Lodge & Dine awarded Sugarfish a 5-star rating for its consistent execution of the "Nozawa Trust Me" menu and high-grade fish quality.
Sugarfish follows a tightly defined style built around Nozawa-style sushi, which prioritizes the daily sourcing of high-quality fish. The kitchen focuses on balance to highlight the natural flavor of the seafood, ensuring no piece is ever tough, stringy, or overly fishy.
Inside the Beverly Hills location, the room leans heavily on warm wood, from paneled walls to slatted ceilings, with amber globe pendants adding a softer glow. The layout consists of simple wooden tables and tan leather seating.
The meal starts with warm, salted edamame. Tuna and chutoro sashimi follow, served in a pool of ponzu with fresh chives. The fish is remarkably clean; there is no chewiness or "fishy" aftertaste. The cuts are thick enough to have weight but soft enough to require almost no effort to eat.
Rice is the defining element. It arrives warm and so loosely packed that you have to be careful with chopsticks to keep it from crumbling. This temperature works best with the salmon sushi, where the toasted sesame adds a dry crunch to the fatty fish. The Japanese yellowtail is finished with a squeeze of lemon that cuts the oil, while the New Zealand sea bream uses a coarse citrus salt to bring out a more oceanic flavor. The hirame is finished with a sharp yuzu ponzu that provides the cleanest finish of the nigiri flight.
Hand rolls are served immediately, while the nori is still crisp. The toro roll is rich and oily, while the blue and dungeness crab roll is packed with sweet, shredded meat. As the seaweed is toasted and dry, it snaps back against the soft filling, providing the best textural contrast of the night.
To drink, the Nozawa super dry sake is crisp and disappears quickly on the palate, which helps when moving between different types of fish. The sapporo reserve is served in chilled glasses and also serves a classic hot green tea that pairs perfectly with the signature sushi.
Service is highly efficient. Plates move from the kitchen to the table in a steady rhythm that matches how fast you eat. The staff is polite but doesn't waste time with small talk, focusing instead on ensuring the warm rice doesn't sit and get cold.
Sugarfish stays within a narrow range—warm rice, cold fish, simple sauces—and executes with ease every time. Its 5-star rating reflects a reliable, high-quality meal that values the ingredients most of all.
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