Skewered in Echo Park

BARS • First Round

The Skinny: Chef David Schlosser of Shibumi has opened Kushiba, an Echo Park izakaya specializing in kushikatsu — fried skewers originating from Osaka. Treat it like a bar: Come for drinks and snacks (instead of a full-on, deep-fried dinner) and see where the night goes. 

The Vibe: Set in the corner of a Sunset Boulevard strip mall, Kushiba is just the right amount of lively, weekend or weeknight. The floors are concrete, the tables wood, and the walls mostly blank. Lightbulbs seem to move inside the wall sconces to a playful effect (in contrast to the dim and cold overhead lighting). Outdoor dining is available for spillover, but the full experience requires a table inside or seats at the bar, so best book in advance. 

The Menu: The skewers are mostly hits, but they’re uniformly battered and fried. Appetizers are more interesting, like an umami-packed potato with crispy shallots, which rivals that of nearby Ototo. In the kushikatsu camp, skip the chicken-and-shiso, but do try the cocktail wieners (slathered in spicy mustard dip) and the Camembert. The drinks are a large part of the draw — it is an izakaya, after all — notably the sochu sours.

The Verdict: A fitting new pre- or post-game, just in time for Dodgers season. –Emily Wilson

→ Kushiba (Echo Park) • 1498 W Sunset Blvd • Wed-Sun 4-11p.