Breaking with tradition, Kakemoto in Beverly Hills offers more than the similiar and familiar items found on most local Japanese menus. With three restaurants in Tokyo, Kakemoto (named for one of the owners) brought his concept of mixing authentic Japanese food with American style and California’s produce to Bedford Drive several months ago. Said Owner-Manager T.J.Sugiyama, “Beverly Hills was selected over New York, since Californians eat different kinds of sushi, such as rainbow and spider rolls, and are willing to try new things.”
Seating 48, the intimate restaurant, with some outdoor seating, has a minimalist decor using turquoise tiles and lots of natural woods. It can be serene, where the food and your dinner companions are important, or become a gregarious setting at the sushi bar by interacting with the sushi chefs and sushi aficionados. Service throughout is helpful and friendly.
While retaining classical Japanese cuisine, including traditional ingredients and cooking methods, Kakemoto’s Owner-Chef Masakazu Nonomura and his assistants have added dishes of striking design and bold new flavors including balsamicvinegar, Chinese and Korean chile sauces.
Appetizers best show the depth and precision of the kitchen. Siromi—whitefish tartar layered napoleon style with crisp wonton wafers on a plate dashed with a balsamic vinegar reduction—is one. For another, tofu cubes bedded on chives is spiced by Chinese and Korean chile sauces, then topped with Belgium endive and seaweed. Lightly seared albacore tuna tataki in a pool of balsamic-soy sauce is lovely, served with California field greens. Building on visual appeal, dishes in different sizes, colors and shapes are selected to best display each item.
Kakemoto’s signature dish is the spectacular “rising Spanish mackerel.” With head and tail intact, the tail rises above a tangle of mackerel sashimi arranged on the curve of the boned fish. Once the sashimi is eaten, the plate is whisked away and the boney skeleton, with a bit of the flesh attached, is returned, fried to potato chip crispness to nibble with tempura, another specialty.
In addition to sticky short-grain rice, wheat noodles (udon) and buckwheat soba often are enjoyed, not only in comforting winter soups, but chilled. Cold noodles are presented in a slightly sweet soy broth with carrot and seaweed shreds to refresh the palate after appetizers and before the main course.
To complement such creative fare, there is a well-chosen wine list of mostly California and French bottlings from $25 for White Zinfandel to a $210 French White Burgundy. We liked the light, crisp 1998 Groth Sauvignon Blanc with the fish selections, at $30. Sake and Japanese beer also are offered.
Siromi is $14, spicy tofu is $11, tuna tataki is $15, soft shell crab tempura is $15, and omakase selections range from $50 to $100.
The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dinner Monday through Thursday 5:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.

Kakemoto New-Age Cuisine
456 North Bedford Drive
Beverly Hills
(310) 246- 1370

While Zen is the Buddhist quest for enlightenment through meditation, Zen Grill on Olympic Boulevard is a trendy place serving generous portions of pan-asian food at reasonable prices.
Asian prints on the brick walls, chopsticks on the dark wooden tables and woks in the open kitchen announce an Asian kitchen, but we didn’t expect specialties from seven countries—China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam—and fusion, too.
A casual concept rivaling Italian trattorias and French bistros, glass noodles and ponzu have replaced pasta and balsamic vinaigrette. In just three years, this idea has proven so popular that Elaine and Dwight Johnson recently opened Zen Grill in Beverly Hills, joining the original on Third Street and one in Sherman Oaks. Conveniently located in the former Curry Station space, the grill’s eclectic menu is done with subtlety by Chef Ryuichi Hamada.
Focus on one country or several, ordering dishes to share with family and friends. Zen sum misto teams shrimp tempura and chicken satay with red leaf lettuce, mint and avocado to wrap in Vietnamese rice paper. Minced chicken in lettuce cups is crunchy with jicama and pine nuts, accented with mint. An abundance of golden-fried calamari tops baby greens and glass noodles in red curry dressing for a luncheon favorite. Steamed shrimp dumplings are light, yet meaty mouthfuls to dip in soy or chile sauces. Looking much like dessert, tuna rice tower layers avocado, sushi rice and tuna sashimi, adding a lashing of wasabi cream.
After such flavorful introductions, main courses are equally as tasty. To be sure, there’s pad Thai, but Mongolian lamb with green and white onions presented in a sand pot with Chinese sesame bread is more unusual. Glazed teriyaki seabass is a knockout with brown rice and edamame, steamed Japanese beans. Vegetarians will be pleased with spicy pan-fried tofu steak sizzling on broccoli and bean sprouts or mild roasted garlic spinach fried rice.
To go with such diverse dishes, sake and beer are naturals. While the house sake is served warm, chilled sake varietals are attractively served in green bamboo decanters, such as the smooth Kira, and drier Hachituru, from $5.50.
Shrimp dumplings are $3.50, chicken in lettuce cups is $3.75, tuna rice tower is $5.95, zen sum misto is $6.75, calamari salad is $7.25, garlic-spinach rice is $5.95, pad Thai is $6.95, tofu steak is $7.25, Mongolian lamb is $9.75, seabass is $11.95.
The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.

Zen Grill
9111 West Olympic Boulevard
Beverly Hills
(310) 278-7773