Koi Restaurant   

The Scene: At Koi, LA's hippest prance through the front door as carefully put together as the chef's spicy tuna roll on a bed of crispy rice. Doing wonders for the space previously owned by Drai's, the restaurant's design maximizes use of LA's world-renowned weather patterns (or lack thereof), presenting two outdoor areas -- one with two blazing fireplaces illuminating cocktail gabbers near the front entrance and another out back, underneath a retractable rooftop. With various post-modern motifs throughout, Koi is as much an intimate gathering place as it is a bar made for engulfing photogenic signature drinks -- not to mention sake that's poured out of shaved bamboo shards. Despite a valet system that's in dire need of a revamp, Koi gives guests a variety of ingredients that allow it to swim apart from others drowning in the current. The only thing is, don't expect to find koi fish anywhere -- not on the menu and not inside the cobblestone-laden ponds circling the peaceful Buddha statuary. What you find instead is a pleasing blend of some of the freshest sushi concoctions on the Pacific coastline. Look forward to Alaskan king crab legs with garlic butter glaze, sweet black cod bronzed and Kobe beef filet mignon served in a box with three dipping sauces to reward the indecisive. Spotted Here: This is the place where young Tinseltowners love to sushi. Denise Richards, Nick Lachey, Ryan Seacrest and the Hiltons have all chowed down in Koi's Zen-like environs. Can I Get In? Make a reservation far in advance, and plan on arriving early. Dress your bad self up, too, and you shouldn't have too many obstacles.