Nate Hahn and Darren Romanelli—the co-founders of LA Sushi Co., which recently opened in a prominent spot on San Vicente in the heart of Brentwood—didn’t intend to go into the sushi business. The duo spent most of their careers running a creative marketing agency (Romanelli also moonlights as artist DRx). Over the years, the in-demand firm has worked with everyone from Netflix and Disney to fashion brands such as Levi’s and Supreme. “For years, we would open our office to friends, colleagues and clients and serve pancakes and coffee every Friday,” Hahn recalls. “As those breakfasts grew to an unmanageable size, we moved them to a monthly sushi dinner downtown.” These dinners—run by chef Taka Hirano, a native of Kobe, Japan who worked in the wholesale fish business for more than 20 years—became a coveted invite. It was here that the idea for LA Sushi Co. was born.
The trio gained the attention of Legends, the behemoth company that runs hospitality for entertainment venues across the country. In 2021, they began working with SoFi Stadium, and are now their official sushi provider, running a concession booth on the luxury suite level as well as accommodating all VIP in-suite catering and on-demand sushi in the owners boxes. It is a major partnership that has amounted to more than $6 million in sales, over two-million pieces of sushi sold and a record of 40,000 rolls sold in one day—at the 2022 Super Bowl, no less. Contracts with BMO and Angel stadiums followed, and they also cater private events across LA, handling everything from pre-made platters to bespoke omakase experiences.
“At SoFi we were tasked with providing high quality sushi in a really face-paced environment and at a scale that can support 7,000 fans,” Hahn says. “When we figured out a system that allowed us to do that efficiently without compromising quality, the idea of made-to-order sushi with take-out speed was formed.”
The key to their success, according to Hahn, is the ability to combine traditional techniques with the finest ingredients, while embracing technology—specifically the use of AUTEC machines, a.k.a “sushi robots,” which quickly create the perfect rice balls to form the base of the sushi. “We don’t sacrifice quality, whether that is the ingredients we use or the technical skill of the chefs, but we are always striving to provide a speed of service that is unmatched,” says Hahn. The sushi is also intentionally simple. “We serve traditional dishes that are not heavily sauced,” he says.
A brick-and-mortar was a natural next step, and Brentwood was an easy choice. “It was my home for more than ten years and Darren has close ties here as well,” says Hahn, who lives in Pacific Palisades with his family. “It’s one of the most walkable parts of LA, with a really strong food scene and a tight-knit community.”
The duo tapped local firm Studio Collective to design the 1,000-square foot space. “We wanted to couple the Japanese design ethos with the laid-back coastal feel of Los Angeles,” Hahn says. “There is a lot of natural wood, glass tiles that are meant to feel like the water, right angles that are juxtaposed with a wave floor design. We wanted the space to feel inviting and a lot less formal than many sushi restaurants.”
The spot is intended primarily for take-out and delivery, with a chef’s counter where customers can order and a few tables for those who want to eat onsite. Meals come as combination boxes or a la carte, and include everything from simple rolls of tuna, salmon and yellowtail (or vegetarian options such as cucumber, avocado and daikon pickles) to nigiri made with albacore, halibut, unagi, kampachi, toro and even seared waygu beef. Fish is sourced primarily from Japan from world-class suppliers, and a curated selection of Japanese goods, including sweets, sauces, snacks, sakes, beers and ceramics are also available for purchase. There is even Japanese soft-serve ice-cream for those in-the-know.
“As a whole, the concept is to provide premium quality sushi that fits into people’s busy schedules,” says Hahn. Mission accomplished, deliciously.
11757 San Vicente Blvd.; lasushico.com