Frying Fish: Little Tokyo Los Angeles
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The Frying Fish, America's first kaiten-sushi restaurant, is also one of the first businesses established in the Little Tokyo shopping mall complex. It's owners, the Akimotos, have a long history with the neighborhood. Mr. Akimoto opened the restaurant in order to provide his Issei wife with a comfortable Japanese workplace. However, with recent changes in the cultural makeup of the neighborhood, Mr. Akimoto says that he is unsure about the future. He believes that times are changing and that "you cannot hold a tsunami by yourself."
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Frying Fish Storefront, 2010Sitting quaintly next to the central courtyard of the Little Tokyo Shopping Complex, Frying Fish was established in 1984 as the first kaiten-sushi (boat sushi) restaurant in the United States. The front is finely decorated with dark wooden frames and beams. The large glass windows also allow customers to peak …
Frying Fish Storefront |
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Display Case of Sushi on Kaiten-Sushi Plates, 2010Frying Fish offers customers a view of the sushi using traditional Japanese restaurant plastic models. Mr. Akimoto, the husband of the restaurant owner, says the true greatness of the kaiten sushi system is that it allows customers to actually see what they can eat. The use of plastic fake food …
Display case of Model Sushi: Frying Fish restaurant |
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Display Case of Model Bentos: Frying Fish, 2010The Frying Fish Restaurant in Little Tokyo offers bentos (take out) for their on-the-go customers. There are many carefully chosen varieties to choose from, as Mr. Akimoto, the husband of the restaurant owner, takes pride in his ability to discern what his customers like the most and apply it to …
Model Bentos: Frying Fish restaurant |
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Mr. Akimoto and the Staff at Frying Fish, 2010Mr. Akimoto and his employees in front of the Frying Fish fiber-optic sign at the back of the restaurant. Mr. Akimoto says that one benefit of the kaiten sushi business is in its need for few employees. Because the food is brought to the customer by the conveyor belt, only …
Mr. Akimoto and Staff at Frying Fish |
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Kaiten-Sushi Bar at Frying Fish, 2010This is one side of the kaiten-sushi bar at the Frying Fish restaurant. The line of chairs await customers to simply sit down and immediately start eating by picking up plates that flow by on the conveyer belt. This system allows customers to eat quickly and go. Customers can also …
Kaiten-Sushi Bar at Frying Fish |
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Frying Fish Sushi Chef at Work, 2010The sushi chefs at Frying Fish work in the middle of the conveyer belt, allowing customers to view the sushi preperation. The sushi chefs are also prepared to take orders for special rolls which they directly pass to the customers, as well as refill the conveyor belt with new items. …
Sushi Chef at Frying Fish |
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Kaiten-Sushi at Frying Fish, 2010The kaiten-sushi bar at Frying Fish offers convenience for both the customer and owner. It saves space and man power for the owners allowing only a need for one waitress and two sushi chefs. Mr. Akimoto says that this system allows the customer to see that the sushi is fresh …
Kaiten-Sushi at Frying Fish |
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Kaiten-Sushi Plates at Frying Fish, 2010The color coated plates at Frying Fish allow the customer to know the price of each item on the conveyor belt as it goes around before picking it up. It allows the customer to see exactly what they are getting before committing to an order. This is part of the …
Pricing of Sushi Plates at Frying Fish |
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Frying Fish Special Menu, 2010In addition to the sushi floating around the conveyor belt, Frying Fish has a special items menu which allows the customer to order slightly more complicated items such as hot items, specialty rolls and dishes, appetizers and much more. This allows the customer a more expanded culinary experience then just …
Frying Fish Special Menu |
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Wall Menu at Frying Fish, 2010The wall menu at Frying Fish is comprised of special rolls that Mr. Akimoto found to be the most popular among his customers over the years. Mr. Akimoto says that he is an expert in figuring out what people want and like and has developed the restaurant and this menu …
Wall Menu at Frying Fish |
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Sushi Chef Behind the Kaiten-Sushi Bar, 2010The chefs at Frying Fish work in the middle of the conveyor belt preparing the specialty items that people can order as well as refilling the belt. All that the chefs need is contained within the conveyor belt allowing for ease of preparation and uninterrupted belt movement. This chef is …
Sushi Chef Behind the Bar |
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Empty Plate at Frying Fish, 2010Mr. Akimoto, has designed the business to incorporate new trends in flavor and presentation satisfy their customers. He has chosen to follow the trends which his customers set for him and make sure that the experience is as convenient as possible. This empty plate left by a customer epitomizes Mr. …
Empty Plate at Frying Fish |
Frying Fish: Little Tokyo Los Angeles
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