Sushi Note
We had heard much about Sushi Note from some friends of ours living in the Valley; of how Sushi Chef Kiminobu Saito (formerly of 4 On 6 Sushi further down the street) was a stellar itamae, someone who really knew the craft. We were able to finally find some free time to meet up with everyone’s busy schedule so off we went.
Walking into Sushi Note and it’s got a distinctly elevated American Pub-type of vibe. The Sushi Bar counter isn’t a traditional setup, with only a few seats and feeling more like a Wine Bar in some ways (with a much smaller area to work in as well).
As soon as we walked in, our friends looked concerned and apologetic: Apparently they lost our reservation (that my friends had made), but they were still able to accommodate us, but only in a booth (not at the Sushi Bar). (This is not ideal if you’re trying to enjoy an Omakase course and want to chat with and understand the Sushi Chef and interact with them.)
But we already made the drive and the company was more important. 
Then bad news #2 arrived: Apparently Chef Saito was not in this evening. Not good. 
But we hoped their backup itamae might be up to the task.
Born - Gold - Junmai Daiginjo Sake (Fukui, Japan):
Our friend brought this bottle in, after hearing us rave about it, she found a bottle locally and it was a nice way to start the evening: Lightly floral, smooth, easy finish.
Cucumber Sunomono and Seaweed Salad:
This was OK. Too much vinegar, but otherwise refreshing.
Miso Soup:
Decent.
White Fish Nanbanzuke:
Our server couldn’t even find out what type of Fish this was (after we asked twice). 
A bit too much batter, a good piquant zing lacing each bite.
(Using English names only, as supplied by our server. Saito-san’s backup preparing our Sushi this evening was Caucasian, and didn’t know where the fish came from.) 
Gravlax Salmon, Snapper, Tuna, Sea Bass, Spanish Mackerel:
Snapper:
The Snapper, which is probably Tai (Japanese Sea Bream) was the highlight this evening. Nice texture, bright, fresh. The Shari (Sushi Rice) was passable, nowhere near the quality of L.A.'s best.
The Tuna and Sea Bass were pretty bad, mushy, dull, muted.
Masumi - Nanago “Seventh Heaven” - Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo Sake (Nagano, Japan):
Sushi Note’s Sake List is severely lacking, with only 8 bottles, all of them rather mainstream. But the Masumi Nanago was a nice livelier, zestier taste compared to the Born, but that’s to be expected with this Yamahai Sake.
Albacore Belly, Sea Urchin, Bonito, Scallop, Mackerel:
Given how mediocre most of the Sushi was, it was surprising that their Uni (from Santa Barbara - the backup itamae at least knew that) turned out to be very good. Fresh, naturally sweet, with only a touch of oceanic funk, it was far better than the rotting Uni we had at Majordomo.
Toro Handroll:
Creamy, lush Fatty Tuna Belly with soft, non-crisp Nori (Seaweed) wrapper.
Sablefish:
Visually this looked a bit too hacked up, but it had a slight luxurious, almost creamy aspect to the bite.
Sea Eel:
Their Anago was a bit underseasoned, dryish.
Tedorigawa - Iki na Onna “Lady Luck” - Daiginjo Sake (Ishikawa, Japan):
Not as crisp nor smooth as Tedorigawa’s Kinka Sake, their Iki na Onna was still pleasing, with a round mouthfeel, clean with a light sweetness.
Salmon Roe:
OK, this was the best bite of the evening, very bright, popping and a pleasant finish.
Their Omakase was so haphazard, courses rushed and then with large gaps, and even when done, they had no Tamago or Dessert to finish things off.
It’s too early to decide what Sushi Note is, but one thing is clear: In the hands of their backup Sushi Chefs (when Chef Saito is not there), the Non-Japanese itamae seemed passable if you’re just wanting to eat some middle of the road Sushi at a table, not caring about the provenance of the Fish you’re eating, nor really caring about the knifework or Rice.
Suffice to say our FTC Sushi Lovers should not come here when Saito-san isn’t present. I wish our friends had confirmed that he’d be in that night. We’ll try to give it another visit when Chef Saito is in, but given how the service was, how limited the Sake Menu was, and quality of the Fish and Rice, we’re in no hurry.
Sushi Note
13447 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Tel: (818) 802-3443
Kkini
Since @JeetKuneBao was wondering how newcomer Kkini’s Galbi Jjim might compare with some of Koreatown’s stalwarts, we decided to give it a try a few months back.
Kkini seems to be a pleasant, Korean cuisine generalist hole-in-the-wall, serving many standards / commonly found dishes such as Bulgogi, Spicy Pork, Kimchi Stew, Seafood Pancakes, etc.
Complimentary Banchan:
Their Banchan are pretty straightforward / basic. Nothing to write home about compared to Banchan masters like Park’s BBQ or Soban. Although, sadly, even with this basic offering, their Kimchi and Pickled Radishes were much better than the watered down version at Majordomo.
Seafood Pancake:
It was thankfully not overly thick, however it lacked the nice crust to give the Pancake enough textural contrast with each bite.
Beef Short Rib Soup:
Delicious! 
There’s nothing like biting into a nice, long-stewed piece of Beef Short Rib, delicately seasoned (not too salty, nor bland), with a light enough Beef Broth to go along with their Multi-Grain Rice.
Soybean Sprout Hangover Soup:
Seeing the words “Hangover Soup” on the menu = Must Order. 
I was so curious what this might taste like!
This was… piping hot, and super light (like almost to the point of No Salt(!); maybe barely a pinch). The Soybeans, Seaweed, light Vegetarian Broth made for a pleasant way to eat your veggies, but I’m not sure I’d order this again; but then again, maybe it’s perfect for hangovers? I’ll let our Korean cuisine experts chime in. (@JeetKuneBao @MR.YUMYUM @ipsedixit @cdub @Bigmouth @BlurA14 and others)
2nd Visit:
Galbi Jjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs):
And, the main reason we visited Kkini, as there was word that they served a legit version of Galbi Jjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs). This was a huge portion, generous and arrived bubbling and boiling, just off the fire.
It’s got a light spicy kick to it, however the Beef Short Ribs tasted a touch old (like they were refrigerated / heated up from the previous day). But it wasn’t that pronounced, just a touch. Beyond that, the Beef Short Ribs were relatively tender, but could have been cooked a bit longer to make them a bit easier to eat off the bone.
So @JeetKuneBao to answer your question (I mentioned it in my Soban post, but wanted to post it here also), we definitely thought Soban’s Galbi Jjim had better flavor, with fresher Beef Short Ribs, and more tender, and it was a more enjoyable dish overall there.
Kkini
859 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Tel: (213) 277-1010
KazuNori
A quick snack to tide us over until an early dinner.
Much has been said about KazuNori (and Sugarfish) over the years, but it is still a bit of a surprise when thinking about the journey. When the OG Sushi Nazi, Chef Kazunori Nozawa (of Sushi Nozawa fame) closed up shop and decided to retire, by that point, other Sushi Chefs had already started showing up in L.A. and surpassed him. Going into a totally mainstream, “fast casual” concept of delivering a certain quality level of Sushi to the masses (via Sugarfish), and delivering tasty Hand Rolls via KazuNori, has been a real success story for Nozawa-san and his son and business partners.
For those new to KazuNori, it’s a casual, standing bar eatery, serving Hand Rolls via Set Menus (choose 3, up to 6 Hand Rolls for a fixed price, or you can order a la carte).
3 Hand Roll Set - Toro Hand Roll:
The one thing KazuNori does right is that they serve crisped Nori (Seaweed) wrappers with their Hand Rolls. You might take it for granted, but the number of mediocre Sushi Bars around L.A. that serve limp, soft Nori is cause for great sadness.
Their Toro Hand Roll has a satisfying crunch with every bite, it’s not the greatest Fatty Tuna Belly in the world, but it’s creamy and satisfying enough for this quick snack bar.
Salmon Hand Roll:
Their Salmon is fine, fresh enough, sadly not Copper River or Coho Salmon, but given the price, another tasty snack.
Crab Hand Roll:
But our favorite option at KazuNori is their Crab Hand Roll: It reminds me of an earlier time when we were just getting introduced to Sushi, and had Blue Crab Hand Rolls to finish off the evening. KazuNori’s have a light sweetness, some brininess, and coated with just enough Mayo for some creaminess. Obviously not Live Crab, but it hearkens back to a nostalgic time for us. Delicious.
At $11.00 for a 3 Hand Roll Set, with crispy Nori (Seaweed) and decent quality seafood fillings, KazuNori is still a pleasant enough stop for a quick bite / snack when you can’t sit down for a full Omakase at your favorite Sushi Bar.
KazuNori
421 S Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: (213) 493-6956
With additional locations in Westwood (UCLA) and Santa Monica.