Sushi Ran [Sausalito]

A photo montage of my most recent meal at Sushi Ran--a fabulous way to kick off 2008.

Cooked Food Selection

Nori-wrapped Ahi ($14), Grilled Calamari Tentacles ($4.5), and Shitake Mushrooms ($7.5). In general, mushroom dishes tend to be stellar at Japanese restaurants--Sushi Ran is no exception.

Raw Selection

Omakase Nigiri ($28 for seven pieces) and Omakase Sashimi ($29 for 10 pieces). Order either the Omakase Nigiri or Sashimi, but not both, since there are repeats across the selections.

Desserts

Chocolate Bombe with Hazelnut Creme Anglaise and Bananas Foster. I've exhausted the dessert list at Sushi Ran and can vouch for the Trio of Custards in addition to the two shown above.

Sushi Ran
107 Caledonia Street
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 332-3620

Tabento [Costa Mesa]

Another holiday season spent in the OC and another unassuming Japanese sushi joint in a nondescript strip mall--a fairly uneventful holiday, but also a new interesting find.

The short story on Tabento is that it offers your typical sushi rolls with an added wow factor and some atypical creations that are a cut above the rest. While our albacore nigiri warranted an instantaneous mmm and a raised eyebrow in delight, the hamachi was a tad fishy and probably less fresh than it should have been. Over the course of three days and two meals here, this was the extent to which I delved into the nigiri choices.

The Shrimp Boat first caught our attention in the picture menu before captivating our taste buds with its textural combination of creamy quail egg and crab and crunchy mentaiko (cod roe) and ama ebi (raw prawns). The tangy piquantness of the ponzu sauce is a welcome surprise for your taste buds, since you almost expect the combination to be sweet and mellow.

The Soft-Shell Crab Roll ($10), Crunchy Roll ($8.50), and Caterpillar Roll ($10) were all similarly good, though not outside of the realm of what you'd expect. They are, however, visually stunning in their magnitudes and constructions with proportions that awe.

I didn't grab a photo from last time, but the Spicy Tuna Crunchy Roll was also a must-order, with spicy tuna piled atop a crispy rice onigiri ball and topped with a thinly sliced jalapeno. The heat was subtle, striking the back of your tongue in the most pleasant way possible.

Next time, I'll venture into the appetizer portion of the menu, where there are some interesting picks to choose from. Don't forget to flip through the photo albums sitting on your table, since it'll offer a lot of inspiration for your ordering.

This is what I miss most about moving to Northern California--there's nowhere near the same caliber of sushi restaurants and especially ones that are as off the radar as the places you'll find here in good ol' Orange County.

Tabento Sushi & Sake
1525 Mesa Verde Dr. #E
Costa Mesa CA 92628
(714) 545-0600

Kasen [Fountain Valley]

My SO turned me onto Kasen describing it as one of the few Fountain Valley Japanese restaurants he's been to where there were only Japanese patrons dining. He raved on and on about the sushi, but my experience at lunch wasn't so spectacular.

Perhaps it was because I ordered the Regular Sushi Combination ($12), instead of the deluxe set which would have cost me $6 more. There wasn't much to choose from, given that Kasen's only lists two sushi combinations, two chirashi bowls, and one eel plate on its menu for lunch.

I found the sushi unremarkable, though it was fresh and unfishy. And while I'm not the type to turn my soy sauce into a wasabi paste, there was hardly enough wasabi in the sushi rice. The flavors on the fish would have much crisper with it. My sushi combination came with albacore, toro, salmon, ebi, eel, and another chewy fish which I couldnt identify. The plum rolls were good. All lunch orders come with a bowl of miso soup.

The Eel Roll ($10) wasnt the broiled saucy stuff you normally get, but rather a light and fleshy sea eel with only a touch of sauce for sweetness. At best, the rolls were nice to look at and not unpleasant to eat.

I wouldn't call the food bad and I wouldn't venture to deem the sushi mediocre--just nothing special. Kasen definitely warrants a revisit for dinner.

Kasen
9039 Garfield Ave
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 963-8769

Sushi MiMi [Fountain Valley]

MiMi is right around the corner from my SO's house and is our go-to for safe, decent quality sushi when even a drive to Costa Mesa is too far.

The interior is wrapped in a calming blanket of blonde woods and tatami screens, which add a layer of privacy between you and next table. The decor is surprisingly elegant for an FV strip mall restaurant and there's even a glitzy, if not out of place, sushi tower to greet you at the entrance.

The restaurant was filled with Japanese patrons, which is surprising for the Fountain Valley restaurant scene, which is particularly foreign friendly. A quick glance at the tables revealed mostly orders of food, but we were there for sushi rolls.

Clockwise: Crunchy, spider, rainbow, and caterpillar rolls

As I've mentioned previously, there was nothing standout about our sushi rolls or sashimi. Nothing was fishy enough that we complained, but nothing good enough that made our eyes want to roll to the back of our heads. I did, however, enjoy the mild tamago.

From left: Tamago, cucumber and plum, yellowtail sashimi

MiMi's chefs do have an eye for aesthetic and rolls are neatly presented with tender loving care.

Cooked foods are less greasy than other options in the area and the combo dinners are massive.

Sushi MiMi
18225 Brookhurst St Ste 7
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 964-0988

Ikko Japanese Restaurant [Costa Mesa]

Though I've been for dinner a few times (1), today was my first venture into lunch. I have always been intrigued by Ikko's lunch menu, which isn't your standard bento box affair. There was no miso soup or chicken terriyaki in sight. We tried the lunch special, which was a special roll and a chicken meatball and baked mochi soup with daikon radish. The soup was a little on the salty side, but the special roll was a light and sweet combination of tamago, eel, and shrimp.

The same sushi chefs were there for lunch, though sushi specials are featured primarily in the evening. We built our meal primarily on sushi and ventured outside of our comfort zones by blindly ordering. My first encounter with pen shell was on the tasting menu at Cyrus and if that was good, the sushi was mind blowing. The pen shell belongs to the same family as scallops and is expectedly sweet. What is unexpected is the range of flavor, which your mouth explores as the pen shell slowly melts away. Don't miss it.

From left to right: Taraigai (pen shell), Aji (Spanish mackerel), Hamachi (yellowtail)

We were dazzled by the progression and freshness of our sushi, which was dressed with restraint to bring out the natural qualities of the fish. I will vouch for Ikko once more and this time designate it as a C'est Poptastique! pick.

Sushi Wasabi [Tustin]

THE legendary blue crab handroll

My first visit to Sushi Wasabi was about two years ago and to this day, I still have dreams about the blue crab handrolls. It's a rarity to come by at sushi restaurants and though I've tried them at Katsu-ya and Angotei, nothing compares. These beloved handrolls have a loyal following as zealous as any uni or ankimo enthusist. In fact, there was a recent forum on Chowhound on the best to be found the best in the LA area (Sushi Wasabi got a few votes in addition to mine).

Canadian albacore in ponzu and big eye tuna from Hawaii

Don't let Sushi Wasabi's obscure location in a strip mall fool you--it serves some of the best sushi you'll find in the OC. The tiny husband and wife operation serve sushi omakase at the bar (meaning you eat what you're served), but you can order at the tables. But remember, "We do not serve specialty rolls. We only serve nigiri and sushi hand rolls."

Baked scallop and barracuda from Santa Barbara

The sushi chef will serve each of your dishes with a brief explanation as to the origins of the fish. Most courses begin with a delicately marinated sashimi and progress into stronger flavors as you proceed. Your meal is ensured to be well balanced, well paced, and the best part is that you wont have to give it any thought at all.

White sea bass, salmon, uni, and unagi

While the quality of the fish is top notch, Katsu-san can be a little heavy handed with the ponzu sauce, which came on three of our seven dishes. And because he is the only chef there, that leaves little time for interaction with customers at the sushi bar. Katsu-san must be used to having non-Japanese customers as I did not once hear him utter uni, tako, toro, or use the Japanese name of any of the dishes he served us, which I have to admit took away from the authenticity of our experience.

The bill for our party of four came out to $140 without alcohol. One person had ten courses and the rest of us had seven.

Sushi Wasabi
14460 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-3496

Ikko Japanese Restaurant [Costa Mesa]

People talk about hidden gems as if anything in plain sight of an Orange County strip mall could remain hidden for long, but Ikko is truly a tucked away.

When you're driving down Baker, look for the Lotions and Lace store--it's in that Plaza. If you're driving from South Coast Plaza, you're likely to miss it. If you're coming from the other way, you cant miss the new age orange sign announcing that you've arrived at your destination.

The space oozes swank with jazz music filling the eight-tables and sushi bar at Ikko. The lights are turned down low in a beatnik jazz club kinda way and it reminds me of a place where you would frequent on your illicit love affair. There were mostly Japanese patrons on that Friday Night and the lull of their quiet whispers bathed the room. At closing on another night, the crowd was pretty rambunctious. So, f you're looking for a quiet dinner, I'd advise eating earlier, which would also give your more options since they tend to run out of the more popular items.

The food here is upscale Japanese izakaya with Western influences, but priced moderately for the type of restaurant it is. There is sashimi flown in from Japan and the daily specials are written on a menu, though they are crossed off when the kitchen runs off. We tried both the domestic and imported yellowtail and both were excellent. While we've had better in terms of quality and texture, the flavor was good.


What makes Ikko's Japanese fusion different from other restaurants is that it errs on the side of Japanese more than it does on the side of Western. There are Western preparation and ingredients such as carpaccio, asparagus, and stuffed meats, but the delicate, mellow balance of flavors that is a cornerstone to Japanese cusine is what stands out most. You can really see this in the tofu dishes especially.

We are partial to the rock shrimp tempura salad and if you're feeling adventurous, the radish pancake with uni, ikura, and dried shrimp [it's milder than you'd expect]. The pancake reminds me of the turnip cake you get at dim sum, except that it has a sticky texture similar to what you'd find in natto or mochi desserts. We've also had the chilean sea bass, asparagus spring rolls, and chicken stuffed w/brown rice, though we were more ambivalent about those dishes. For dessert, I love the black soy ice cream for a mere $3.50.

Most of the menu descriptions are fairly unassuming and humble, but dont let that fool you. Take a chance on something that sounds boring and you may be surprised.

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Updated July 10, 2007

Though I've been for dinner a few times, today was my first venture into lunch. I have always been intrigued by Ikko's lunch menu, which isn't your standard bento box affair. There was no miso soup or chicken terriyaki in sight. We tried the lunch special, which was a special roll and a chicken meatball and baked mochi soup with daikon radish. The soup was a little on the salty side, but the special roll was a light and sweet combination of tamago, eel, and shrimp.

The same sushi chefs were there for lunch, though sushi specials are featured primarily in the evening. We built our meal primarily on sushi and ventured outside of our comfort zones by blindly ordering. My first encounter with pen shell was on the tasting menu at Cyrus and if that was good, the sushi was mind blowing. The pen shell belongs to the same family as scallops and is expectedly sweet. What is unexpected is the range of flavor, which your mouth explores as the pen shell slowly melts away. Don't miss it.

From left to right: Taraigai (pen shell), Aji (Spanish mackerel), Hamachi (yellowtail)

We were dazzled by the progression and freshness of our sushi, which was dressed with restraint to bring out the natural qualities of the fish. I will vouch for Ikko once more and this time designate it as a C'est Poptastique! pick.

Ikko Japanese Restaurant
735 Baker St Ste C
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 556-7822

242 Cafe Fusion Sushi [Laguna Beach]

When I was in my sushi craze two years ago, I stumbled upon this Laguna Beach gem right off of PCH. It used to be my go-to Orange County sushi joint, but I've since eaten sushi that was more creative, more fresh, and less expensive. Our late-night dinner of two rolls, one hand roll, and a small salad set us back $60 before tip. Talk about sticker shock.

Chef Miki is one of the few female sushi chefs you'll ever come across and her sense of aesthetic is felt in every detail. Whether it is a mother of pearl dish, the zen rocks, or sushi that is too pretty to eat, there is a delicate exquisiteness to everything she touches.

As the name may imply, 242 is not the type of place for traditional nigiri or sashimi. The restaurant certainly offers top quality fish to your choosing, but where the kitchen really shines is in its daily specials, which are listed on a plate. The descriptions are perplexing, though I've never ordered anything bad from this menu. Be cautious, though, since prices are never listed. You can expect the rolls and sashimi off the plate to set you back at least $15 per dish. However, these dishes are larger by sushi standards and oftentimes embody the meaning of the culinary arts in their presentation.

On this particular night, we started with the Saku Saku [$20], which was a seared and marinated albacore sashimi with radish, avocado, potato, and smelt roe. We chose the dish because we thought the potato would be interesting, but it was more like a deep-fried potato string garnish. Regardless, the dish was very well executed and light, though it could've used more heat to give a kick.

They brought out our Prairie Roll ($16) next and we were somewhat disappointed with the presentation. It was basically a California roll inside and topped with peppered salmon and spicy tuna and came in its own spicy vinaigrette. There was pile of shredded lettuce thrown on top, which added a textural contrast to the buttery avocado and crab meat, but took away from the colors of the dish. My SO remarked that maybe it was supposed to look drab--after all, it was named the Prairie. The roll seemed a bit sloppier than usual, but then again, Chef Miki wasnt in on this particular night.

You can see the Sexy Handroll ($6) in the background of the previous photo and it is one of the few items that is consistently listed as a special. After our first two rolls, which both came in spicy soy sauce vinaigrettes, we were ready for a different taste sensation. The Sexy handroll provided just that, with its sweet combination of crab, avocado, scallop, and tuna. The scallop and tuna are piled in on top, so make sure you ration so that you end up with more than just a California roll when you get to the tip of the cone.

Lastly, we finished with a soft-shell crab salad ($10), which I remember as being better the last time we had it.


Overall I've found 242 to serve quality sushi that is both inventive and flavorful, but I've since learned that better can be had for much less. Service was brusque on this particular night and though we didnt feel welcome today, I wouldnt say that that's the norm. The restaurant is tiny with a sushi bar and five skinny tables. They don't take reservations, though I don't often have trouble nabbing a seat.

242 Cafe Fusion Sushi
242 N. Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 494-2444