Go's Mart

You won't see a sign outside of Go's Mart indicating its presence—or rather, you'll just see the word "sushi" in large lettering, which is sort of an understatement. Yes, there is sushi inside this small Canoga Park strip mall, but it is sushi topped with 24k gold leaf flakes and a sprinkling of truffle oil. Two tables and a 10-seat sushi bar are where diners come for outstanding cuts of fish from chef Go, who opened this place in 1997. Many of them are regulars, sushi lovers who ask "What's new today, Go?" when they sit down. A meal here will usually set you a minimum of $250 per person before tax and tip—and like most Valley-style omakases, it’s up to you to tell chef-owner Tsuyoshi Kawano when to stop. Kawano normally serves his nigiri in sets of three or four, so savor your sushi carefully or risk ordering more than your stomach can handle. While the exact fish can vary from season to season, I enjoyed my quartet of uni, sweet shrimp (topped with edible gold), crab and scallop (topped with caviar).