Restaurant: Sushi Masuyoshi [1, 2]
Location: 10834 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 | +1 (323) 509-6155
Date: September 10, 2025
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Rating: Intimate Excellence!
Finding exceptional omakase in LA has become both easier and harder in recent years. Easier because there are now more serious sushi-ya than ever before. Harder because separating the truly excellent from the merely good requires doing your homework. Foodie Club Joe has pretty much a standing reservation here, and the place is only 5-6 people big!
Tucked into a nondescript Culver City strip mall on Washington Boulevard, Masuyoshi is the kind of place you could easily drive past without noticing. But that’s part of its charm – no flashy signage, no Instagram-bait neon, just serious sushi in a room that seats maybe a dozen people at the counter. This is old-school omakase sensibility: you come for the fish, not the scene.
The tiny room – maybe 6 seats along the tiny sushi counter.
Sushi Masuyoshi has quietly become one of those tiny jewels tucked into the fabric of Culver City—a ten-seat counter where Chef Hozumi Masuyoshi orchestrates nightly omakase performances with precision and restraint. This was a Foodie Club dinner, one of those rare evenings when the wine flows as generously as the sake, and we gathered to celebrate the simple perfection of seasonal fish and the artistry of traditional Edomae technique. I’d heard whispers about Masuyoshi’s meticulous sourcing and his devotion to the fundamentals—perfectly seasoned rice, hand-grated wasabi, fish treated with reverence—but experiencing it firsthand is something else entirely.
Chef Masuyoshi trained in Tokyo’s prestigious sushi houses before making his way to Los Angeles, where he’s carved out a reputation for authenticity without pretension. His philosophy centers on letting the ingredients speak: pristine fish from Japan’s morning markets, rice cooked to precise doneness, and technique honed over decades. The restaurant itself is intimate to the point of cozy—just that small counter where you watch every move, every brush of nikiri, every precise cut. There’s no pomp, no Instagram theatrics, just the quiet confidence of a master at work.
The players.
Joy working his corner.
An omakase-style Japanese menu centered on pristine seafood, featuring daily sashimi, toro cuts of bluefin, uni, unagi, and seasonal fish such as halibut, golden-eye snapper, and king mackerel. The progression is rounded out with chawanmushi, vegetable tempura, dashimaki tamago, soup, and fruit to finish.
Ginger!
Sashimi materials.
The meal began with a stunning sashimi plate showcasing the day’s catch—pristine cuts laid out like a painter’s palette.
The sashimi plate.
again.
Chawan-mushi with uni—silky savory custard with a crown of sea urchin, clean dashi warmth layered with oceanic richness.
Torotaku handroll—fatty tuna belly and crunchy pickled daikon wrapped in crisp nori, a textural masterclass.
Then the nigiri parade began in earnest. Masuyoshi-san worked with focused intensity, brushing each piece with nikiri and passing it across the counter still warm from his hands.
Hirame halibut with liver—delicate white fish with a dab of creamy liver, clean and refined.
Kinmedai Golden Eye Snapper—ruby-red flesh with a faint sweetness and buttery texture.
Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1998 — Burgundy royalty. This legendary Pinot Noir from Vosne-Romanée’s Richebourg vineyard is pure magic: deep garnet in the glass with a haunting nose of forest floor, dried rose petals, and black cherry preserves. On the palate it’s all silk and structure, layering earthy complexity with bright red fruit and a mineral backbone that seems to go on forever. Leroy’s biodynamic farming and low yields deliver concentration without weight—Mozart’s rococo lightness in liquid form. A transcendent pairing with the pristine fish.
Sawara King Mackerel—silver-skinned with a hint of char, rich and meaty.
Blue Fin Tuna—clean, lean, the platonic ideal of maguro.
Coche-Dury – Meursault: Vintage 2008 (clearly shown on the neck label). The main label reads “Coche-Dury” at top, with “Meursault” prominently displayed in elegant script. Region/Appellation:
Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy (France). Grape variety: Chardonnay. Wine style: White Burgundy. This producer is legendary for rich, mineral-driven Chardonnay that balances opulence with restraint—classic
old-vine white Burgundy at its finest.
Mystery role (today’s inspiration)—Masuyoshi-san’s spontaneous creation, whatever caught his eye that morning.
Domaine Coche‑Dury – Meursault: Vintage 2008 (clearly printed on the neck label). Region/Appellation: Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy (France). Grape variety: Chardonnay. Wine style: White Burgundy
Chardonnay. The label shows the producer’s name “COCHE‑DURY” in classic typography; Meursault village appellation text is centered below. Notable label details: Estate bottled (“Mis en bouteille au domaine”),
indication of traditional winemaking heritage. Coche‑Dury wines are among Burgundy’s most sought‑after whites—rich, textured, and age‑worthy.
Chu-toro medium fatty tuna with caviar—was my dish of the night—garnet-rose belly tuna draped over rice, crowned with black pearls and gold leaf. The toro melts into silken, almost custardy softness while the caviar snaps with briny elegance. This is omakase luxury at its finest.
Scallop, truffle and uni—sweet scallop with earthy truffle shavings and creamy sea urchin. Totally awesome.
Miso of the sea—a rich, savory soup course.
Domaine Jean Grivot – Echézeaux Grand Cru. Vintage: 2010. Region/Appellation: Echézeaux Grand Cru, Flagey-Echézeaux, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy (France). Grape variety: Pinot Noir. Wine style: Burgundy
Grand Cru Pinot Noir. The label clearly states “ECHEZEAUX” and “GRAND CRU” with “APPELLATION CONTROLEE” beneath, and the Grivot family name at the base. Jean Grivot is one of Vosne-Romanée’s most respected
estates, known for perfumed, elegant reds with silky tannins, depth, and terroir expression. Echézeaux sits just below the legendary Clos de Vougeot and offers refined, floral Pinot Noir.
Hokkaido Uni Sea Urchin—sweet, creamy, oceanic perfection.
Wagyu—a detour from the sea, richly marbled Japanese beef.
Special wagyu steak—seared beautifully, the beef melting on the tongue with buttery richness.
Ponzu—translucent citrus-soy sauce, a palate cleanser with bright yuzu oils and savory depth.
Vegetable tempura. Then came the tempura course—light, delicate, expertly fried.
Ebi tempura—a single prawn in gossamer batter, the snap of shrimp perfectly preserved beneath the golden crust.
Tempura zucchini—slender, emerald-skinned, feathery batter giving way to tender flesh.
Maitake tempura—champagne-gold mushroom fronds, woodsy and plush, finished with matcha salt.
Tamagoyaki—pale-golden egg custard with a satin sheen, savory-sweet layers dissolving into pure comfort.
Seasonal fruit amuse—jewel-like grapes, amber gelée, crisp shiso, a refreshing finale.
This was one of the best omakase experiences I’ve had in Los Angeles in quite some time. Masuyoshi-san’s quiet mastery, the pristine sourcing, the textural precision—it all came together in a meal that felt both traditional and alive. The standout was absolutely that otoro with caviar, a dish that embodies everything sublime about Japanese technique: restraint meeting luxury, simplicity revealing complexity. The Leroy Richebourg was transcendent, one of those bottles you remember for years, its earthy elegance lifting every course.
Compared to some of LA’s flashier omakase spots, Masuyoshi feels refreshingly unpretentious. There’s no Instagram moment manufacturing, no forced theatrics—just a chef who knows his craft and ingredients that speak for themselves. If you’re a sushi purist or a Burgundy lover (or both), this is your spot. Highly recommended for serious Foodie Club outings or any occasion that calls for celebrating the fundamentals done flawlessly.
