This place, along with Umami Japanese Bistro on Burbank, is a very dangerous place to do lunch. One reason for my obsession with the nigiri bento box is that tunnel vision focused on the lunch special is about the only way for me to avoid a $60 lunch trip without sake. There are a couple of other things here you can focus on like the Tuna Blossom and the Hawaiian Salad, but the bento is the best way to keep the cost down. Sushi Yama does amazing specials, as does Umami, and that does help them both to the top of my list of go to sushi spots. I had some Japanese oysters here once that are far and away the best I’ve ever put in my mouth. Sushi Yama starts everyone off with a cucumber salad and ends every visit with sliced pineapple which is a very nice touch.
The bento box starts with miso and features shrimp tempura to go with half a cali roll and four pieces of nigiri, along with house salad and sticky rice.
Another plus is the nigiri is all fresh fish. No shrimp or imitation crab or escalar. Of course you sacrifice half the cali roll for the all fish nigiri and the shrimp tempura, and fried rice would be more fun, but Sushi Yama has the lead in the nigiri bento box race, and also with wall art. These are just a few of the really nice prints and paintings and pieces that adorn their store.
