Mamma Mia

Eagle Rock’s Mia Sushi thrives in the moonlight, but wilts in the sun.
by Lesley Bargar

Somewhere between day and night, a restaurant transforms completely. The day is a time of lunch specials, iced tea and lazy patio dining in the sun. The evening, on the other hand, is the realm of cocktails and appetizers, candlelight and large eight-tops swelling with food and chatter. A great restaurant can pull off either vibe effortlessly. A good one succeeds at either, but not both.

The recently opened Mia Sushi in Eagle “the new Silver Lake” Rock is divine for dinner. Lights dangle inside and flicker outside, with a minimalist, Japanese-inspired interior and concrete patio packed with people, while up-beat, personable, energetic service makes the whole thing click.

During the day, however, the already awkward WeHo club music pumps a little too loudly, the superfluous staff in the near-empty dining room hovers a bit too closely (and not nearly as nicely), and the well lacquered dining tables reflect the sunlight a little too brightly, showcasing an interior that exudes Zen a bit better in the dark.

Of course, this is to say nothing of the sushi-those exquisite little fish and rice blobs that soothe the eye and excite the palate. Mia’s sushi quality, thank god, is not influenced by the time of day (or the day of the week, it turns out. My companion and I dined once on a Monday-notoriously the one day fresh fish is not delivered, though that myth has been disputed-and it was still melt-in-your-mouth good).

Mia’s sushi is what I consider the best kind. They are able to make the basics far more than basic by the quality of the fish, but they don’t shy away from the nontraditional, incorporating uniquely modern trends and twists. Among the basics I can vouch for is the Yellowtail ($5 for two pieces)-with its refreshing, mild flavor and firm-yet-buttery texture; the Albacore ($5) garnished with green onion and slightly citrusy; and the Freshwater Eel ($5)-with its traditional thick, sweet sauce and flaky meat. These were as good, if not better, than the nigiri to be found at any sushi hotspot in L.A.

But that’s not what wins me over with a sushi place. It’s the fun stuff-the bizarre combinations, ingredients, preparations and presentations-that keeps me coming back. And Mia’s more dynamic rolls and dishes come the closest to my rowdy Nor Cal hometown favorite (which has never, ever, ever been truly rivaled, and I doubt ever will, though I keep looking). The Highland Park Roll ($11) is the one my dining partner can’t shut up about-a basic California Roll (though nothing here is really basic) topped with baked baby scallops in Eel sauce. This roll, it must be said, is much more than the sum of its parts. Some kind of thick, creamy, heart-attack-inducing sauce serves as a base for the sweet baby scallops that are piled high atop a perfectly crabby California Roll. It’s impressively rich, and took over as the topic of conversation for at least 20 minutes.

Also notable was the Mt. Washington Roll ($11)-crab and cream cheese inside, topped with alternating strips of eel and avocado. Again, it sounds rather simple, and I usually stray away from bagel-izing my sushi by adding a hunk of Philadelphia spread, but somehow, here it worked. The creamy texture of the avocado, as well as the soft strips of crabmeat and the…creamy cream cheese, formed a delectably mushy masterpiece, balanced out by the tender-but not too tender-chunks of eel.

The Ivy Roll ($12)-garlic albacore wrapped in avocado and onion flakes with a cream sauce-was another taste explosion, and did an excellent job of not overshadowing the taste of the fish with the garlic, onion and sauce.

But not every roll can be perfect. The Camilo Roll ($12) fell victim to one of my pet peeves with tempura-frying rolls. It’s tricky to keep the salmon, whitefish and spicy tuna from getting cooked when tempura frying it, but a great sushi restaurant can figure it out. Our Camilo Roll came with a sort of unrecognizable mass of fully cooked fish inside the fried seaweed shell, which takes all the wonderful textures and flavors  and turns them into a mushed up, rather fishy, salmon steak.

As for the other dishes, the miso soup ($3) comes with fresh cilantro, which I get is supposed to Eastside-ify it, but the raw leaves felt more like foreign intruders invading my warm, salty staple. The edamame, on the other hand, was perfectly seasoned and cooked, leaving the slimy little beans nicely al dente. And I can’t complain about the medium-sized sake selection (it’s not listed on the menu), though the fact they only carry small sized Sapporos detracts from one of my favorite sushi bar traditions: splitting a large…okay, three large…Sapporos with a friend.

Despite these few rough spots, Mia Sushi is an impressive addition to North East L.A.’s culinary landscape. But to experience it at its best, come for dinner.   LAA

Location: 4741 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock.
Phone: (323) 256-2562.
Vibe: Trendy romantic at night, jarringly overdone during the day.
Service: Like your BFF at night, like your ex-girlfriend during the day.
Parking: Pricey valet in front, but street parking abounds.
Recommended dishes: Mt. Washington Roll ($12), Highland Park Roll ($11), Ivy Roll ($12).
Credit cards: All major.
Etc.: This place is great, but let’s hope the Eastside doesn’t become a Westside Story yet.
Overall:  4 out of 5 sporks