Sushi Tsujita

Photo credit: Sushi Tsujita

Sushi Tsujita
2006 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 231-1177
tsujita-la.com/sushi-tsujita

A brief first look at the new sushi restaurant from the Tsujita group that opened on Sawtelle last month, less than a block away from their ramen shops: we went a week after they opened, and my first impression was how pleasantly surprised I was by the dinner (disclaimer: we ate gratis , not as media, but as friends of Kenta-san, the Tsujita corporate chef). I say that because this is Tsujita’s first foray into sushi (to my knowledge), and I didn’t know how proficient they’d be at this. I’d say that for now it’s still below the likes of Shunji and Kiriko when talking about sushi in the area (as well as the city), but they compare very favorably to Q. The Tsujita folks certainly aren’t messing around when it comes to pumping money into the restaurant, and it shows in everything from the decor to, most importantly, the sourcing of the ingredients.

The restaurant brought Kato-san over from Japan to head the restaurant, and while he’s on the shy side (as well as speaking no English), he is surrounded by amicable itamae, who are veterans of places like Shunji. But make no mistake – Kato-san is the man in charge here. He’s doing the sourcing, he’s buying the groceries, and he’s doing the prep, right down to the soy. If I have any criticism, I’d say that the sushi rice can be inconsistent on a couple of nigiri. But it was only a week since opening, and there is nowhere to go but up for Sushi Tsujita. I look forward to returning soon, and hopefully will have the time to give a full, truly unbiased view. But thanks again to Kenta-san and the entire crew at Sushi Tsujita, who were excellent at making me feel at home.

FYI – they also started serving lunch, which includes chirashi and sushi set meals, respectively, at more economic prices.

Steamed awabi (abalone)

L to R: Aji nanbanzuke; Ayu w/ yuzu; Tamagyaki, hamoko (pike eel roe) & caviar

Anago shinjo (sea eel cake/paste), yuzu & okra in dashi

Whole steamed lobster

Hata (grouper) kobujime sashimi (from Miyazaki)

Momotaro tomato gazpacho w/ wine-soaked blueberry

Kurodai (black sea bream)

Shima aji (striped jack)

Akami zuke (soy-marinated lean tuna)

Kuromutsu (black porgy)

Alaskan king salmon

Hata, chutoro sashimi

Amaebi

Ikura

Santa Barbara uni

Saba

Anago

Otoro

Miyazaki wagyu

Okoze

Kohada

Tamago

Melon compote

Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Neighborhood: Sawtelle
Price: $$$$ (omakase price points at $120, $150, and $180)

Disclaimer: Food for this meal was hosted (not for media, but f&f)

Q Sushi

Q Sushi
521 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 225-6285
qsushila.com

Sushi is so hot right now in LA. Not that it wasn’t before, but nowadays diners have evolved from the mere specialty rolls to the elegant tastings known as omakase, where chefs dazzle with an array of appetizers and nigiri that can easily run bills into triple digits. While this movement has been for the better, it has also dumbed-down the definition and experience of the meaning and value of an omakase in general. Restaurants have been trying to “outdo” one another with excess and gluttony with regards to their “omakase,” not taking into consideration the delicacy and skill involved in preparing and progressing the extended experience without losing a step.

With all of that being said, LA as a city is fortunate to have so many quality high-end sushi options. There’s Kiriko, who can dish out nigiri both classic and modern as well as anyone, all while more than happy to appease the diner next to you who has ordered a California roll. There’s Mori, who walks down a more traditional path and has gotten the rice part of the sushi down to an exact science. There’s Shunji, who now has the most impressive array of quality fishes that can finally hang with Shunji-san’s world-class cooking. And if you’re making seven figures and going to Urasawa on a regular basis, more power to you.

Q Sushi opened to much fanfare last November. Probably not to the general public, but sushi connoisseurs had been keeping a very close eye on the restaurant, and the B-list food media (i.e. Tasting Table, Thrillist) and some bloggers were quick to jump on the bandwagon. Q’s selling point was that it brought over a chef from Japan whose specialty was intimate, carefully-prepared sushi, and that they would be strictly focusing on Edomae-style sushi, at least in the sense that everything would be done the old-fashioned way. That means, among various things, more marinated and cured fishes, because that was how they were kept fresh back in the day. Also, the sushi rice doesn’t contain any sugar, and is served at slightly above room temperature.

Not that I don’t appreciate taking it back old-school, but I do think that the scope of sushi has evolved to a point where we don’t have to be restricted by such confines that were mainly established due to the limitations of the time period. If I were to approach any of the quality sushi restaurants I mentioned above to serve me an omakase where it was kept strictly Edomae, I bet it can be done with ease, because that’s basically Sushi 101 for these masters. So it wasn’t as if Q was bringing something new to the table, because Edomae sushi exists everywhere. And for these very reasons, I wasn’t ready to sip the Q Kool-Aid just yet, especially at a starting price that is pretty much the second most-expensive in town (tied with Mori, and behind Urasawa).

I finally pulled the trigger on dining at Q for two reasons: 1) I recently started working at a new job that is within walking distance of the restaurant (albeit at a firm that rivals the restaurant’s namesake – I’ll leave it at just that), and 2) J. Gold wrote a positive review of the place a few weeks ago, and if I ever wanted to try the place I’d have to do it soon. So there I was recently, dining solo amongst an intimate group of ten at the sushi bar, looking up at all the decorations and wood that showed off the $2 million dollars’ worth of construction and interior design, and eating what was repeatedly said to me was LA’s first true Edomae experience.

If you read up to this far, it does appear that I went into the dinner with some preconceptions of the restaurant, and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t true. However, I did keep an open mind, and was, for the most part, rewarded in doing so. There was a tranquil aspect of dining at Q, from the meditation-inducing interior design, to the calm appearance of the sushi bar, to the cool and collected sushi chefs, down to the server speaking in a hushed tone. And while I was never truly off-my-seat thrilled at any point during my dinner, I did appreciate the cohesiveness and pacing of it. In the BBC version of LA’s sushi scene, you can say that Q isn’t Doctor Who or Sherlock, but rather, Downton Abbey.

My 20-course omakase comprised of six appetizers and fourteen pieces of nigiri, to which I added a couple of extras. The chefs were quick and detailed in their description of each course, down to where the seafood was from, an encouraging sign. It’s easy to love true wild bluefin tuna (however controversial it may be) and hard to mess up, but the flight of nigiri I had of it was excellent, and even moreso the seared otoro that was served with a unrefined miso/sansho pepper/chili oil concoction that was like crack (picture a Japanese XO sauce of sorts). And yes, there were various fishes served in kobujime form (kelp-cured, one of the main aspects of Edomae sushi), but the three-day cure was just right, as was the wonderfully-pickled kohada (gizzard shad), proving Q was true to its word in executing the Edomae aspect of the meal with perfection.

Among other highlights, the Saikyo miso (from Kyoto) of the marinated Santa Barbara uni (which I added as a supplement) really brought out the sweetness of both components. And the sake-braised octopus was tender and flavorful, although I wasn’t the biggest fan of the way it was cut. Overall, the pristine seafood was just that, of excellent quality, but the roster of fishes wasn’t anything a seasoned veteran of sushi would be truly impressed or surprised by (it can be said that the roster was kept fairly close to Edomae availability, but not the restaurant’s true intention in my opinion). So while a piece of engawa nigiri isn’t going to blow my mind, I definitely acknowledged the quality of the halibut fin served. And I’m not saying this from a price perspective; my favorite piece of nigiri is iwashi, which is sardine. Despite it being a rather cheap cut, not many places in town serve it, because it really takes a lot of skill and work in preparation.

With all of that being said, I think there’s a certain aspect of Q that should be highlighted – it’s an excellent place for novices of high-end sushi and omakase dining. For those who are trying to get into the game, a meal at Q can be life-changing and educational even. Like I previously mentioned, the chefs are extremely informative and courteous in pointing out the nuances of your dinner, as was my server. Although attending an opera before a rock concert isn’t a prerequisite, going to Q is a great way of easing into high-end sushi before you’re unwillingly exposed to all the weird stuff I’ve come to love, all while taking a walk down memory lane.

I actually don’t have anything truly negative to say about Q, but I will say that the sushi rice wasn’t really my cup of tea, so to speak. The restaurant keeps to tradition in the sense that only red vinegar was used, and the rice was served slightly above room temperature. By now, most in town have actually had experience to warmer sushi rice (due to the Nozawa family of restaurants and their offspring), so that’s not really a shocking thing anymore. And I myself do like my rice along the temperature Q has it, but I did find it on the…dry side. There was a certain “al dente” toothsome texture to it, which kind of highlighted that slight dryness. But it wasn’t bad – just not my thing.

In the end, my preconceptions of Q turned out to be true, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Take away the glitz and glamour of the media hype and the price of admission, Q is a great sushi restaurant for beginners of high-end sushi and omakase dining. It’s not the next great sushi bar that will further LA’s claim to the domestic throne of the cuisine, but it’s a good restaurant that doesn’t look out of place in a city full of contenders. I still encourage sushi connoisseurs to take this university course on Edomae sushi, but it’s purely an elective – there are still five or so required sushi courses before Q.

Seared Hirame

Kampachi w/ Onion Soy

Kumamoto Oyster w/ Bonito Dashi

Seared Otoro w/ Miso-Sansho-Chili Oil Topping

Okoze w/ Ponzu

Miso Soup w/ Grated Carrots, Sansho & Sake Lees

Suzuki Kobujime

Kurodai

Engawa

Sumi Ika

Akami Zuke

Chutoro

Otoro

Kohada

Shima Aji

Sake

Tako

Shiro Ebi

Anago

Tamago

Uni Saikyo

Aoyagi

Grade: B+
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Neighborhood: Downtown
Price: $$$$+ (~20-course omakase is $165, but there’s a $75 10-course lunch on weekdays)

Mori Sushi

Mori Sushi
11500 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 479-3939

It’s time for some end-of-the-year catching-up for the blog. This time of the year (4th quarter, from mid-October to late-December) is the busiest for us at work, so I haven’t really gotten around to posting anything new, although there is no shortage in my dining out (see: my Flickr).  It’s not that I don’t have any time for it, because that would be an obvious lie (and most people who use that as an excuse are just BS-ing), but the last thing I want to do when I go home after a long day of sitting in front of a computer and typing at work is to do even more of it at home. But I would like have a fresh start for 2014, even though there are a lot of posts in the queue. So until the new year, I’ll be posting some of the more significant meals I’ve had in the last few months that I hadn’t previously gotten around to, with mostly photos and a few words here and there – enjoy.

I’m not sure if most of you know this, but I’m a huge fan of sushi (okay, that should be OBVIOUS). And not just any run-of-the-mill stuff either – I’ve acquired a taste for the finer raw fishes life has to offer. I’m not ashamed to say that a good portion of my take-home salary goes to the local sushi joints, to the point where I should start looking for ways to write these expenses off. But while most of these visits go to a short, playoff rotation of regular haunts, I do try to mix in a new place here and there, especially when the homie Lawrence is in town. And the last remaining “tier 1” sushi restaurant on our to-dine list in L.A. was Mori.

I don’t know why it took me so long to get around to trying Mori – I live only a couple of miles from the restaurant, and it had remained very high on my to-dine list over time despite Mori-san’s departure and lack of reports in recent years. Maybe it was their previous no-photo policy, but it’s not as if I’m going into the restaurant with a DSLR and taking hundreds of photos as if I was actually someone important with journalistic dignity. Or maybe it was their price range, which is arguably the 2nd-highest in the city, but it wasn’t as if it was in the Urasawa-range. But there we were two months ago, finally entering the restaurant for the first time.

We were fortunate to sit in front of Maru-san, who was Mori-san’s second-in-command before taking over the place. By all accounts, not much has changed since the restaurant’s supposed heyday, from the pristine and expansive fish selection, the unique rice blend, and even down to the custom handmade plates, except they have been altered to suit Maru-san’s own preferences. There are three tiers of omakase, and we went with the middle choice, which was mostly sushi with three appetizers at $165.

The meal itself was definitely an all-star starter (top 5) from me this year. Each piece of nigiri, sans the sad piece of amaebi, was excellent. No nigiri can truly impress me from a rarity perspective nowadays, but I was indeed wowed by the quality of fish that we had that night, from the famous uni “duo” of Hokkaido and Santa Barbara varieties, to the hiramasa/buri yellowtail contrast. Confirming what I had heard and read, each piece of nigiri was on the smaller side, but not to the point of Sushi Zo’s minuscule portions. That sushi rice though – amazing. I can’t tell you what specific grain was used, or whether it’s a special blend, but the temperature, acidity, pairing with fish, etc. – it just clicked.

If you’re a sushi aficionado, and I’m sure there are plenty of you in L.A., then Mori should be high on your to-dine list. It’s definitely a splurge (again, the quality of food was top-notch, but for sure priced on the higher end of the spectrum), but it really was a great meal. Just save it for a special occasion…

Homemade Tofu

Zensai (from left): smoked aori ika & quail egg, red shishito pepper, abalone, baby celery, gobo, 2 kinds of pickled tomato, chestnut

Matsutake Dobinmushi – shrimp, hamo, gingko

Tai no Kobujime

Sayori

Hiramasa

Buri

Hotate

Aji

Akami

Iwashi

Kohada

Aori Ika

Mirugai

Toro

Kamasu

Amaebi

Uni

Saba

Ikura

Sanma

Kinmedai

Anago

Tamago

Dessert

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West LA	$$$$	A

Shunji Japanese Cuisine [10] (Truffle Gohan Dinner)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine
12244 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 826-4737
shunji-ns.com
Facebook

Just another dinner at Shunji – no big deal, right? Well, I usually just post pictorial updates (or not even post anything at all) of my dinners at the restaurant, with minimal commentary, because there are only so many ways to say how amazing something is. I’ve had extended dinners, running the full gamet of all that Shunji-san has to offer, from his signature dishes to sushi to experimental dishes few have the honor of trying. I’ve also had sushi-intensive meals here (again, the sushi here is arguably the most underrated in the city), as well as meals where I didn’t even have to have any sushi at all.

This most recent dinner falls in the last category, because the dinner centered around an almost-mythical specialty of the restaurant – it’s not mentioned on any menus or special board listings, nor does the restaurant advertise it as an available dish (other than a teaser photo or two on their Facebook page). But all the regulars know of it, and we finally had enough diners (myself, The Offalo, and Andy – a dining extraordinaire we’re familiar with from Chowhound, and comes to LA occasionally just to dine) and advanced planning to try the legendary truffle gohan – it was as if we caught Mew!

I didn’t know what to expect from this dinner, surprisingly enough. That’s because I’ve never had a meal at Shunji where I was truly expecting a certain dish. And this being the single biggest dish at the restaurant to date, I wasn’t sure what else we would receive without being gluts. The dinner started simple enough, with the mozuku and suri nagashi amuses we’ve had many times before. But each of these appetizers got knocked up a notch – the former was topped with crab, red snapper, and red okra (which had the texture of a regular okra sans the slime), and the latter incorporated scallop and four types of mushrooms (I think: enoki, crimini, porcini, shiitake). Then followed a zensai plate with some of Shunji-san’s classics, some dungeness crab with its kanimiso, a fresh spiny lobster tartare made with truffles, and a matsutake dobinmushi for each of us. That matsutake dobinmushi – it’s so hot right now.

After we got past those afterthoughts of dishes, a big black pot of cooked rice was brought out, to which Shunji-san liberally shaved black truffles on. That’s right, the truffle gohan is technically a kamameshi – a traditional Japanese rice dish cooked in an iron pot called a kama, hence the name. According to Wikipedia, the dish “came to refer to a type of Japanese pilaf cooked with various types of meat, seafood, and vegetables, and flavored with soy sauce, sake, or mirin. By cooking the rice and various ingredients in an iron pot, the rice gets slightly burned at the bottom which adds a desirable flavor to the rice.” This is a very homey dish that seems somewhat out of place at a high-end sushi restaurant like Shunji – sounds like the guo fan that I used to eat as a child. But of course, instead of Chinese sausage or cured duck leg, there are truffles…

The dish was a practice in simplicity. It’s really just rice cooked with minimal seasonings, with some truffles added near serving time (I believe it was shaved, then covered for a few minutes to let the flavors soak in the rice and the aroma to be trapped, ready to be unleashed at the weak diner ready to be submitted to its mercy, then finally mixed into the rice uniformly). The bowl of gohan served to each of us came with “homey” accompaniments to complete the rice set of sorts: pickles, ikura, bafun uni, one of Shunji-san’s famous marinated egg yolks, and a small serving of simmered beef (in the style of beef you’d find in gyudon or nikujaya, but with a nice touch of sweetness and made with wagyu here *waves arms*).  But the rice was so fragrant, so delicious, not overwhelming in any aspect, but whose flavor profile adjusted with each bite of the rice with each individual accompaniment. And we got to wash it all down with a bowl of spiny lobster miso soup – no big deal.

After finishing off our seconds, Shunji-san stopped serving. “This was it,” he must have thought, “I gave these fatasses so much to eat, there’s no way they’d want sushi, right?” But nope, in front of him sat three fully grown men, looking up at him with sad puppy eyes as to why he wasn’t busting out the fishes. So he caught on, and we spared him somewhat by only requesting three pieces of nigiri. But the clean flavors were a wonderful way to follow the simple, yet decadent rice, and to close out a typical meal at Shunji – in the purest, most classy way possible.

So my thoughts on the truffle gohan: arguably my favorite dish of the year, so good it gets its own sub-heading in the post title, and a spot on my favorite dishes list of this year (see: “Best Of” tab). Of course, the truffles definitely helped, but to eat this dish was to eat at a private dinner at Shunji-san’s house. But then again, the dish does take up a great part of the meal, so it is difficult to experience a wide variety of what Shunji has to offer if eating it. And its availability really depends on the man himself – whether he has the truffles, what kind of truffles, and if he wants to serve the dish at all. But if you’re a Shunji veteran who wants your experience at the restaurant to be just a little different and special, then you have to try this dish at least once. And bring friends (or other Chowhound members who are dying for the chance at finding enough people for such a dinner).

Mozuku w/ Crab, Red Snapper, & Red Okra

Suri Nagashi w/ Scallop & 4 Types of Mushrooms

Zensai (clockwise from top left): sazae, persimmon w/ whipped tofu & truffle, whipped ankimo w/ caviar, blue cheese ball w/ candied persimmon, braised octopus, kazunoko & gingko

Dungeness Crab

Spiny Lobster Tartare w/ Truffles

Matsutake Dobinmushi

Truffle Gohan Rice Set: pickles, ikura, bafun uni, marinated egg yolk

Spiny Lobster Miso Soup

Simmered Wagyu Beef (a la Gyudon/Nikujaga)

Oka Aji

Sanma

Iwashi

Desserts: lime ice cream, pineapple sorbet, chocolate mousse, lemon ice cream, mango ice cream, fruits

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West Los Angeles	$$$$	A+

Kiriko [14]

Kiriko
11301 W Olympic Blvd, Ste 102
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 478-7769
www.kirikosushi.com

I haven’t had dinner at Kiriko in a while, so I popped in unannounced this past Wednesday for a (relatively) quick dinner, and to catch up with Ken-san and Shinji-san. Always a good time chatting and sharing some stories, and it was fun to try some new dishes, as well as revisit some Kiriko classics (and downright just great sushi). I can’t believe I forgot to take a photo of a rice bowl Ken-san gave me, one with sake lees-marinated (for 3 years) fugu roe (picture a “drunken” tobiko) and sea cucumber intestines (konowata), both of which he brought back from his visit back to Japan last month.

Ankimo w/ ponzu gelee, Hokkaido ikura w/ grated daikon, Riesling-soaked persimmon w/ whipped tofu, shima aji carpaccio w/ bonito gelee & shiso pesto

Fresh albacore w/ garlic ponzu, Hokkaido scallop 2 ways (carpaccio, soy-marinated & seared), seared sanma, smoked kamasu no kobujime

Seared Miyazaki wagyu in black truffle red wine soy

Bluefin akami

Bluefin chutoro

Tai

Buri

Amaebi

Mameaji

Sumi Ika

Uni

Smoked Scottish Salmon

Anago

Seared Toro

Sumi Ika Geso

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese	West LA	$$$$	A

Shunji Japanese Cuisine [9] (Lunch)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine
12244 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 826-4737
shunji-ns.com
Facebook

This changes everything…

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – as of October 1, Shunji is now open for lunch Monday-Friday, from 12-2pm. Not only that, they are now open for dinner on Sundays (they were previously closed). The Offalo and I went yesterday for their lunch grand opening. We weren’t sure what to expect exactly, since not much detail was given beforehand, but once seated, we realized that Shunji’s lunch is a real game-changer:

So yeah…these lunch specials are ridiculously affordable for sushi of this caliber. Trust me, you are saving a lot of $ for the same quality of sushi as dinner. And it’s not the case with some restaurants, where they might serve their “lesser” cuts for the lunch crowd, or have a limited selection available. Sure, you see a fairly basic sushi menu a la carte below, but I’d guess that at least 80% of the fish selection from dinner is available (really depends on the previous night’s dinner and that day’s shipment of course). So feel free to order away as if you were at Shunji’s for dinner, because nothing’s changed…

…except one thing you might have noticed. There is ONLY sushi available during lunch (as well as Sunday dinners). That will probably be the case for these first few months of expanded hours/days. Shunji has expanded their staff, both front and back of the house, and it’ll take a while before everything is up to the very high standards that they have set for themselves. For now, there might be a few appetizers that are available, off-menu. Each diner at lunch received a nice bowl of miso soup, and a threesome of first-time diners got a taste of the famous squik ink noodles.

During this first day, there were maybe a dozen or so diners. Not too many, but it wasn’t as if they heavily promoted it (just a brief message on their Facebook page a week ago). But if you want to sit at the sushi bar, I suggest going early, or even making a reservation (as we did). You won’t be disappointed, and this is an excellent intro to Shunji at a heavily discounted entry price. You’re not getting the more whimsical Shunji dishes, but I have a feeling they’ll be rolled out slowly as things get settled down. Plus, Shunji’s sushi is criminally underrated in my opinion, so in a way, this is a nice way for the spotlight to solely shine on this aspect of Shunji-san’s arsenal.

P.S. met Shunji-san’s brother (chef/owner of Asanebo in Studio City), who was there with their friend for moral support. Cool guy. Still need to try Asanebo.

Lunch Special Sushi, Premium (12 pieces of chef’s choice sushi & 1 roll):
(*differences between 7 and 12 pc. lunch specials)

Tai (Red Snapper)

Kamasu (Barracuda)

Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper)*

Shimaaji (Striped Jack)

Maguro (Tuna)

Kanpachi (Amberjack)

Toro (Fatty Tuna)*

Sake (Salmon)

Katsuo (Bonito)

Sanma (Pike Mackerel)*

Ikura (Salmon Roe)*

Uni (Sea Urchin)*

Blue Crab Hand Roll (not pictured)

A La Carte Extras (because I couldn’t help myself):

Hotate (Scallop)

Himedai (Flower Jobfish)

Iwashi (Sardine)

Zuwaigani (Snow Crab)

Tamago (Egg)

Pineapple Sorbet

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West Los Angeles	$$$$	A+

Previous visits: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine [8]

Shunji Japanese Cuisine
12244 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 826-4737
http://www.shunji-ns.com/

To kick off my return from a brief absence (due to a combination of laziness, work, and recent weekend getaways), here are the photos from my last 2 Shunji visits. My visit in July was a standard omakase, and my visit last week was technically a sushi omakase, but Shunji-san gave me some extra dishes as well. I think it was the 1st time I was so nigiri-focused here, but it really does show how good (and how far the fish selection has come along) the sushi is at the restaurant (calling J.L. from Chowhound). Also, I met one of Shunji-san’s former coworkers at Asanebo, Shogo-san, who currently works at San Shi Go in Newport Beach, and was there with his gf celebrating their 4-year anniversary. Congrats guys (and thanks for sharing the sake)!

7/3/13: Omakase

8/12/13: Sushi Omakase + some extra dishes from Shunji-san

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West Los Angeles	$$$$	A+

Previous visits: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine (7)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine
12244 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 826-4737
http://www.shunji-ns.com/

5/31/13:

Suri Nagashi

Cold Chawanmushi w/ Summer Truffle & Uni

Zensai (left to right): Red Snapper w/ Plum Sauce, Sazae (horned turban), Whipped Ankimo; Blue Cheese Ball, Hotaru Ika, Homemade Tofu w/ Caviar

Octopus, Cherry Tomato, Lily Bulb

Sashimi (left to right): Aji (Spanish Mackerel), Tobiuo (Flying Fish), Bluefin Tuna, Yagara (Trumpet Fish), Shima Aji (Jack Mackerel)

Ika Somen

Amaebi Tartare w/ Truffle & Bafun Uni

Sakura Ebi

Red Snapper “Soup”

Grilled Sea Bass

Akaisaki Kobujime (Kelp-Marinated Red Bass)

Mejina (Opal Eye)

Salmon

Bluefin Tuna

Otoro

Saba

Hotate (Fresh Diver Scallop)

Chutoro

Hiramasa

Unadon

Ikura

Kanypo Maki

Amaebi Miso Soup

6/7/13:

Mozuku

Red Snapper Somen

Cold Chawanmushi w/ Summer Truffle & Uni

Aoyagi & Ebi Nutaae

Arugula Salad w/ Lobster, Blue Cheese, Asian Pear, & Beet

Live Spiny Lobster

Kanpachi

Kawagishi Toro w/ Bafun Uni

Sashimi (left to right): Higesori Dai (Sweetlip), Madai (Red Snapper), Ishi Dai (Stone Snapper)

Sauteed Nagareko & Shiitake

Fried Okoze (Scorpion Fish)

Grilled Sea Bass

Okoze (Scorpion Fish)

Hirame (Fresh Halibut)

Katsuo (Bonito)

Chibiki (Bonnet Mouth)

Kamasu (Japanese Barracuda) – sorry :(

Kohada (Shad)

Salmon

Bluefin Toro

Zuke (Soy-Marinated Tuna)

Spiny Lobster Miso Soup

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu

Unagi (Fresh Water Eel)

Tamago

Kanpyo & Uni Maki

Shijimi Clam Miso Soup

Mentaiko (Pollock Roe)

Lime Ice Cream

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West Los Angeles	$$$$	A+

Previous visits: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine (6)

Shunji Japanese Cuisine
12244 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 826-4737
http://www.shunji-ns.com/

Houbou Kobujime (Kelp-Marinated Sea Robin), Houbou (Sea Robin), Chikame Kintoki (Alfonsino)

Aoyagi (Orange Clam)

Kegani w/ Kanimiso, Kawagishi Toro, Kanpachi

Grilled Toro, Grilled Miyazaki Wagyu

Hata (Grouper)

Madai (Red Snapper) Belly

Isaki (Grunt)

Shima Aji (Jack Mackerel)

Shirasu (Baby Sardine)

Hiyashi Chawanmushi w/ Uni & Truffle

Ishidai (Stone Snapper)

Sumi Ika (Cuttlefish)

Bluefin Tuna

Aji (Mackerel)

Chopped Toro

Karasumi (Bottarga) on Daikon

Wasabi Maki

Gari Maki

Assorted Fruit

Kuro Kabuto Junmai Daiginjo Sake

Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi Sake

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese, Sushi	West Los Angeles	$$$$	A

Previous visits: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Yamakase

Yamakase
Los Angeles, CA 90034
http://www.yamakase.com/

By now, most food enthusiasts in town have heard of Totoraku, an invite-only yakiniku restaurant in West LA that takes pride in its exclusivity. Some say that an invite to the restaurant is as hard to obtain as one to Noma; one has to be invited by a friend of the chef or a previous diner who had “earned” the right of a return visit, and said nominator has to personally vouch for you. While an invite to Yamakase isn’t nearly as hard, the principles are similar. It’s technically an invite-only restaurant, but technically all you have to do is fill out a reservation request form on the restaurant’s website. They actually replied to my request within a hour, and I confirmed shortly after (although I’m not sure if my request for a month out made the process easier).

Yamakase operates out of a nondescript location in the Palms area (without signage, obviously). The man in charge here is Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, who used to work at The Hump before its closing. There is only one seating a night (although Yama-san said that there are sometimes two seatings on weekends), where diners can expect a kaiseki-esque meal of around 20 courses at approximately $200/person. The beverage situation here is BYOB, and pretty much every diner takes advantage of the policy. For our dinner, Lawrence and I decided to pick up a 6-pack of Asahi Black and a small bottle of sake from the Mitsuwa on the way (nothing fancy, but went well with our long dinner). The restaurant is just one long counter that seats up to 10 diners, and everything is prepped and prepared by Yama-san behind the counter (including the hot kitchen items – behind the counter is a full kitchen). We had 19 courses for our dinner a little over a week ago, and below is each course listed in order:

Cucumber Topped w/ Ikura, Osetra Caviar, & Hokkaido Uni

Nice start to the meal, to familiarize us w/ what’s to come. It’s nice seeing Hokkaido uni, since I’ve been having the Santa Barbara/San Diego varieties. Brings a different, delicious brininess to the table.

Hotaru Ika w/ Plum Sauce & Mountain Peach

Hotaru ika – it’s so hot right now. While most places serve it w/ a mustard miso of sorts, Yama-san served the firefly squid w/ a plum sauce that went well. The yamamomo is there as a “chaser.”

“Sunomono” of Tairagai, Jellyfish, Water Shield, Sea Beans, & Seaweed

A refreshing course w/ some ingredients unfamiliar to us. Kind of has a slime-on-slime effect here like a combination of yamaimo & okra, and a nice contrast in the firm, meaty texture of the pen shell.

Kyoto Tofu 2 Ways: (top) w/San Diego Uni & Soy; (bottom) w/ Marinated Tomato, Olive Oil, & Truffle Salt

2 wonderful one-biters here. The tofu from Kyoto is creamy and silky, like tofu “flower.” The subtle flavor of the tofu was enhanced by the creamy uni and sweet & tart tomato, respectively.

Steamed Ice Fish Wrapped in Cherry Blossom Leaf

This was an interesting dish. I’ve never had cherry blossom leaf before, and it had a grape leaf texture. Not much in terms of flavor, however, and the steamed ice fish itself was light too. In fact, the thing that stood out the most here is the “spicy” dried sprouts on top.

Kusshi & Quail Egg 2 Ways: (top) w/ King Crab & Sesame Cream; (bottom) w/ San Diego Uni, Yuzu, & Truffle Salt

Another duo of awesome one-biters, with Kusshi oysters being the central ingredient here. The sesame cream used in the top spoon is like a cross between the sesame paste familiar to us Chinese and a “dynamite” sauce – quite nice when contrasted with the yuzu/truffle salt flavors from the bottom spoon. Quail eggs were soft-boiled to almost a poached consistency.

Hirame w/ Yuzu & Himalayan Salt; Engawa w/ Ume Paste

Beautiful knifework w/ the halibut slices here, which went well w/ the yuzu zest and Himalayan salt shaving that Yama-san applied right before serving. To the right are 2 meaty slices of engawa (halibut fin) from the same fish, served with a ume paste.

Steamed Kegani

No assembly required – just hairy crab served as is (although de-assembly is certainly required to eat). These crabs are considered a delicacy (I’ve seen whole crabs served as is on the menu for $80-$100 at various restaurants), and the flavor is certainly worthy of reputation. Here, Lawrence and I split essentially half of one. We feasted like kings.

Bluefin Tuna from Spain

Just a “cube” of bluefin tuna (which was used in several dishes that night), served w/ housemade soy and fresh wasabi. Forbidden love in its simplest form.

Bluefin Toro Tartare w/ Blue Crab, Quail Egg, & Fresh Wasabi

Besides the kegani and wagyu, these one-bite spoons were the highlight of the dinner, each one fully-loaded with various components and flavors.

Chawanmushi w/ Hirame, Sumi Ika, Uni, Dungeness Crab, Sweet Shrimp, & Gingko Nut

This was probably the most complex chawanmushi I’ve ever seen/tasted. It was quite mild upon first bite, but then the multitude of briny flavors came into play, which became apparent when we found out the number of ingredients involved. When asked, Yama-san began listing each ingredient…slowly (he might have even forgotten one or two here).

Ankimo w/ Ponzu & Sesame Cream

A hot preparation of monkfish liver w/ the same sesame cream we had in an earlier course, but somewhat reduced by the accompanying ponzu. Wonderful ankimo, but I wanted it to be just a tad bit more “melty” (like I’ve had at Sushi Zo).

Toast w/ Frozen Toro, Blue Crab, & Truffle Cheese

Yama-san got playful here (said he had been experimenting w/ this dish). It was a piece of white toast, served with blue crab, truffle cheese, and a slice of frozen toro. The toro slowly began to melt w/ each bite of this creative play on a cross between grilled cheese and blue crab/toro hand roll. I still like my toro to be not frozen, but I certainly appreciated this dish.

A5 Kagoshima Wagyu w/ Shimeji Mushroom, Daikon, Yuzukosho, & White Pepper

The ban has been lifted! Enough of the American/Australian imitators, what we have here is legit “Kobe” beef, with the requisite heavy marbling. Yama-san grilled the beef, then sauteed it lightly with shimeji mushrooms and daikon. The yuzukosho helped cut down the fattiness (it actually didn’t taste very heavy, which was good when Lawrence and I basically split an entire steak), and the white pepper added a slight kick.

Maguro

Chutoro

Chutoro #2

The bluefin tuna/toro nigiri were great, with some of the credit going to the wonderful tuna that Yama-san had been using throughout the night, and some going to the wonderful shari used. But if there’s one real “negative” to the meal, it’s that we didn’t see a wider variety of fishes used, especially w/ regards to nigiri. Next time, I hope to try a wider variety of sushi courses.

Toro “Don” w/ Blue Crab, Kani Miso, & Hokkaido Uni

To finish us off, Yama-san threw together this amazing bowl of some drool-worthy ingredients. A truly creamy, savory, and briny overload here, and a nice-sized bowl at that. Lawrence wanted another one of these (in hand roll form).

Mountain Peach Sorbet

The sole dessert offered was a light sorbet, which I believed was mountain peach. It was refreshing, and a nice follow-up to the fairly heavy course beforehand.

Koshino no Kanbai Muku Sake

The dinner ended up being $208/person before tax & tip. At first, we were thinking that it wasn’t cheap (and it obviously wasn’t), because it wasn’t as if we received an Urasawa-sized kaiseki of nearly 30 courses. However, the kegani and wagyu courses alone had to be $50+/person, so yeah, it was more than worth it based solely on ingredients. And that’s not even why you came to Yamakase. You came to see a master itamae at work, a one-man show doing it all before your eyes, while graciously describing everything and being an all-around wonderful host and storyteller. In fact, Lawrence and I loitered around for another hour after dinner, drinking some of Yama-san’s wonderful sake (which he provided on the house, and urged us to kill the bottle) with the man himself, chatting on and on without knowing that it had been four hours already.

It was an honor and pleasure dining at Yamakase, and now that we have THE card, we can bypass the website and call/text Yama-san himself directly for reservations! But the next visit will have to wait…

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese	Palms	$$$$	A