What are the odds of two great LA restaurants opening in one week? I stumbled into the soft opening of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill on Friday at The Grove. I was there to see the amazing Melissa McCarthy in her gut-busting new movie, Spy, and I’d worked up quite an appetite from laughing, using my core muscles more than I had at my last workout.
Right next to the theater is LA’s first Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, a perfect spot to grab a post-show meal. Some of you might know this fabulous restaurant from Vegas, New York, or Brooklyn. The loft-like space features tables that seat six and a mile-long sushi bar where 20-somethings in spaghetti-strap dresses and guys not wearing Tom Ford suits ordered some of the most beautiful food I’ve ever seen. I’m not one for eel and avocado, squid and quail eggs, but the five chefs lining up these dishes made them so alluring I couldn’t help but look forward to my basic California roll.
Our server’s name was Frida, and she’d relocated here from New York to be closer to her family. It’s always a good sign when employees travel with their restaurant. She recommended the Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken with wasabi honey and unfried rice that she mixed right at the table. A word of warning: every bite of Blue Ribbon food has some type of chili. Even the Mango Blood Orange Sorbet has a tart kick.
The highlight of the evening was that, since the restaurant hasn’t officially opened yet, we were seated immediately and got half off our dinner. Blue Ribbon opens to the public on Tuesday, July 7, so I strongly suggest getting there tonight if you can— before the crowds really start swarming.
Trips to The Grove always remind me of visiting Disneyland: I’m excited to get there and even more excited to leave. The noise and summer crowd left me feeling like I had crossed the equator rather than just catching a movie and grabbing a bite across town.
Even though Blue Ribbon has a mellow, soft-wood-and-candlelight ambiance, I still felt like I was sitting in the middle of Times Square surrounded by the crash of the water fountain, tourists with espresso-buzz grins, and sugar-stoned zombie teenagers walking aimlessly, looking for their favorite YouTube star. I shudder to think of what this place will be like at full capacity. But, you know, with dishes this gorgeous, it’ll be worth the effort. Bring earplugs.
Photo credit: @blueribbon_west Instagram