Yuta: Escape to a Japanese small-plates island

In contrast to the boisterous spots where sake drinkers gather around a communal table, there's a quiet, elegant new izakaya, or Japanese pub-style cafe, in Studio City. Yuta is a delightful oasis, a great place to bring people together -- you can really talk, and the food's adventurous, a welcome alternative to the offerings of Ventura Boulevard's sushi row.

By Susan LaTempa

October 17, 2007