"Please, lend an ear...I 'm a grizzled, old Mandeville guy who has been frequenting this spot for...well, 25 years! And in this instance, I know of what I speak, having enjoyed sushi havens the world over. Little Tokyo Mandeville 's offerings are as good as I tasted in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. This is the domain of the OG of sushi and Japanese cuisine in St. Tammany Parish, the ever-affable Wes, who commands quite a ship. Wes is the unpretentious but brilliant, original purveyor of sushi and Japanese cuisine in St. Tammany Parish since the late 1990s. Wes is a humble but groundbreaking chef and conversationalist, and along with his charming wife Elnie, is always looking to improve his offerings, but even more, hopes to provide a warm place for you to take a break from it all, in their homey, cool spot. One thing to remember: Wes holds Japanese cuisine in keen reverence and this is evident in his offerings. From the udon to the Yaki Tori, from the sashimi to the sushi rolls, to the cooked dishes--after flooding me with these bounties for two decades, it 's solidified that the the owners do NOT accept mediocrity. Even when you taste the raw sashimi--it 's unbelievably fresh, right in line with Wes ' fine standards. Even if you 're an extreme introvert--no matter your age, please--you should go just sit at their great sushi bar! Sit, sip a Sapporo, and soak up the well-curated soundtrack. Observe--you 're seeing one of the best families in Mandeville. The staff here, led by Wes and Elnie, just might come to welcome you. Seriously--Wes, Elnie, and from my observations, all of their tight-knit crew--in this restaurant (itself like someone 's home) you 'll observe more of a family than you will elsewhere in a business on the Northshore. It 's a splendid consortium, and it 's all you or I can spy from the comfy front of the house while the magic is made behind the sushi counter, and even further behind the scenes. As for the cuisine, not the least important component: the baked seafood is the most complex, all smoky deliciousness, and the baked green mussels almost ties it. The Mandeville Roll is a rich, buttery, decadent stunner and proves a great gateway to their many sushi rolls. Everything from the seaweed salad to the sushi and sashimi has always been top-notch. It 's no wonder this place has gained and maintained quite a following on the Northshore. You can really spread your wings here as a sushi connoisseur: whatever you choose, the fish here is so very fresh, that really is part of their brand. But Wes and Elnie and the staff are too humble--so Little Tokyo will proceed as a somewhat well-kept secret!"
