Japonica UPDATE - Redondo Beach

I just turned 30 last year, and I'll be 31 in just a few months. My Facebook feed is flooded with lists and the like, most of which are entitled, "What you learn in your 30s," "Why 30-somethings are more mature/wiser/cooler/more adult/better in every way than 20-somethings."

I don't feel better or cooler or more mature - I just feel older. If maturity means that everything below the neck starts to succumb to gravity and the fine lines don't fade, then you can have it! 

But maturity? An air of self-assured sophistication? I wouldn't mind some of that, and I could take a few lessons from Japonica. So elegant, a layout so ornately thought-out yet so sleek and chic. The dark storefront gives way to a den of dignified dinners, the nuances of light-on-black made for people in designer scarves sipping hot sake who actually know what they're drinking.

The House Hot Sake was plenty sophisticated for me. I'm sure it's as basic as they get, but it slides down warm and smooth.

The Agedashi Tofu goes the same way, delicately-fried cubes of silken tofu, dipped in a subtle brown broth.

The Albacore Tataki takes a different direction, delicate strips made hearty by a dense garlic butter soy sauce.

The Sashimi Sampler Grande isn't very grande, but the tastes of yellowtail, tuna, and salmon are fresh enough and hit the spot just fine when paired with sake.

Japonica's sushi and small plates are justifiably simple yet easily dwarfed by the flashier Casa Arigato, the fancier Sushi Chitose, and the bigger, better platters at Flyin Fin. But boy do I love their ambiance! The setting is so soft and understated, making it a great place to sit and sip.

Justifiying Japonica - Redondo Beach

I really didn’t want people to know that I was having sushi for the third night in a row, and Japonica was the perfect place to hide. The dining area looks almost like the hallway of a high-end massage parlor, where wooden slats partly conceal the booths on either side. The tables aren't actually well-hidden, so you won’t get accosted by a ninja, but I definitely didn’t mind feeling like no one saw me binge…again.

I have no justification for why I would need to eat sushi for three nights in a row, but I’m totally okay with confessing to this piping hot plate of steamed, slightly-salted Shishitos. Vegetables have no calories, right?

Nothing accompanies sushi better than a Sake Flight, and nothing accompanies (and eradicates) a binger’s guilt like a generous pour.

The Ginjo Sake is light and smooth, what you'd expect when you think of sake. Neither too sweet nor too fruity, this one highlights the sweetness of the Eel Avocado Roll...

And enhances the tuna jalapeno of the Crispy Rice.

The Daiginjo Sake is the sweetest thing, and every sugary sip brings out the sweet-tart slices atop the Salmon Lemon Roll.

The Junmai sake is described as "robust", but its sharp taste is reminiscent of briny west coast oysters on my tongue. Pair it with the Spicy Scallop Roll and savor the seafood flavor.

Aside from the pretty dining room and intimate ambiance, Japonica's sushi makes a strong showing, with fresh fish and rolls with just enough pizzazz to not be boring. I know I shouldn't binge quite as much as I do, but let's just say that Japonica was very well-justified.