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toro

Big Catch - Universe

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Big Catch - Universe

Uni is something that you hate or love. I've never met someone that's an in between. Even if you were, it's a lie and the most likely truth is that you hate it.

When I heard that Big Catch Seafood House is offering a special Uni-verse 8 dish course it's a no brainer that my heart just melted. Not even thinking that this would be the best place to take a date for valentines day, but a date that I can take myself. 

The uni is from Maruhide. Most of you know it as the Maruhide Uni Club. These red sea urchins are caught along the Channel Island off the Santa Barbara in California, also called Aka-Uni in Japanese. It has a sweet, creamy texture with a beautiful deep orange/red color. For a limited time, Big Catch is collaborating with Maruhide to create unique course such as this. It brings the Uni Club closer to you so you don't have to trek out to long beach. 

This is the full grand slam of the meal. The glass of champagne is additional and pairs really nicely. If you're not a fan of champaign they also have a full bar for your liking.

The 8 course consists of:

  • Uni Onsen Tamago - Hot Spring egg / Salmon roe/ dried seaweed/ pickled wasabi/ dashi soy
  • Uni Blue Fin Tororo - Blue fin tuna/ Mountain Yam/ pickled cucumber/ ohba leaf/ uni soy
  • Uni Oyster with Ikura - Kumiai oyster/ Salmon roe/ scallion/ ponzu
  • Uni Toro - Fatty tuna (belly)/ flying fish roe/ ohba leaf/ kombu soy
  • Seared Uni Scallop - Seared Scallop/ Mango/ Sea Salt/ Olive Oil/ Ohba Leaf
  • Uni Garlic Flan - Garlic Flan/ Salmon Roe/ Micro Rainbow/ Chives
  • Uni Toast - Dried Seaweed/ Chives/ triple creme cheese/ toast
  • Mini Uni Pasta - Uni Sauce/ Flying fish roe/ dried seaweed/ chives

You can get everything I mentioned for a promotional $88. Will eventually hit up to $108 so I would recommend giving it a taste. This course is limited to 5 orders per day. If you plan on making a reservation ahead of time, make sure to mention you would want to order this.

Below is a closer look at this amazing feast:

Let me know your thoughts after you've given this a try.

Big Catch Seafood

2 S Garfield Ave Ste 100 Alhambra, CA 91801

(626) 282-8590

 

 

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3rd Generation - Huntington Beach

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3rd Generation - Huntington Beach

3rd Generation Sake Bar specializes in Ramen, Sushi hand rolls and popular Japanese side dishes like chicken karaage. I've been to their location in DTLA location and now a new space has opened in Huntington Beach. 

Shishito Peppers With Dried Bonito - One of my favorite appetizers. Simple, doesn't need much seasoning, and 1 out of 10 is spicy so may the odds be in your favor.

Shishito Peppers With Dried Bonito - One of my favorite appetizers. Simple, doesn't need much seasoning, and 1 out of 10 is spicy so may the odds be in your favor.

One of the things I get super excited to see on the menu is baked blue crab. In Japan, handrolls are shaped like a cylinder, so don't be alarmed. The blue crab handroll is wrapped with soy paper so it doesn't overpower the crab. Dab of wasabi and a dip of soy is how I like to eat this.

"Toro My Belly" - Ground Yellowtail, Albacore Belly, Topped with Chu Toro and Caviar. Melts in your mouth.

Highly recommended Grilled Seabass. So buttery and velvety. Each bite was meaty, but tender from the fat. One of my favorites of the night. Those crispy brussels were also amazing with fried garlic chips.

Yellowtail Carpaccio - Yuzu Citrus Sauce, Cilantro, Olive Oil, Tomato Micro Greens.

Address: 7311 Edinger Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Tel: 714.892.1700

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sushi Roku Pasadena 16th Anniversary

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Sushi Roku Pasadena 16th Anniversary

Happens only once a year for all of us. Birthday's are special. Especially at Sushi Roku, they go big by offering their dinner menu for 50% off (food only). I've been eating here for many years now, but only found out about this big shebang last year. Rounded up a small group and rushed towards the bar seating area since they were booked for the night.

Sake for the table. After this bottle, we did some sake samplers (recommended).

And here are the slew of foods we ordered to celebrate Wednesday 

and the 16th Anniversary of Sushi Roku. I swear I am here all the time it feels like home.

Shishito peppers, nasu dengaku, and hanabi are always my go to for appetizers when I'm here. Oh! and fluke kumquat sashimi in a yuzu vinaigrette. The sushi you see are yellowtail, ankimo, salmon, toro and uni. Orders of salmon cut rolls are always welcomed. Some baked crab handrolls are always satisfying. And surprisingly, the chicken Karaage was very tasty with a bowl of hot rice! For dessert, we had their warm butter cake with vanilla ice cream and 3 unique mochis with flavors: pistachio, strawberry chocolate chip, and passion fruit.

One Colorado 33 Miller Alley Pasadena, CA 91103

 

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Hama Sushi - Little Tokyo

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Hama Sushi - Little Tokyo

My brother and his now fiance

Yes they got engaged! They've been dating for over a decade and it's heart warming to know they are moving towards starting a new path together. That's all. I'm not saying anything else nice about my brother so that's all he gets! Oh and I guess one more nice thing was that he paid for this dinner /___\

347 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

I've only been to Hama sushi once and was pretty impressed. I think... the best way for me to describe what their sushi tastes like to me, in one word, is traditional. I'm sure there's a lot of techniques to sushi than just fish and rice. I could spend over $100 on an Omakase, and the sushi will be great, but the flavors are somewhat different at a traditional Japanese sushi bar. I can't really describe the taste and feeling, but I can tell you I get that hear. And it's a really good thing.

First and foremost, there's none of that teriyaki stuff. Not that it's bad, but again we are at a sushi bar so don't be asking for a bowl of white rice. Secondly, there's signs that says no pictures. And of course, rude to use cell phones. Well I took pictures. But got approval. AND I made sure to limit to 3 photos per dish. Plus, the chef was super dope, but I will let you find out who yourself.

We had a good variety from yellowtail, to ika with shiso, to toro, salmon belly, natto handroll and all the other good bites. I think good sushi rice is not too sweet, but seasoned so slightly to enhance the flavors.

Ankimo Ponzu

When I used to work in an Izakaya, Ankimo in ponzu is one of the items I ate with hot white rice. The flavors are mild, but I wouldn't tell someone it doesn't taste like anything. It's nothing like Foie Gras so don't believe anything people tell you when they say it does. This is one of my all time comfort foods in Japanese cuisine. It's hard to mess up Monkfish liver, but no worries here because it is excellent.

Engawa

To me, this is what Engawa is supposed to look like. Engawa is the Halibut's fin, the meat of the fin of course. Normally served like the way you see it, raw with green onions, chili daikon and a dab of citrus soy. Sometimes, it is seared and then dressed with a dab or so of citrus soy. Delicious and something I highly recommend ordering if available.

Salmon Belly

Salmon. The first raw fish I ate when I was young. After that, it's always been my favorite. I love how sweet it tastes. But when I got older, I've learned the existence of salmon belly. And pretty much gravitated towards it when available on the menu. Here, you an see little slits to cut the fat. People think fat is great on a piece of fish or steak. It's somewhat true, but you want the fat to be marbled. This technique helps relieve the chewiness that the fat can create. Amazing.

Tamago Sushi

Only a few chefs do this and I wished more did. This version of tamago is just eggs that is mixed with ingredients like sugar, dashi, mirin, blah blah. This was the last item we had and we treated it like a dessert due to it's sweetness.

Make sure to come earlier. If you plan on having dinner at 7, come at 6. The restaurant is really small with only 2 tables or so if you want to sit intimately away from the crowd. The rest of the seating (about 15) is all sushi bar.

347 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

 

 

 

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EMC Seafood & Raw Bar - Irvine, CA

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EMC Seafood & Raw Bar - Irvine, CA

All you Los Angeles natives out there have been crazing over EMC. And if you aren't not from LA, the chances of your friends taking you hear is pretty high. Just like the poke craze, ice cream donuts, and even F'ing churros, you know have tons of restaurants serving up their own raw bar. EMC was one of those top hitters that made it popping first with their location in K-town. It's like 10PM and my friends would still want to head out for Happy Hour. Well wait no more because they also have one open in Irvine. I'm not sure how long the wait can get considering how packed the location in K-Town gets, but those of you that huddles in one car for this, that live out of LA can worry no more.

14346 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604

Best part yet is that they are conveniently right off the 5 on Culver. Not even a mile off the exit to find yourself the grand restaurant waiting for you to devour everything they have.

And they have a lot:

Lobsters are still alive. Oysters are still shut. Sea Urchins just laying there, looking dead, but you know they are hella alive and waiting to be popped out of their shell. Whole f'ing branzinos. I can go on and on, but it won't be fair for me to relive this moment at home.

Ginger Beer making it's way.

Crispy Garlic Brussels Sprouts. I know. Before you start talking about how I am ranting about the seafood, and I start showing you a bowl of sprouts. Because these were so delicious! Just so perfectly cooked and extremely flavorful. And, I am a huge advocate about having some kind of greens with your meal. Like a big steak with a piece of broccoli. That good balance talk, you feelin' me?

We had 1/2 a dozen of Kumamoto oysters and 1/2 of Kusshi. Fresh, sweet, perfectly shucked, with cocktail sauce and jalapeno lime. Always a must order.

I know. Here I go again. Now, what the F does fries have to do with anything? These are fries with truffle mushroom aioli. Like shut the front door who the hell comes up with this stuff? That garlic you see right THERE is some good umami-mouth-gasm right there. Fried so crispy with soft centers, ooooo that just gets me right here *points at my heart*. And for the record, it's on the starters menu so it ain't no side dish psssshhh (I literally did the hair whip).

The glorious Uni pasta. Also, that one Uni pasta that everyone talks about. It really does live up to the rave. The spaghetti was perfectly cooked and coated in a cream, Fish Roe, Chives, and Dried Seaweed concoction. The fish roe did it for me. I love-love-loved the texture that it gave the noodles.

If this is the only thing you came here for, by all means do it. If you want to eat a lot of other items, make sure you get this to share. It's a heavy dish even though a delicious one.

Toro Toro Roll - Ground yellowtail and albacore belly inside, topped with chu toro and caviar on top. The kind of fishes you want to eat simply. A touch of wasabi and soy sauce to compliment the fattiness of the fishes. Cleanse your palate with some ginger after before headed for your next bite.

Lobster roll definitely winning. Served with a slice of lemon and melted butter. I am sensitive to butter. Makes me really tired if I have too much so I just use a tad. But what's really a tad when it's melted? Feels like you can easily pour the whole thing on, no regrets. The lobster is cooked in Tarragon Butter, Sea Salt, and stuffed inside a Brioche Bun. Thumbs up for the flavor combo.

We also ordered their black pepper filet mignon to those allergic to seafood. Delicious, tender, and perfect with the bowl of rice it comes with. We also had their crispy pepper calamari that's served with spicy aioli shown below:

14346 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604

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