Where to gather for sakana and sake

Even as we go to press there are more izakaya opening their doors throughout Southern California. Here are the many we love, but this is not an exhaustive list. Kanpai!

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Hollywood/West Hollywood

Geisha House. A fantasyland of classical and illusory Japanese images and forms with mysterious red-lighted alcoves, fireplaces and swaths of kimono provides a backdrop for excellent sashimi plates, robata-style grills, and hot and cold dishes. 6633 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 460-6300; www.geishahousehollywood.com

Ita-Cho. This spartan kappo restaurant introduced ippinmono to Hollywoodites who show up nightly to graze. What’s on the menu? Classical Japanese preparations of whatever the chefs decide is right for the moment. 7311 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 938-9009.

Izakaya Yuzu. You will want to stay awhile at this cozy, wood-paneled room with an upstairs conversation area that describes itself as a “Japanese tavern.” Sample the yuzu-doused tuna carpaccio, sauteed mild shishito peppers or Chinese leek omelet with your tipple of wheat shochu, premium sake or fruity Japanese Kosyu wine. 8711 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 659-2067.

Katana. “Our food comes from three kitchens,” the waiter will explain to first-timers dining at this trend-setting Hollywood spot ensconced in a stunning ‘20s-era Mediterranean structure. Nibble on grilled robata foods from the display speared on slender skewers, long-simmered home-style dishes in miniature, sushi -- or a little of each. 8439 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 650-8585; www.katanarobata.com

Sake House Miro. Young women with streaked hair in denim microskirts and bobby socks and their Blackberry-toting dates populate the heavy wooden tables at this hipster spot that reveals the Japanese fascination with late ‘50s-era Tokyo memorabilia. A faux alley at the rear of the bar is lined with replicas of old storefronts, signage and posters while Asian movie one-sheets grace the dining room walls. Multiple menus offer satay-like skewers of grilled kushiyaki, sushi rolls, fruit juice-laced shochu “martinis” and the kind of quick-bite snack food found everywhere in urban Japan. 809 S. La Brea Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 939-7075; www.sakehousemiro.com.

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Gardena/South Bay

Azuma Izakaya. Three grill chefs send out excellent food until midnight from a menu with at least 100 items. Sake drums and beer kegs stacked in a corner decorate the dining room, which has the feel of a ‘40s-era coffee shop and is usually packed. Here, mussels come perfectly tender, and the sashimi in the crisp salad is sparkling fresh. 16123 S. Western Ave., Gardena, (310) 532-8623.

Beaux. Corrugated aluminum siding decorates the walls of this South Bay design-forward restaurant serving Japanized Mediterranean cuisine such as flash-fried calamari, spicy cod roe spaghetti, scallop gratin and seafood salad tossed with garlic vinaigrette. 21605 S. Western Ave., Torrance, (310) 320-5820.

Daruma. One of the city’s earliest izakaya, it’s still a home away from home for many Japanese corporate employees. The menu is organized in the traditional way, according to cooking styles (sashimi, grilled, fried or stewed), and there’s karaoke. 15915 S. Western Ave., Gardena, (310) 323-0133.

Iccho. In the shopping-intensive locale of Rolling Hills Plaza, this family-style izakaya comforts everyone with an enormously long menu that seems to offer the entire repertoire of traditional Japanese cuisine as well as novelties such as kimchi fried with pork and caterpillar sushi rolls. 25310 Crenshaw, Torrance, (310) 325-7273.

Japonica. Curtained booths allude to the tatami rooms of the past at this sleek South Bay looker serving great food and an extensive sake list that includes several flights. Every dish, including crunchy fried baby Spanish mackerel, fresh salmon roe omelet and seared albacore with spicy sauce, confirms the kitchen’s skill. 1304 1/2 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, (310) 316-9477; www.japonicadining.com.

Kan Izakaya Yuzen. Hidden in a shopping center, this modern izakaya and its beautiful food are worth seeking out. Ultra-fine as well as more modest sakes (ask for the bound notebook that holds the labels) have been smartly selected to pair with the modern Japanese fare here. 2755 Pacific Coast Highway (Torrance Towne Center), Torrance, (310) 530-7888.

Musha. The loud, chaotic (and fun) Torrance branch is a contrast to the more sedate (and fun) Santa Monica location of this anything-goes pub where European ingredients and concepts (roasted garlic, dips and crackers) are incorporated into Japanese pub fare. 1725 Carson St., Torrance, (310) 787-7344.

Teppan Kazamidori. Formerly a teppan steak house, Kazamidori jumped on the izakaya bandwagon by preserving its dining counter and turning its grill area into a multifunctional kitchen. The menu lists about 200 offerings, including yakitori and kushiyaki skewered grills and kushiage, deep-fried items on skewers, as well as salads, stews, sautes and savory pancake-like okonomiyakis, all cooked as you watch. 24231 Crenshaw Blvd. (Crossroads Center #C), Torrance, (310) 530-2749.

Yuzu Torrance. The two bars, a wine bar and an open robata-style kitchen, tatami rooms and outdoor seating allow every step in the cooking process to be observed. 1231 Cabrillo Ave. (Plaza Del Prado), Torrance, (310) 533-9898.

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West Los Angeles/Santa Monica

Furaibo. Situated in the former traditional-style pub space of Yoro No Take, this noisy, lively place is a favorite haunt of Japanese university students and young professionals. The specialty, tebasaki, Japanese-style fried chicken wings, heads an enormous a la carte menu that includes about 30 varieties of grilled fish, dozens of vegetable dishes and kushiyaki. 2068 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 444-1432; www.furaibou.com.

Musha. See information under South Bay. 424 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 576-6330.

Orris. Chef Hideo Yamashiro presents slightly Asian-influenced Western little dishes, premium sakes and wine. His open kitchen and chic granite dining bar hint at the restaurant’s izakaya inspiration. 2006 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 268-2212; www.orrisrestaurant.com.

Raku. With a long, elegant dining counter, a lengthy menu of homey dishes and late hours (open until 1:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday), this simple strip-mall spot is a boon for night-owl industry types working in West L.A. studios and creative offices. A motherly woman behind the stoves of the open kitchen turns out tamago with free-range eggs, braised black pork chunks, simmered fiddle-head fern tops and for the brave, home-style pickled squid guts to perk up your rice. 11678 W. Olympic Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 478-3090.

SaSaYa. In a rustic, wood-paneled space that looks like a Japanese country inn, customers share tips at the massive communal table. Signs in calligraphy describe special sakes and seasonal dishes that are simple yet perfectly cooked. 11613 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 477-4404.

Terried Sake House. Cherished by a cadre of neighborhood fans, Katsuhiko Terada has been working behind his open kitchen counter at this very utilitarian space for more than 20 years. He grills succulent yakitori, fries asparagus, sautes tofu steak, broils cod and short ribs, and, on the spot, expertly cooks up anything on his lengthy small-plates menu. 11617 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 477-9423.

WakaSan. At this rustic charmer a stone’s throw from UCLA, a delicious multicourse omakase (chef’s choice) menu of home-style dishes is the only option, but it’s also a great deal for an evening of delicious entertainment. 1929 Westwood Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 446-5249.

Zip Fusion. The West L.A. Zip is a sexy, multiroom izakaya with flickering candlelit ambience, lofty ceilings and a performance kitchen that serves delicious sushi-inspired creations designed for group consumption. Hidden away are several karaoke rooms. There’s also a Little Tokyo branch of Zip, but it’s not an izakaya. 11301 Olympic Blvd. (Olympic Collection), West Los Angeles, (310) 575-3636; www.zipfusion.com.

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Downtown Los Angeles

Izakaya Haru Ulala. Whimsical menus written in crayon set the tone at this bright, cheery space dominated by a U-shaped counter around the open robata-style kitchen where several chefs work grilling yakitori, steaming vegetables, stuffing eggplant or bell peppers and charring bananas for dessert. 368 E. 2nd St., Little Tokyo, (213) 620-0977; www.haruulala.com.

Izayoi. A sparkly clean, almost sterile sushi-bar-like ambience prevails at this new downtown space where the chefs working in the open kitchen and behind the sushi counter take advantage of the wholesale fish marketplace a few blocks away. Organized by technique, the menu proffers such dishes as succulent grilled baby barracuda, vinegar-y mozuku seaweed and richly flavored braised pork belly. 132 S. Central Ave., Little Tokyo, (213) 613-9554.

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Orange County

Honda Ya. Rugged wood posts and hefty planked flooring give this old-fashioned place the air of a country village tavern. The food includes yakitori, kitchen-cooked dishes and sushi. 556 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 832-0081.

Ikko. A few hanging fabric panels, the right lighting and paint turns a mini minimall cube of a room into a stylish den where chef Ikko Kobayashi constructs magical creations from spectacularly fresh ingredients. Such dishes as Japanese snow crab liver pate with grissini and baked radish pancake with sea urchin, shrimp and salmon roe topping won’t be found elsewhere. 735 W. Baker St., Costa Mesa, (714) 556-7822.

Kappo Honda. In the casual dining room dominated by a wooden communal table, an attentive wait staff in casual country-style kimonos offers dishes as simple as sliced fresh tomatoes and as refined as ikura zozui, salmon roe in rice-egg soup, seasonal matsutake mushrooms and a lobster salad to accompany your choices from the very long sake list. Be sure to ask for the daily special menu, which is always a delight and happily translated into English. 18450 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, (714) 964-4629.

Kappo Sui. Sushi is available at the kappo bar that is the focus of this simple dining room accented with forest green linens, but what you really come for is to order ebi shinjo, bubbly light, fried shrimp cake; kani shumai, ethereal steamed crabmeat dumplings; or iwashi-shi-yaki, salt-grilled baby sardines, from the translated menu. 20070 Santa Ana Ave., Anaheim, (714) 429-0141.

Kappo Suzumaru. Two long rooms hold a sushi bar and comfortable semiprivate booths brightened with paper lanterns, ikebana flower arrangements and other homey decorative touches. The kitchen, equally homey, turns out a variety of hot-pots (salmon, oyster or tofu with assorted vegetables). Yuba (tofu sheets) in mushroom sauce and homemade gyoza dumplings are also standout choices here. 17292 McFadden Ave. #B, Tustin, (714) 665-1300.

Oki Doki. Family-friendly izakaya with dramatic lighting, arty framed photographs and graceful blond wood chairs. Deliciously cooked pan-Asian tapas including tempura-fried lotus root stuffed with shrimp, sashimi or tofu salads, seafood fried rice and savory Korean-style seafood pancakes. 3033 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 540-2066.

Osaka Kappo. Little gourmands in training can be seen accompanying discriminating parents to this utterly minimalist dining room with a long, curved counter and simple tables. A few delicate watercolors of golfers attempt to brighten the room. But it is chef Itsuki-san’s food that is the absolute star. 13681 Newport Ave. #9, Tustin, (714) 730-7051.

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San Fernando Valley

Uerukamu. The menu offers excellently fashioned classical dishes such as chawan mushi (steamed egg soup), fried eggplant with a miso glaze and pork chunks braised in sukiyaki sauce at this neighborly minimall spot. An extensive sake selection includes several flights and monthly sake deals. 1956 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 609-0993; www.japaneserestaurantnavi.com/uerukamu.html.

-- Linda Burum