Koi Japanese Cuisine (Seal Beach)
Lunch omakase with Taka-san is always a wonderful treat.
Snapper sampler - red snapper, black snapper…and I will be honest…I forget the other two. I loved the black snapper and how it was rich and lush and light all at the same time. No shoyu needed as the fish was seasoned with sea salt, lemon, and a bit of either yuzu.
Tuna sampler - otoro, bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, and zuke. All so delightful that I don’t know which one I loved more.
Salmon/Mackerel sampler - ocean trout, sockeye, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel. While I love salmon, the mackerel options were just lovely. I’m now a fan of King Mackerel.
Mediterranean Sea bass with yuzu, kumquat, and jalapeño. This one was a new one we’d never had before. I really enjoyed it.
A little celebratory sake to accompany lunch. It was a bit floral and a bit fruity. Very nice.
Sampler - scallop, chopped otoro with shisho and uni, ebi, fried ebi head. The scallop was so sweet. This plate paired very well with the sake. The otoro bite was one of my favorite bites of the meal. And who doesn’t love a fried shrimp head?
Albacore simply dressed with a bit of ponzu, green onion, and kumquat
Giant clam and sardine. I’d never had these before. The giant clam was very ocean-y sweet and had a nice slightly firm texture. Very surprising, and very good. The sardine was also quite pleasant because it was rich and fatty without being overwhelming.
I love this place…and can’t ever get enough. Total damage for 4 before tip was under $400…however we come here often, so I’m quite sure we were well taken care of.
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