A beef dish stands out at Kitayama, which is truly saying something, considering the restaurant has fresh fish delivered daily to keep its reputable sushi bar stocked. But the beef shabu shabu has won over both diners and critics with its combination of sliced beef and assorted veggies cooked in a Japanese-style hot pot and served with udon noodles, ponzu sauce, and sesame dipping sauce.

Of course, visitors who opt for something from the sea aren't disappointed, either, especially with orders of crunchy spicy tuna served atop fried wonton chips or negitoro rolls topped with hard-to-come-by bluefin tuna.

Because Kitayama has 20 restaurants all across Japan, it's no surprise that dining at the Newport Beach location feels like dining overseas. Its three distinguished dining rooms surround diners with traditional Japanese flower arrangements and silk accents. On the other side of the glass walls sits Kitayama's tranquil Asian garden, which is much more peaceful to look at than a street full of parked cars and horse buggies.