There are some who believe you haven´t had great fried chicken until you´ve had Blue Ribbon´s wasabi-honey fried chicken. And, lucky for us, the New York stalwart, which has grown to quite the global empire with 17 iterations across the globe, finally lands on the West Coast this week. Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill is taking over Gordon Ramsay´s short-lived Fat Cow space at The Grove, smack-dab in the center of it all, with outdoor seating right in front of the fountains. It´s the best news to hit the mall in a long time.

When Bruce and Eric Bromberg first opened their brasserie in Manhattan´s SoHo in 1992, it helped usher in a new more casual era for dining. There were no reservations, the menu was eclectic, the hours were late. They´ve since grown the empire to include fried chicken-only outposts, sushi bars, bakeries and the Japanese grill. That casual ideal and this new LA space – long and narrow filled with warm woods and and amber glow – seems a shoo-in for hungry Angelenos, especially the mall- and movie-going masses. And yet, this is the first location to land on the West Coast, 23 years after the original opened. 

In case you haven´t been to a Blue Ribbon before, take a look at some of the must-order dishes. The restaurant opens nightly at 5 PM, and stays open until 1 AM on the weekends. Lunch will follow soon. 

1) Bone Marrow: Going back to its brasserie roots, the signature marrow bones are roasted and topped with sea salt, teriyaki and shaved bonito flakes.

2) Oxtail Fried Rice: Known for twists on traditional dishes, this sticky fried rice is topped with a bone marrow-spiked omelet, daikon and shiitake mushrooms. It´s rich and full of umami

3) Sushi Platters: There is no shortage of amazing sushi in this town, and many of the true gems lack the bells and whistles of a splashy Grove restaurant. But there´s something to be said for elaborate sushi platters filled with whatever came in that day, sliced and served with various accouterments. Prices range from $87 for the single-person Grove Platter, which features the chef´s pick of sushi and sashimi, to the $200 Blue Ribbon Platter. Rolls are big here, too – things stuffed with yellowtail, salmon, mackerel and the like.

4) Surf and Turf: Kind of a high-roller dish – then again, in LA probably not – this 30-ounce bone-in rib-eye and two-pound lobster comes with onion tempura and bok choy (not the fries pictured, although that´s probably an option). This is meant for two, but can easily feed more (or less) than that.

5) The Fried Chicken: Made with a matzo crust, the famous Blue Ribbon fried chicken crackles with golden juiciness. Definitely use the wasabi and honey dipping sauce on the side.