GREAT OWNERS AND PLAYERS PRODUCE 

A WINNING TEAM  AT HOKUSAI 

By Albert Hayashi

What does the new Hokusai Restaurant in Beverly Hills and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics USA Basketball Team have in common?  A Dream Team of individuals who are the most talented group of people ever assembled together in one place.  Opened in March of 2007, Hokusai brings a wide-breadth of expertise and experience to the Los Angeles eating scene.  From a General Manager who has worked under owner/celebrity Chef Nobu Matsuhisa to veteran restaurant owner and a financier, Hokusai has collectively brought together a dynamic blend of food artisans creating one of the few French Japanese eateries in the States.  Hokusai’s menu blends the panache and suave of French food with the elegance and subtlety of Japanese dishes creating a dining adventure worth taking time out for. 

Hokusai, named for a famous Japanese impressionist painter and wood engraver and what an impression it made on me!  A beautiful granite obelisk with a soft flow of water shimmers greets you as you enter the restaurant at Wilshire and Gale.  I started with the beautifully presented and delectable Lobster Truffle and Seafood Cigar appetizer entrees.  These dishes were seasoned to perfection and effortlessly consumed.  The Jidori Chicken and Rib Eye served with jalapeno butter and veal soy sauce arrived next.  Similar to a basketball assist passed from “Magic” to “Michael”, the main course dishes were perfectly timed after the appetizers and satisfied any remaining hunger while not being too filling.  Although I initially felt I was defacing a beautifully presented piece of art, the guilt quickly vanished as the cool sensation of the organic ice cream was selfishly devoured at the end of dinner.   

Aristotle once said that the key to happiness is balance and moderation.  Although it is important to bring together the best star players and staff for any business endeavor, it does not guarantee success.  Hokusai’s Dream Team has created a winning combination fusing French and Japanese recipes to Southern California .  Calling Hokusai a restaurant is not fair, rather it is an experience starting with General Manager Tiger Nakawake greeting you at the door and giving entrée suggestions to Executive Chef Nagase and Matsuzaki preparing sushi rolls with the freshest of fish which were in the ocean less than 24 hours before. 

Fact Sheet

8400 Wilshire Blvd.

Beverly Hills , CA 90211

Phone: 323-782-9717

Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM- 2:30 PM

Dinner: Monday-Sunday 5:30 PM- 10:00 PM

Prices: $15-$29 (Lunch), $45-$55 (Dinner)

www.hokusairestaurant.com