Nobu Malibu   

Much like the celebrity chef's other eponymous sushi salon, Matsuhisa, Nobu of Malibu caters to Angelenos seeking the freshest, best-tasting fish. The popular spot delivers, flying its premium goods in daily from around the globe for celebrities and rich-blooded foodies eager to sample his worldly fusion. But it's not just fresh ingredients that give Nobu's creations their special cachet; his kokoro, or heart, provides dishes like toro tartar with caviar and Kobe tataki sashimi with a mystery ingredient to heighten their already sublime flavor. Nobu (the restaurant) shares many of the same inspirations as the original Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills, including the chef's signature broiled black cod with miso, baby squid in wasabi pepper sauce, and Chilean sea bass moromiso-yaki. Less daring diners might prefer simple udon or soba noodles or the more traditional sushi a la carte. Either way, Nobu marries regional spices and flavors in a way that few other chefs can, thanks to stints in kitchens throughout South America. While such a singular culinary vision can equal sticker shock at meal's end, it also gives discriminating diners a unique culinary experience in a town where sushi joints are often as indistinguishable as Valley strip malls.