Restaurant: Takao [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Location: 11656 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. (310) 207-8636
Date: December 10, 2011
Rating: 9/10 creative “new style” sushi
I’ve already covered Takao in some detail HERE and then separately here, here, and here, but we went back (we go often). The full menu and some information on the history of the place can be found through the first link.
This particular meal is another take on the medium sized omakase, which is a very good deal (in a relative high-end sushi kind of way).
We started off with a lovely “shaved rice” style cold sake. I’ve become increasingly fond of this old-school premium form of sake.
A starter trio. Some crab in miso, fresh salmon sahimi with onions, and marinated ginko nuts.
Spanish mackerel salad with spinach. The fish was marinated and grilled and they formed a nice fresh contrast.
Scallop sashimi with a trio of sauces.
And fresh octopus sashimi with the same sauces for contrast.
Then some top grade toro sashimi. Like butter baby!
New style sashimi with warm olive oil, sasame, chives, ponzu, and sliced truffle.
King crab legs with a sweet vinaigrette.
Traditional Japanese egg custard with mushrooms and fish. Like creme brulee without the crust or the sugar and with fish!
Seared at the table beef (in a teriyaki-style sauce) cooked as you like it in a cast iron plate.
Eel tempura. Tasty, I think this was the first time I’ve had eel as tempura.
Classic miso soup.
A little sushi flight. Left to right. Toro, yellowtail, salmon, tai (red snapper), and tomago (sweet omelet).
And finally green tea creme brule for dessert.
Another intensely satisfying Japanese meal down the gullet. As you see, we keep going back to Takao and while the style remains the same, the ingredients mix it up substantially each time. Awesome place. More reviews here: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].