Katana, West Hollywood

LOS ANGELES -- To protect the innocent, I will not name names. I will not offer clues. On the souls of my unborn grandchildren, I will not be the one who breaks the peace we have formed today.

I needed to be redeemed. It has been nearly 11 years since I left California for good, eleven years of weeping and nostalgia, for the Flatiron in San Rafael with the Marin County boys, eleven years of plotting, planning and ultimately failing to get back to the Bay (see: prices, housing for details), eleven years of no Mexican and inferior sushi.

Rules were introduced to temper the disappointment. Take, for example the New Year's Resolution list of 2011:

1) To say "no" early, often and with conviction.

2) To only eat sushi in Approved Sushi Zones

3) I forgot the third.

The "Approved Sushi Zone" consists of the entire West Coast (Vancouver to San Diego), plus proven East Coast favorites:
Boston (Oishii Boston http://www.oishiiboston.com), Fugakyu (www.fugakyu.net) and, in a pinch, Samurai (www.samurai-boston.com)

New York Nobu and Nobu 57, plus, in a pinch, Koi (www.koirestaurant.com)

I held to that resolution, both in fact ("No!" See? And that was with feeling!) which made it important to replace a disappointing sushi experience with an excellent one.

The excellent one was Katana (katanarobata.com, 8439 W. Sunset Blvd @ La Cienega). Katana is part of the IDG group, owners of such solid favorites as Sushi Roku and the steakhouse BOA (where on my last visit, Smokey Robinson dined behind me). Katana was recommended and it delivered. Big time.