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Neighborhood Food Crawl: Best Eats In Little Osaka / Sawtelle Blvd.

nong la vietnamese 610 header
(credit: Deborah B./Yelp)

Just north of Olympic Blvd., on Sawtelle Blvd. is an area commonly referred to as Little Osaka, or just simply 'Sawtelle Blvd' by locals. With a huge selection of some of the best Asian restaurants anywhere in the city, this area has become a haven for foodies looking for the best cuisines the city has to offer, as well as a top location for new restaurants to park their eats. These days, the area has become so popular that restaurants are even popping up south of Olympic and north of Santa Monica in order to cash in on the craze. As one of LA's few true walking neighborhoods where you can get anything from Korean food, to Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches to delicious sushi and pretty much anything else, there are a myriad of options to choose from.

What are your favorite spots on Sawtelle Blvd.? Share in the comments below!
Noodle Ramen Pho Tsujita
(credit: Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle)

Tsujita L.A.
2057 Sawtelle Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 231-7373
www.tsujita-la.com

If you're the type that likes a good bowl of ramen, then Tsujita LA is the perfect place for you. Offering a variety of delicious Japanese fare, the dish, or should we say bowl, that keeps people coming back is the tsukemen. Served only at lunch, the tsukemen (pronounced "skemen") is a dip ramen where the noodles are given in one bowl, and the sauce is presented in a dish alongside it. The Artisan Noodle shop serves other options on the menu including omakase boxes with tempura, miso soup, salmon teriyaki and more, but the line down the block is for those looking to get their tsukemen fix. Tsukemen options include the Char Siu Tsukemen with barbequed pork, the Ajitama Tsukemen which is seasoned with a boiled egg, as well as the regular one with noodles. Add in some of their delicious toppings like dried seaweed, green onions, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and/or lime to give it that extra flavor.

Kiriko
(credit: Eli G./Yelp)

Kiriko
11301 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 478-7769
www.kirikosushi.com

As one of the older eateries around Sawtelle, Kiriko was founded by sushi chef Ken Namba in 1999 with a mission to create sushi with a modern twist. While it might not be much to look at from the outside, sushi master Namba serves up delicious specialties like a omakase, as well as the signature house-smoked salmon sushi with mango and caviar. The sushi bar offers everything from combination plates with sushi, and sashimi plates to rolls with the freshest sushi around.

nong la cafe vietnamese
(credit: Maisha R./Yelp)

Nong La Cafe
2055 Sawtelle Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 268-1881
www.nonglacafe.com

If you're looking for some of the best Vietnamese food, visiting Nong La would be a great bet. Featuring authentic cuisine at a price that won't break the bank, this minimalist eatery offers comforting classics such as the pho where you can choose between the Bo Vien (beef balls), Tai (thinly sliced rare filet mignon), Tai Bo Vien (rare filet mignon and beef balls), and the Ga (free range chicken). Other favorites include their banh mi sandwiches served on a warm French baguette with your choice of grilled pork, sesame steak, chicken or tofu. The Suon Nuong is also another standout which comes with grilled pork chop, jasmine rice and pickled carrots along with the option to add a cage free fried egg on top.

ROC Kitchen
(credit: Derick N./Yelp)

ROC Kitchen
2049 Sawtelle Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 235-2089

Known for having some of the best dumplings on the west side, ROC Kitchen is a local favorite. In fact, it's so popular that you might just have to wait for a good while just to eat as patrons come day and night to sample from the eateries menu. Opened by chef and owner Perry Cheung, ROC Kitchen offers dumplings stuffed with everything from pork, lobster and fresh crab. Other favorites offered is the Three Cup Chicken with fresh chiles, Thai basil and roasted garlic as well as the Shanghai rice cakes and the scallion pancakes with bright ginger-soy dipping sauce.

blockheads
(credit: Fia R./Yelp)

Blockheads Shavery
11311 Mississippi Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 445-8725
www.blockheadsshavery.com

Sitting right off of Sawtelle Blvd among the craze of Asian eateries is Blockheads Shavery. Chances are if you asked most, they wouldn't know how to even describe what this delicious dessert even is, but they will tell you that it's absolutely incredible. In fact, a line that runs out the door no matter what time of day or night proves it. A mix between frozen yogurt and shave ice, Blockheads is technically described as a combination between the "fine texture of Hawaiian shave ice with the creamy goodness of ice cream." Here you start with your option of a flavor (original, green tea, strawberry, black sesame as well as seasonal flavors) and then choose toppings such as mochi, lychee, fruit, coconut flakes as well as the optional drizzle of sauce. It makes for the perfect after-dinner dessert, and given it's proximity to delicious eateries, it's convenient too.

What are your favorite spots on Sawtelle Blvd.? Share in the comments below!
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