Tempura Endo

There are few restaurants in the country dedicated solely to tempura, a Japanese style of cooking that is so much more than just “frying.” Tempura Endo in Beverly Hills is one such rare breed. Though there are tables woven throughout the restaurant, aim for a seat at the counter in front of the handmade copper cauldron. The tasting menus are on the pricey side, but such is the cost for a parade of vegetables and seafood dipped and fried delicately and served one at a time by the chef himself. Ribs of sweet corn, scallops from Hokkaido, broccolini, and snapper wrapped in shiso are all carefully placed in hot cottonseed oil and emerge with a lacy, almost transparent coating. At the meal’s end, opt for the tempura rice bowl over the soba noodles.