Sushi” — and nothing else.

Entering, you go past a refrigerator cabinet filled with soft drinks, coming into a small space, with a sushi bar with nine seats, and a handful of tables. There’s another refrigerator case filled with fish covered with clear wrap. And that’s … pretty much it.

Ask for a menu, and you’ll be handed an 8-by-10 sheet of paper, with a brief sushi list that’s a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy — smudged and barely legible. Those in the know look at the white board behind the chefs, situated next to a hand towel dispenser, that lists some 30 fish, all fresh. It’s the seafood upon which the reputation of Go’s is built.

There are no prices on the white board. So, one does not approach Go’s thinking this is going to be a discount sushi experience; even ordering à la carte, the price adds up. But then, there’s that first bite — perhaps of yellowtail, or toro — and the near obsessive appeal of Go’s becomes, if not fully explained, at least easier to comprehend.

This is exceptional fish, sublime fish, perhaps the best I’ve had in SoCal. Go’s offers little in the way of exotic rolls — no Sherman Way Roll or Valley Mall Roll or anything like that.

Also, this is not a sushi bar where you’re punished for not following the rules. The chef does not berate and belittle customers for not eating the fish the way he wants you to. He’s too busy cranking out perfect little packets of rice and fish to get into that.

Go’s Mart lives up to its reputation. But only for those who have no interest in flossy drinks, tempura on the side, an appetizer of edamame or salmon skin salad, or some funny rolls with an incomprehensible mix of ingredients within. Go’s is all about the quality. Go’s does not disappoint.

Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email [email protected].