okay Mr I, I'm going back there today for lunch to try it again.
maybe my taste buds weren't working optimally last time.
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okay Mr I, I'm going back there today for lunch to try it again.
maybe my taste buds weren't working optimally last time.
You're a true gentleman and scholar. I recommend the M-Rolls, and ask the chef about the sashimi specials!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by nosoupforyou
Have a good lunch!
Mr I - I didn't see your post before I left. Ended up having Spicy Tuna hand roll (very excellent), salmon and yellowtail sushi (both were awesome) and albacore (I was a little disappointed in their albacore compared to their salmon and yellowtail, it wasn't as "melt in your mouth as the other two were). I had DJ's crab/lobster roll - that roll made our lunch. that roll was phenomenal!
I'll ask about the sashimi specials and M-Rolls next time around. this was a very good experience and I'll definitely go back again. I think I have Hiko set up for tomorrow, so I can have great back to back sushi experiences!
I'm really glad you liked it!!! LA has GREAT sushi, and it's always a pleasure to share with you guys! :whoo:Quote:
Originally Posted by nosoupforyou
Quote:
Originally Posted by nosoupforyou
Very good pics on the yellowtail and salmon. Usually whenever I go somewhere my standards are measured by (1) how good is their yellowtail, and (2) how good is their albacore. My pockets aren't deep enough to do that with toro every time.
This is just my opinion, but Hama was insanely good up until about 2002 or 2003 (?) At that point their quality began to sag, and everyone that I knew began to notice it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ianmonsta
And though I don't live in LA anymore, I hear they're still decent.
Consequently I'm a bit out of the loop in LA for sushi. Meanwhile, I'm having fits trying to find a second good sushi bar in San Diego. (Toro sushi in Mission Valley; great quality, remarkably affordable prices).
I think I was there last around 2001 or so. don't have clients in that area so don't get to them that often. there was a little place near Palos Verdes called Kikusui that had a little japanese guy that was off the charts, and the sushi was strangely less expensive as well! I wish they hadn't gone out of business.Quote:
Originally Posted by So Sumi
Quote:
Originally Posted by nosoupforyou
Over the last ten or fifteen years there has been a large influx of Korean-owned Japanese restaurants, sushi or just cuisine, leaving few actual Japanese owners anymore. And my Dad and I wanted to be unbiased and went to new places all the time for years. But unfortunately there WAS a difference. The school and expertise required to become a premier sushi chef takes years and years of learning. I was under the mistaken assumption that any guy could learn in a year or two. And then my Dad laughed in my face and got me straight.
So you may often go to a sushi restaurant and find that the dialect is a tad different. You may or may not notice that they look slightly different. Many people can't tell the difference between Korean and Japanese (or Chinese or Vietnamese for that matter). So as far as that goes there's not much you can do. HOWEVER, you can subscribe to one plain rule:
If you walk into a sushi bar and there isn't at least one chef that's Japanese and over thirty years old, then you should likely turn around and leave. HARSH, I know, but I assume that you all want to be fairly sure you're walking into a good experience. And trust me, I've walked into many (esp. when I was with college friends or peers) where this wasn't the case and I thought, "Oh well, we'll give it a whirl." I believe there's been ONE time that it was good. The rest - and that's dozens - have been easily forgettable.
Lastly, another sign that you're headed in the right direction is when you enter and they shout, "Irrashaimase!!" (Welcome)
Anyway, carry on, and happy sushi eating!
