Tag Archives: sashimi

A True Gem – Simple, Elegant

04 Tuesday Dec 2018

Posted by in Food, Japanese Food

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Not that I do not enjoy eating raw fish – I had actually worked in a very nice Japanese restaurant many sushi ago. Yet, over the years, due to increasing amount of phobias, I have lessen my consumption of raw fish.

Nevertheless, I do ocassionally indulge myself just a tiny bit in what I believe to be higher quality sushi/sashimi. Just like the time I had dinner with my boss and the uni in her platter of sashimi was just too tempting to resist. And of course, during my recent trip to Japan, it would be regretable if I did not try the raw delicacy there.

What prompted the visit to this gem in the old town in Torrance was started with a conversation about finding fresh uni. Someone had mentioned that a restaurant in this part of town offers fresh uni and quality raw fish. So I began to search, and found the restaurant in this very quiet part of town.

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I was instantly impressed with the simple, airy and minimalist look of the interior, and that the Japanese sushi chefs gave the impression of seriousness about their craft. There is no turning back now, there is no doubt that I will be eating raw fish today.

 

 

I also realized that day, that I will not be having fresh uni in shell as I cannot bare eating them while the flesh would be still moving. We did order the “Uni Aglio e Olio” (Garlic, olive oil and red chili spaghetti with uni – cooked). The dish was simply and elegantly prepared with just the right flavor.

Between the two of us, we ordered the “Lunch Miyabi Kaisen” and “Chef’s Select Sushi”. I don’t recall having tasted such fresh fish and such exqusitely prepared sushi in recent years, even better than what I had in Japan near Tokyo’s famous Tsukji fish market.

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As I looked wishfully above our table where there was a menu displaying their “Prix Fixe Six Course Dinner with Pairings” on certain nights during each month, I realized that I can indeed truly enjoy great sushi when quality, freshness, and excellent preparation are part of the key ingredients.

Miyabi Uni – 1231 Cabrillo Ave, Suite 101, Torrance, CA 90501  Phone: 424-376-5135

 

Soba Sojibo – Fresh Soba Made In-House

10 Friday Jul 2015

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Originally, we were heading to Umenoya, a tiny ramen restaurant that serves a Jiro Ramen that comes with a humongous amount of vegetables atop the ramen (which is rather rare since most ramen comes with just a few slices of pork and almost no vegetables).

However, at the last minute, I found out that it was closed on Tuesdays. So I had to quickly come up with another place near by since my companion was already on his way, hungry after an early morning fishing trip.

Soba Sojibo came to mind right away. The last time I was there was probably about 2 years ago. The place is not too big, but it is really comfortable and spacious inside. The waitress that was taking the order was sincerely helpful and refreshingly pleasant. She explained the menu to me in details, and I was delightfully satisfied with all my selections.

I ordered the special Bento Box with Sashimi for my companion while I chose the Cold Sansai Tororo Soba with a side of Pork Belly Don, and some fried mochi.

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The Sashimi Bento Special had everything that one would want to eat at a Japanese restaurant. It came with probably the best and lightest tempura – with an extra thin, yet crispy and delicate batter, a small piece of cooked mackerel, at least 5 slices of sashimi, a side of salad, rice, a good size bowl of either hot or cold house-made soba, and a cup of Japanese steamed egg custard. It was a definitely a good variety for around $16.

My Sansai Soba was as good as I remembered it to be since the last time I had it. The cold soba tasted extremely fresh, and it balanced very well with the slightly salty mountain vegetables. The side of pork belly over rice was simple but totally delicious. I also enjoyed the texture of the fried mochi.

I was still a little hungry after my meal, and my waitress informed me that I could ordered extra soba next time, so that is what I intend to do the next time around.

Soba Sojibo – 1757 W. Carson St. Torrance, CA 90501  Phone: 310-782-7356

 

 

Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Trump’s

12 Friday Sep 2014

Posted by in American Food, Food, Lifestyle

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I have been wanting to go to the Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes for quite some time now. It has probably been about 3 to 4 years since I was there.

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After having been to the buffet at the Terranea Resort (also in RPV), I figured it would not be easy to top the food, ambience and service there. I was quite happy to say that the Trump’s buffet did not disappoint. Some of the food qualities there were a bit better than that of the Catalina Kitchen at Terranea. The service was excellent, and the atmosphere elegant and classy. There was even  a harp player near my table which was provided a rather calming and pleasant effect.

The Bouillabaisse was absolutely the best. There were large lobster tails, fresh mussels, clams, …The Melange of Steamed Vegetables and Portobello Mushrooms was another outstanding favorite, I kept asking for more of the portobello mushrooms throughout the course of the meal. What I really liked about the brunch was the fact that the hot food was served by a server as opposed to just getting them ourselves, which sometimes can leave the food quite messy.

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My friend commented that the sashimi were the freshest ever with the raw shrimp being crunchy and sweet. He probably ate about 3 plates of sashimi.

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There were 3 types of caviar,  rolls of smoked salmon, all types of grilled vegetables including white asparagus. I did not tried the raw oysters even though they looked really fresh. I did try the Crab Claw even though I usually don’t eat much crab – they were really fresh and sweet.

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The prime rib was perfectly cooked, very juicy and tender. The omelet was not as good as the ones at Terranea, though still decent. I did not get a chance to try the pasta station, which I would like to do if I visit again.

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The bread, muffins, croissants, however, were disappointing. They seemed  to have been made elsewhere, not on premise, and they were dry and flavorless. I was really surprised that they would serve something that is not of excellent quality given the price of the buffet.

My favorite dessert was the crepe and waffles. I had two crepes with Nutella, and two waffles with lots of whipped cream and caramel sauce.

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There were unlimited Mimosa, orange juice, sparkling wine, coffees and teas. I had some orange juice and a cappuccino. I regretted not trying some sparkling wine or mimosa, maybe next time.

Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles: One Trump National Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275  Phone: 310-265-5000

 

Providence – best restaurant in LA?

05 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by in American Food, Food, French Food

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Providence has been rated as perhaps the best restaurant in Los Angeles by some prominent food critics. So I was curious as to how good it can be. I was a bit hesitant to try after my disappointment with Melisse, a high end restaurant with similar set menus.

Nevertheless, I decided to give this place a try. I was able to find street parking since I arrived there before 6pm on a Sunday evening. The restaurant was recently remodeled but did not look feel and look that new. The first waiter was extremely friendly and explained the menu to me patiently while I was waiting for my eating companion.

There are 4 set menus for the evening ranging from $100 per person for a 4 course meal to around $220 for a 16 course meal. We were told that everyone at the table had to order the same set menu. We opted for a 9 course dinner for $140. The following is our set menu:

-Sashimi

-Uni Egg

-Spot Prawn

-Sea Scallop

-Striped Bass

-Liberty Farm Duck Breast or Wild King Salmon

-Artisanal Cheese

-Ice cream

-Chocolate Marquise

I did not want to have sashimi this particular evening, and I was told that I could substitute a lobster dish instead –  that lobster turned out to be one of the best dish for the night.

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I must say that the chef is very talented in combining complex flavors and textures, and to have them all worked harmonious with each other.

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There were 2 amuse-bouche that arrived before the dinner set – one was a ginger flavored jelly, and the other a crunchy vegetable taco. Both were excellent as far as taste and textures.

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The Uni Egg arrived hot, creamy and rich. While not a big fan of prawns, I thought the Spot Prawn was cooked to perfection. The Sea Scallop was huge and was well done – exactly the way I preferred. The Striped Bass was the only dish that I did not enjoy, there was a muddy taste to the fish, so I did not finish it.

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Aside from being delicious, the Duck Breast was executed in the precise manner that I had requested – well cooked again, but still moist with a crunchy outer crust. The King Salmon that my companion ordered was a bit on the small side, but he thought it was really good.

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There must have been at least 15 different varieties of cheese in the cart that the server pushed out to our table. She asked which types of cheese we would prefer, from strong to moderate to mild. I asked for 1 strong cheese and a variety of moderate to mild ones. She proceeded to cut out small sections of about 6 different cheeses, and there were some candied walnuts and thin slices of bread and jams for accompaniment. Everything went together quite well.

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There was a pre-dessert consisting of an ice cream and grapes, and berries – quite refreshing.The Chocolate Marquise was good but was not as creamy and rich as I had wanted. The meal was finished with macarons, a sweet jelly, and a small cookie.

Food wise, I would say it is perhaps one of the best as far as presentations, taste, textures, flavors. Unfortunately, when I went to the restroom, the sink was plugged up with water almost filled to the top, so I was unable to wash my hands. I told the waitress about the situation, and she seemed a bit annoyed, and proceeded to take me to another unisex bathroom down the hallway. As I was washing my hands, the water was starting to build up and was not draining well. I was very surprised that a restaurant of such caliber does not have a sink that drains well.

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Providence: 5955 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038  Phone: 323-460-4170