Lunch at Sakae brings standard noodle and combination meals such as udon with sushi ($13.95) - toothsome noodles in a nuanced broth accompanied by a California roll made with snow crab.

There’s a similar excitement to picking up your order from the tiny, family-owned Sakae ... pressed sushi; inari, or fried, seasoned tofu pouches with rice; and nori, tamago and California ...

At Sakae, which started serving sushi in 1962, it feels like you're in on a secret. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) ...