Fishin' on Vermont

Niko Niko cures your sushi jones.

By Joseph S. Amster

Niko Niko Sushi
1755 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles
(323) 953-8900

I admit it: I'm a sushi addict—I'm sure a lot of you know what I mean. They need to start a support group for us: Sushi Eater's Anonymous (SEA). I've been known to prowl the streets of L.A. in the wee hours of the night looking for my fix. Recently, I found a great spot to satiate my cravings: Niko Niko Sushi in Los Feliz.

If you're a fan of rolls (futomaki), this should be your destination, as they feature 48 varieties on their menu (not counting nightly specials). Beyond the usual favorites, offerings vary from the tame (California roll) to the exotic (volcano roll: spicy tuna, avocado, spicy crabmeat, and baked scallop). They also offer traditional nigiri sushi and sashimi for purists. We began with three nigiri—maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), and albacore—a classic combination that didn't disappoint.

Next came some of the house specialties. Some of these used to be only available in restaurants that catered to Japanese, or you had to know to ask for them—items like monkfish liver and yellowtail collar. If you've never had yellowtail collar, you owe it to yourself to try it. Located between the head and the body of the fish, it's prepared broiled with ponzu sauce. This yields a treat that's crisp on the outside and savory on the inside. You'll want to pick it apart to get every last bit. Another specialty this night was poke. This dish is native to Hawaii (you'll usually find numerous varieties is most markets there). It consists of various fish cut up and marinated with different spices. Niko Niko's rainbow poke had different types of fish mixed with ponzu, sesame oil, a touch of mayo, and was topped with crispy onions—a wonderful mélange of flavors.

With so much futomaki on the menu, we moved on to the rolls. Portions are very generous and with most falling between $6.99 and $8.99, a real value. First up was the paradise roll: spicy tuna topped with mango—a tactile interplay of sweet and heat. Next we tried the snow cone roll: albacore, lobster, and crabmeat baked in dynamite sauce and topped with avocado–very savory. I'll let you in on a secret—everyone thinks dynamite sauce is so exotic, but it's really just mayonnaise (preferably a Japanese variety named Kewpie) mixed with a little chili sauce. There's probably a price on my head now. After a couple of huge spicy tuna rolls, we finished with the baked spicy lobster roll: sweet and spicy longostino tails topped with a sweet sauce and smelt eggs (masago), served on a California roll.

For those who aren't sushi fans, they also have items like tofu steak, gyoza, tempura (crisp and a little sweet), seaweed salad, and numerous teriyaki bowls on the menu.

Finish your dinner with one of their unusual desserts like tempura ice cream (no kidding), banana surprise, or mochi ice cream. Mochi is made from pounded rice and has a very different texture than traditional ice cream. Most people go for strawberry, but be sure to try the slightly smoky green tea.