Restaurant: Sushi Sushi [1, 2, 3, 4]
Location: 326 1/2 Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90212. (310) 277-1165
Date: May 10, 2011
Cuisine: Japanese Sushi
Rating: Old school sushi – fantastic fish and presentation!
I had the sushi craving and went back again to my new favorite sushi place, Sushi Sushi. Since I have previous tried ala carte, the medium omakase and the giant omakase, I figured I’d give the small omakase a try for completeness. Here is the pictorial record.
We begin with a lovely little sashimi plate. Two items instead of three with the bigger omakases.
Spanish mackerel.
And a slightly different variation on the plate.
Seared bonito, with miso vinagrete (common to both plates). This was delicous, melt in your mouth. I enjoy the extra textural components of the various garnishes too.
Santa Barbara uni (sea urchin). It tops a pile of squid bits and includes pickles and wasabi. The combo is delicious, and all texture.
The rounds of regular sushi begins. Note that all the sushi here has been pre-applied with sauce, even when it’s just soy sauce. This red yummy is maguro (Blue fin tuna). This is some of the best tuna I’ve ever had, totally melts in the mouth.
Tai (Red Snapper), with a ponzu and shavings of the yuzu. This is a lighter fish, but I’m very partial to it.
O-toro, the top grade fatty toro. It melted in the mouse like butter. Always one of my (and everyone else’s) favorites.
“Buri yellowtail.” A special high end type of Hamachi.
This was a piece of scottish salmon. One of the best pieces of salmon I’ve ever had. Incredible!
Aji (Spanish Mackerel) on the left, with only the very slightest bit of fishy. Again, a great mackerel. Shimaji mackerel on the right.
On the left Ebi (sweet shrimp) and on the right Japanese scallop. Both wonderful.
Ikura (salmon roe). Perfectly fresh, with just the slightest hint of brine (good). Wonderfully taught, they explode in the mouth like little brine balls.
They say you should judge a sushi chef by his tamago (sweet omelet). By those standards Sushi Sushi rules.
Diced Toro handroll. This shiso leaf and shaved yuzu inside, which added texture, tang, and the exotic and wonderful flavor of the leaf.
Unagi (Fresh water eel). BBQ, with the sweet eel sauce. This was some damn fine eel, as good a piece as I’ve had.
Shirasu. Dried anchovies with plum and shiso. Very interesting and different tasty. Salty and sour.
These last two handrolls were extra, and not included in the Omakase. This one is Mentaiko, cpicy cod fish egg. This is a big slab of cod row, very salty and fishy.
King crab handroll, more approachable than the previous two.
After this extensive survey at Sushi Sushi, trying all three omakases, I’ve concluded that the medium one is the best deal hands down. It is only $15 more than this small one, and has numerous extra dishes. The grand one, while better than the medium (bigger) is only very very slightly different.
