Sugarfish Opens Where Nozawa Once Dished up Sushi

Son of Nozawa,Tom Nozawa, is quietly re-opening a sushi place at the famed Sushi Nozawa store in Studio City.

His father, a, retired earlier this year and shuttered the sushi place, but it is opening again Thursday as Sugarfish, even if the signage isn't completed. 

There are four other Sugarfish locations in the Los Angeles area, but none in the San Fernando Valley.

There was a quiet pre-tasting this week to an exclusive crowd, and the opening is on Thursday without much fanfare.

The restaurant will feature a complete redesign of the interiors by Glen Bell of DEX Studio, and will feature the collection of famed “Trust Me” art that was given to Nozawa by his admiring customers who embraced his signature omakase-style and that hung behind the bar at Sushi Nozawa. 

“After making sushi behind the bar at Sushi Nozawa for 25 years, it was difficult to close the doors, but I’m excited that SUGARFISH will continue my legacy of authentic sushi of the very best quality,”said Chef Nozawa. “I have always felt I have the best customers, and I invite them all to come visit the new SUGARFISH.”
 
 closed its doors on February 29.  Once word spread that Nozawa would be closing his doors, thousands of his long-time fans – including more than 500 on the last day alone -- came to the restaurant for one last chance to relish a meal at this 25-seat mecca of sushi. The closing, according to the New York Times, marked “the end of an era, the departure of a chef whose advocacy of traditional Japanese sushi swept across sushi restaurants through California.”