So does anyone locally regularly offer ‘branded’ unis on the menu - hadate, higashizawa, tachibana, daisen etc.?
all pics stolen from the internet
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You could try this place that carries some of these since you asked there, perhaps you can take one for the team 
Either that or befriend a chef who has an account with the distributor Yume/Rainier uses.
Having had Hadate in Japan even if it wasn’t in season necessarily, it did not blow me away like some lesser known vendor branded uni… I had better Hokkaido Nemuro uni than Hadate… and I am not alone in my assesment
(Don’t get caught up on brand names and don’t believe everything those VIP instagrammers that show off, they have their own agendas)
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I think you’re in luck my friend these markings are similar but not quite the same… The Joint Eatery in Sherman oaks. You may want to inquire if you have specific thoughts as I am not even sure the below pic is the same uni they sell at the market, but they sell in their market bafun uni from Hokkaido for $30/30g or $70/100g
respectfully disagree when reliable alternatives do not exist.
Aka uni from Awajishima is in season now. There is reasonable Nemuro Hokkaido bafun uni I
had recently at a local sushi restaurant that’s neither of these brand names, but really good quality that I’m happy with and very sweet and pristine. There are other aka uni from western Japan non brand name that are very very good also.
Hayato has used that aka uni before, and Yume/Rainier is using it also. It may not be from the brand you are asking about, but as an alternative, it’s very tasty.
But like I said if you really want those brand names, find someone and befriend them who has an account who purchases those and willing to let you buy at whatever price they want to charge you.
But if you’re asking for where to buy in NY, can’t help you there since the distribution system is different from my understanding.
I’m also saying the QPR may not be there for these brand name uni’s… Hopefully you have a chance to try these other uni’s I’m talking about and give them a chance.
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Had a few rounds of various Aka uni this season from my source in NYC, trying to figure out an LA alternative.
Always open to trying new non-branded uni, just need reliable chefs or supplier to navigate.
Just to confirm, are you looking for a restaurant where you can order pieces of uni made with brand name uni, or are you looking to directly purchase boxes of brand name uni?
Both
Try the San Diego murasaki purveyors (Sushi Ota uses them; damn I wish I could recall their distributor’s name) - In any case, SD uni is particularly soft, sweet and pleasurable on the back-end finish.
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Yang’s Kitchen and Market in Alhambra is selling Hokkaido uni, 250 gr. for $110, $150, or $200, depending on quality:
“We now have three different tiers of uni available to you. They are all superb, and the higher the price, the higher the quality. 250g of pristine Hokkaido Bafun Uni via US Sakasyu, leading supplier of premium Japanese seafood flown directly via Toyosu Fish Market! This is a pre-order for Wednesday 9/2 pickup (please contact us to schedule a pickup time). Please order by Sunday 3pm. Note: Uni may appear different from the image. The uni is purchased daily at an auction at the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo, just for you!”
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Inaba Manhattan Beach was also operating as a Toyosu fish market as well, give them a call and see if they can special order the brand name uni and get a list of what else non brand name is available.
The aka uni from Awajishima is pretty good! I had a piece of it as sushi recently, although I think the bafun is sweeter.
Do note that there are varying grades of uni (and other fish). Just because a place advertises they have Hokkaido Bafun uni, it doesn’t indicate what the quality is (nor what the price tier/differentials are on the wholesale levels).
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Yeah I find aka uni has a different flavor profile altogether compared to bafun, more umami/savory, less creamy or sweet compared to murasaki and bafun respectively.
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Great! I’ve seen them on instagram too. Thanks!
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According the LA Times (paywall) they’ve always sold to the public (something I’m definitely going to test out after quarantine):
They were great when we ordered from them in May.
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