Sushi Bei — Restaurant in Gardena

I was in the area for an event and wanted a quick dinner at Hakata Ramen, but I'd found that I'd gotten there too early and Hakata wouldn't be open for another 30 minutes! This place was right next door and I noticed they were open--problem solved. It's a small, neat and clean but unassuming-looking place, but I soon found out that I had wandered into a little gem. I was the first one there for the night and sat at the sushi bar. The chef, Aki, is kind of reserved, but he's a wiz with a sushi knife. I just started ordering everything that sounded good: Scallop, salmon, yellowtail (best), uni, spicy tuna handroll, ikura sushi, and finally the "Aki special"--basically a seafood dynamite that was very tasty. There's something so magical about baked Japanese mayo mixed with masago (smelt egg), yum. The fish was fresh and the portions generous. They even gave me a complimentary sorbet at the end--it was orange creamsicle-like and delicious! There was just one waitress working there at the time but she was very nice and efficient, no complaints at all with the service either. Sometimes when things don't go as planned you end up discovering something great! I will...

I came last night for the first time under the new ownership. The food was very good! My wife and ordered à la carte. The baked scallop was amazing, garlic edamame had great flavor, agedashi tofu very good, and all of our nigiri was good (I had to get a second round of unagi!) This was my only problem with the meal: I asked for a recommendation for a bottle of sake. I asked for something in the mid price range on the dryer side. Our server asked another server and they asked the chef, then they all informed me that ALL SAKE IS DRY. I must admit this was kind of embarrassing, I’m a white dude and no, I don’t know as much about sake as I would like, but I know that sake like all wine is rated based on a sweet to dry scale. Having 3 people tell me that all sake is dry like my question was totally stupid was a bit humiliating. Ironically after brushing off my embarrassment and picking a random bottle, it wasn’t even very dry lol, and the bottle has a chart on the back showing a sweet to dry scale. Overall great meal, maybe I should I just know more about sake. That just rubbed me the wrong way. I’d go back, but the one star off was for the...

This restaurant has been here since the 80s and my family and I used to come here about 10 years ago. I have since moved out of state and I just had to visit on my last trip to California this week. I am so glad I did. The quality is the same! Amazingly fresh fish. Do not come here if you are looking for the "Americanized" Sushi. This is traditional raw fish on rice, known as Nigiri. Don't skimp and order the Aki Special (who is the owner and head sushi chef). The Aki Special is his take on the "dynamite" and way better! Baby shrimp, scallops, crab, and mushrooms baked in Japanese mayo! You're missing out every time you go to another restaurant and not here.

Pictured: Salmon Nigiri, Baked Mussels, Aki Special, and the complementary ice cream at the end to help cleanse your palate. Not Pictured: the Nigiri I ate before taking a...