The owners of Torrance's Whitefin Market sell sushi and sashimi nationwide. Their website boasts of cutting edge preservation techniques, and the list of coveted cuts all sport a "sold out" sticker. So when these guys decide to open a casual sushi spot, I can't get there fast enough.
Go big or go home. The a la carte menu holds a promising selection of all kinds of cuts, but of course UO's Premium lets you try them all. At $78, 10 pieces with a few extras is quite a deal.
They start with some edamame, which I find overcooked and tasting like it sat in the pot too long, but no matter, I'm no bean counter. At least the Salmon Ceviche is fabulously fresh.
I was so eager for the first round that I ate the Salmon and Bluefin Tuna before I remembered to take a photo. Fortunately, I did capture the pearly pink Hamachi yellowtail with the gooey, creamy Madai red snapper with a pop of yuzu pepper and a breath of fresh shiso. Lemon only on the Hokkaido Scallop, that one is meaty but buttery-light.
There's a Hand Roll of eel and avocado in the middle, and I love the warm crunch from the freshly toasted nori.
Next is Nodoguro, a fish the menu calls "black throat". It has a slick and buttery flesh, and it finishes super savory. King Mackerel is dense and meaty, Goldeneye Snapper is pretty and smooth. Toro has popping bubbles of fatty flesh, and Hokkaido Uni finishes impossibly creamy and sweet.
The ending is sweet and simple, with a lovely roll of snow crab.
They call it a casual sushi spot, but I'm not fully convinced. The quality would place it at solidly upper-middle, but it's also clear that two guys who sell fish opened a restaurant. For starters, the service feels too rushed. They bring out the next course before I’m even halfway through my current one. Then there are only two seated tables during a weekday lunch, what could be the rush?
The cuts of fish are good, but I don't think they know how to make good sushi. The rice has very little detectable flavor and does these prime cuts no favors.
I liked it but I'm not in love. Casual or not, their cuts could compete with even Sugarfish if they cleaned up a little more. Places like South Bay's Vanshow are much better only because of their rice so I hope I can return here someday to see that they've grown.
No comments:
Post a Comment