Masa Takayama Was Here: Arado

Arado is a perfectly fine and friendly Korean style Japanese restaurant with a helpful staff, an oozingly sincere mission statement, and side room bizarrely dedicated to the oceanic world. But one major element that defined the place's first incarnation is long gone: the man who went on to become arguably the most famous sushi chef in America.



Along with delis and era-appropriate health food restaurants, modest Japanese restaurants were a staple of our hamisheh restaurant eating in late 1970s and early 80s Los Angeles. The regular rotation included Aoi on First Street (still there), Kuishimbo on Wilshire and Wilton (moved to 6th and Catalina), Feast from the East when my dad's friend ran it, and Benibasha on Olympic and Norton, with its awesome jukebox. (After we saw Grease at a Hollywood movie theater, I was thrilled to find "You're the One That I Want" included among the machine's killer choices of late 70s pop hits.)

My sister was the adventurous one when we ate out, and an unusually young raw food enthusiast. Few single-digit aged kids ordered steak tartare at Chasen's or asked their mom to bring home a dozen oysters from Phil's Phresh Fish. I stuck to the tried and true. I'd eaten more chicken teriyaki and tempura combos by age 10 than I care to count.

When a simple Japanese restaurant and sushi bar called Saba-Ya opened its doors near Kuishimbo on Wilshire and Wilton in the early 80s, our family went there a lot, in part because Alison's seemingly endless appetite for the sashimi, and friends owned a women's clothing store in the same strip mall. The sushi chef and owner was an affable Japanese gentleman who warmly welcomed us to the bar, where he'd ply my sister with his product. I wanted to want to eat those delicate slices of translucent raw fish, but in reality, I found sushi revolting. Cucumber rolls were fine, but raw tuna itself made me gag. Literally. In front of the nice sushi guy. Classy!

After a few years the main chef was no longer at Saba-Ya. We remained regulars anyway, but got word he'd opened a new joint across the street, tucked in the back corner of the slick two-story strip mall that also featured an exciting new take-out place called El Pollo Loco. Apparently the other sushi bar was a step up from Saba-Ya. So one afternoon my dad and I poked our heads in to scope it out; the light stained wood paneled room was beautiful, and still remains in my limited experience the paragon of less-is-more impeccable Japanese taste, but we couldn't spot a menu anywhere. Plus it was filled with seriously serious businessmen, and the hushed sound level was intimidatingly serene.

We then read how a sushi chef named Masa Takayama who's run a little restaurant called Saba-Ya operated THE most expensive restaurant in Los Angeles located in a Koreatown strip mall. It also happened to be Marlon Brando's favorite. Suddenly the situation made sense, and Ginza Sushi-Ko soon after relocated to Beverly Hills.

Arado doesn't exactly retain the luster of its previous tenant. But it's good for sharing an easy lunch and stories with the kids, and using nostalgic reflection as consolation for not eating at Masa any time soon. Who knows, maybe he'll want to revisit his humble L.A. roots someday.

Arado
4001 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213.387.1199

Comments

[Alison]

We read about Sushi-Ko in People Magazine, no less. And I betrayed my precocious sushi appetite when I once ate an entire edamame pod, beans and skin, at the sushi bar on Norton and Olympic.

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Great story, and a look back to the roots of one of America's premiere sushi chefs. Thanks for sharing the tale.

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Its very awesome Japanese restaurant and here i can see the Decoration and the furniture.These all looks so cool.Thank you for sharing.

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Good Story for read, I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice Story.

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I like your blog. Masa Takayama is a very popular health food restaurants. I like to eat only the masa takayama food. it service are very good.

[Duanrijun]

Thank you for letting me learn the knowledge, it must be a pretty good Japanese restaurant, I looked quite like it on the decoration, where first class service should also be

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The menu in the restaurant must be full of delicious recipes. Asian culinary just soothes my taste buds.

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I can see here the Arado Korean style Japanese restaurant.It looks very specious and well managed restaurant.Nice to see it.

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The restaurant looks well lit and very airy and I wonder what all they have on the menu. Other than sushi the Japanese are also famous for rice and noodles.

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Last Week, I had gone this Arado Restaurant with my Family. The Restaurant was fantastic and the Service of this Restaurant was very fast and good.

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The style and service is different from what you find in traditional Japanese restaurant. The taste is awesome, and the side dishes are great too.

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A combination of Korean and Japanese style restaurant sounds really exciting. It's like eating sushi with Soju. Now that's a treat!

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Asian cuisine is just full of treat. Health is so much observe in every recipe. This restaurant must really be in demand to all health conscious people.

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The Arado restaurant sure looks a very in demand Japanese-Korean restaurant. The food lovers seem to be extremely satisfied with their meals.

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This is just the kind of Asian restaurant that I surely want to check and dine. Korean and Japanese cuisines are just my guilty pleasures.

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I so much love California maki rolled over caviar. Oh my, my tummy is crumbling, it must be really great to dine in a Japanese-Korean restaurant.

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I very much likes Japanese and Korean foods. Very few times I took it. This is seems like very good restaurant for that kind of food.

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Japanese and Korean foods serve in one restaurant is surely a great treat. The food lovers must be pleased with the delicacies. Nice!

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This is why Asian restaurants are surely a must dine for everyone. Korean and Japanese cuisines can truly keep anyone wanting for more.