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Yes - I don’t really know anything about the place or the man, Yoshi
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Formerly of mori, SGO, and shin sushi. He has a pretty good following.
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If you don’t I really don’t!
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When my folks come to town we feast, often joking that our family motto is “I could eat”. We stuck with takeout this time, turning to some old favorites and trying some new spots they’ve not had during previous visits.
El Ruso x X’tiosu Kitchen
First up are two spots that we’ve been eyeing, but are first time visits for us.
El Ruso absolutely delivers on what we’ve heard/seen. We made sure to go on Friday to get their flour tortillas, which I feel are right up there with some of the best in town. The highlight was the adobada which charred and dripping with juice. We also did the mole and the asada to round it out.
X’tiosu Kitchen was a short drive away and we had been wanting to them after hearing about the chicken shawarma taco. The tacos were stuffed and the tortillas barely held up as we devoured them and the Oaxacan tabbouleh salad (where nopalitos stand in for the bulger) was bright and very parsley forward. This was definitely a memorable first impression as the interplay between the Lebanese and Oaxacan flavors was something we’re eager to revist (so we can try more), especially after better understanding the history behind Lebanese cooking’s influence on Mexican cuisine.
Porridge + Puffs
The five course takeout meal that Porridge + Puffs is offering for the month of August was something we knew we had to try. We love everything that Chef Phan and her team do (my parents rant about the restaurant not having any Michelin stars) but have only gone for Brunch. I’ve always missed her pinch dinners, but heard great things, and if this five course set was any indication of what she does on a weekly basis for those dinners, it’s something that I’ll need to work into my rotation more regularly. Everything from the pickles, to the perfectly cooked pork ribs hit the spot. The corn and bacon orzo was so rich and creamy my eyes were rolling back in my skull. The two standouts though were the baby corn cake with Chinese sausage (essentially a tamale with a delightful tomatillo sauce) and the pluot galette that closed out the meal.
Katsu Sando x Konbi egg salad showdown
We’d had Katsu Sando before at Smorgaburg, but thought it would be fun to check out the brick and mortar, focusing on their grab n’ go options. Everything here was good, about what we’d expect reading the menu. The slaw had a satisfying tang, but lost a bit of its crunch–not sure if it was from the trip back home or if it had just been prepared too far in advance. Pickles packed a punch and had a nice crunch, but leaned a bit salty for our tastes. Onigiri was spam and egg and was quite fun, but crumbled a bit as we bit into it. The egg salad sando (the reason for our visit) was creamy and satisfying, and very much reminded us of something we’d prepare at home.
Konbi is one of our favorites (my mom loves their egg salad sandwich) and we knew this was our baseline. Both the new dishes we ordered, the marinated yuba and the tomato salad, were pleasant treats. The marinated yuba came with thin strips of melon that stood out and gave the dish a sweetness that we really enjoyed, whereas the tomato salad really just let the tomatoes shine. The sake lees vinaigrette that came with the tomatoes was so tasty that we saved the rest to toss with a simple salad that evening. The layered omelette sandwich is a personal favorite and was every bit as soft and juicy as I’ve come to expect. Finally, the egg salad sandwich just pops. It’s a bit less creamy than Katsu Sando version, but its chefed up and the little details like the hint of rice vinegar and the scallion elevate it to something that we’re always happy to come back to. While we miss dining in at the little counter Konbi has, the pre-order and pick up situation is so efficient that it nearly makes up for missing out on that experience.
Spago x Fukuno
We’ve never had the opportunity to dine at Spago, but with the takeout situation we though it would be novel to try one of its signature dishes. We ordered the smoked salmon pizza kit ahead of time through Tock, but when we arrived at home realized they had actually given us the entire thing premade instead of letting us put it together at home. We quickly devoured it and even though it probably would have been even better before the drive home, it was still enjoyable.
We also headed out to get bento boxes and battera from Fukuno and loved every bite. The adorable couple that runs the operation really does something special in their tiny kitchen. Each piece in the bento was thoughtfully composed and reminded us of our trip to Japan a couple years ago with the variety of components that gave us little bites of everything. The battera was also great and something that we’ll order at every opportunity.
Mini Kabob
Despite the heat wave this weekend my folks wanted to head out to see gardens at the Huntington 
so I took the opportunity to take them to Mini Kabob. My mom quickly declared these the “best kabobs” she’s ever had in her life, and I wouldn’t necessarily fight her on it. The humble restaurant churns out some of the juiciest, most satisfying bites we had during their visit. Also, special shout out to Chef Armen, who was running the entire show by himself–juggling multiple orders–but still made time to make sure we felt personally taken care of.
Fat and Flour
If I have a vice, it’s whatever Chef Rucker is putting together weekly at Fat and Flour. This week it was her Peach Dumpling (!!!) that was equally cute and luscious, and the figgy frangipane, which is my favorite of the seasonal mini pies she’s been putting together each week.
We still feel like we could eat, but that’ll need to wait until next time.
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Picture of Yoshi-san (the shokunin on the right) helping out Take-san at Shin Sushi during the grand opening:
A master journeyman, plying his trade. The ronin of nigiri, the daimyo of deliciousness…
(gonna need Michael Buffer to finish this bio - lol)
Seriously, you’ve probably seen his face before. He’s easy-going, and enjoys serving great food to his customers, and cannot resist J_L’s famous potato salad.
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I recognize him. Gosh, isn’t it kind of amazing - and sad - that there were ever 3 sushi men behind the counter at Shin. Even post-Michelin I don’t think I saw more people than Take could handle alone.
From KevinEats blog, Mori Sushi 7/13/2013, featuring Take san on the right, and Yoshi san on the left with glasses!
The Three Omakaseteers
Must have been a legendary period in time. Kind of like The Cure 89 era with Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, Roger O’ Donnell, or Depeche Mode with Alan Wilder.
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One of the reasons why I think we get a lot of takeout is because we can’t beat our living room view.
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… or New Order with Peter Hook.
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Awesome rundown. So glad to hear that about mini kabob and that tamale, corn husk peeled back, was one of the beautiful dishes I’ve seen.
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That’s a lovely view 
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Thanks trying to ride out the COVID in style!
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Kiriko Sushi (Sawtelle Japantown) is currently offering their “tapas” box to go.
It is essentially Chef Ken Namba’s otsumame version of a ‘Greatest Hits’ album. And his signature bite, Ken-san’s home-smoked wild salmon with mango and caviar, is included! Hot weather also means unagi don, and I asked Ken-san to make me a bowl at Kiriko. Served simply with sansho pepper, the power of the eel is undeniable! Oishi to the max! Dessert was a delightful mango pudding. (Bonus desserts not pictured: Kiriko’s Ginger Ice cream and Shiso Sorbert)
But even this incredible signature bite was elevated more with the addition of Ken-san’s backyard figs this week. It is absolutely, ridiculously delicious!
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I love greatest hits, sometimes you just want home runs in one package in one meal with the perfect beverage(s) to pair.
New Order: Substance
The Cure: Staring At The Sea / Standing On A Beach
Depeche Mode: Catching Up With Depeche Mode
The Smiths Best Vol 1
Sushi Yoshizumi’s kaisen futomaki
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I need to go back to my original sushi hometown of Kiriko, though I fear Ken-san has disowned me already…
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sushi whore… 
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Carla Cafe LA. Instagram famous sandwich pop up. They do drops a few times a week. Need to request the link via instagram. Picked up the Tuna Chop today. It was messy. But very tasty.
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