Yabu on Pico does a great Mackerel (and Salmon which I did not try last night) Battera
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For whatever reason, I’ve just always had bad luck at Yabu. Terrible noodles, lifeless shari, you name it.
I want very badly to like this place, especially with Morinoya now closed. But the fates conspire…
I used to feel the same way but the head guy from Yabu La Cienga is now running things (since that branch closed). I am not sure of his name but he knows what he is doing.
I’m not saying it’s mind blowing by any means - the noodles are a little gummy but (to me) not terrible - but it is a lot better than it has been for the last decade or so.
thanks for the tip, is that shiso i see?
yup
Izakaya Hachi-Costa Mesa
Fukuno-Gardena
Morinoya-Sawtelle, R.I.P.
Mako Sushi-Little Tokyo
Sakae-Gardena (homestyle takeout)
Nijiya
No pics but not bad for market sushi! The rice is koshihikari says the label.
To do list:
Osawa in Pasadena
Shibucho in Costa Mesa
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Battera and definitely get the futomaki to go.
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It was your mentioning that placed it on my to do list! Thank you!
Izakaya Hachi:
Honestly my least favorite! I like the ume sauce with the saba battera and the eggs on top of salmon battera which was a nice touch. The fish is “seared” here but I wanted to taste the vinegar! Maybe it was seared too long? I want to taste the vinegar, umami, and a touch of sweet. It’s why I like this dish cause it hits all of those wonderful flavors.
Also got:
Rice was black on the bottom and not much crab flavor. I going to be kinda of a jackass here but why not cook this with the crab shells and some crab guts? At $17 I got burnt rice
Thank you @Sgee
Shibucho (Costa Mesa)
Damn good Battera here!
FYI no takeout battera and futomaki during warm months
Edit
You are right on the futomaki, really good. I think the Taisho put some fried eel in it. The Kanpur was not overly sweet. Ate a little more because a friend and his wife wants to go to OC Night Market and I hate Instagram food. So I offset the inevitable clusterfuk with some traditional food
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Glad you enjoyed it!
Btw from the archives of the Proterozoic period of the web where I discovered Shibucho
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Love the throwback CH thread. russkar, kevin, melanie wong…good posters of yore.
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Melanie is still active on chowhound, I believe.
Is that kanpyo of tekka maki?
At the Koji Kimura sushi seminar, Japan House… It was outstanding.
(note: Battera prepared by the excellent Chef Taka Narui)
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Kanpyo, damn autocorrect.
Stop by if you are in the area and in the mood for battera.
Forgot to post my battera from Inaba (Torrance)
I was there too and that Battera was excellent. I was wondering who the caterer was, but alas I see from the website that the minimum order is 50 people. I could live on that battera.
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For those of you who have been to both, which do you recommend - Kappo Sui or Shibucho?
Shibucho is an old school sushi house, where Kappo Sui is, well, more casual. And it’s more general washoku a menu.
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