grainy gindara? that seems wrong. i’ve seen it grilled most often after a marinade of miso and sake lees.
i’ve never seen a combo of toro and pickled radish before. i’m assuming it was basically a negitoro roll which means the toro was the scrapings off the belly skin and by definition would have a ‘mushy’ texture with the richness being… mitigated/obscured by the pickled radish. seems like an unusual pairing that doesn’t immediately make sense to me. a chacon son gout
the luster of the rice in that crab roll is amazing.
they will remember the generous tip and want to earn it again on subsequent visits.
Torotaku isn’t that unusual of a combination. But it’s a good combination! Had it at several places in the past year or so (usually as maki or temaki - always at the end). It’s perhaps most famous from Sushi Sho, and ohagi is one of their signature offerings.
Different than negitoro. For scraping technique, i think you mean kawagishi, since there’s not necessarily negi here. Some places have it with negi, some with chiffonade shiso and goma, also. This one actually was mixed with both takuan and Maui onion (milder than negi). Great texture contrasts.
When it’s served as a maki roll, the nori needs to be really good and crisp.
thanks for your reply. actually i was referring to the cut roll which i associated to the description of toro & pickled radish. it may be relatively common but i personally haven’t seen it. i’m sure there are a lot of things i haven’t seen.
You might like it, and I know it sounds odd at first, but it’s quite interesting. Sometimes I’ll order a negitoro maki and torotaku maki so my dining partner and I both have 3 pieces of each, for comparison. IMO the crisp nori is really key for the right texture contrast. At Shiki (Beverly Hills, not the takeout bento chain), Hiro-san served it as an isobeyaki or sorts - a piece of nigiri wrapped in a sheet or nori.
Anyway, nice repot @TheCookie. Sushi Sushi does use slightly unusual proportions for their nigiri - very long and narrow cuts with a tiny rice ball.
Good job on your detailed sushi report. I’m glad to hear about your experiences at Sushi Sushi, and you’re starting to discern what you like and don’t like about certain types of fish / preparations.
As you continue on your sushi journey, I think you’ll find your palate developing more and more, appreciating the subtleties of fish and rice, and certain sushi chefs.
One thing to note: Even though you might not like a certain fish at one restaurant, you might consider allowing the chef at a new restaurant you’re visiting the first time to still prepare all types of fish (i.e., don’t ban any particular type of fish yet). You might discover that a fish you disliked at one place is wonderful somewhere else, and that might be because of the freshness or province of the fish (local Mackerel vs. Mackerel from Japan), or in the preparation / seasoning from one place vs. another.
Love Toro Takuan. At least most of the time in Northern California, it is a custom request. Same goes for many hosomaki (simple cut rolls with not more than 2 or 3 very basic ingredients)
Reposting the rendition I had at Kasen in Fountain Valley couple years back which was supremely good. This is not on the menu, but as long as the restaurant has takuan, this can be made unless the chef refuses to do it and adheres to strange restaurant policies.
The Yellowtail cheek with braised daikon is a variation of the classic Japanese dish, buri daikon ぶり大根. The one you had at Sushi Sushi has no signs of sauce/broth, and the fish is grilled (vs simmered).
example pic
Here, both fish and daikon absorb the liquid goodness / sauce / broth and go very well together (more excellent when the daikon is dabbed with a little karashi / Japanese mustard, which is more of an oden approach, but works just as brilliantly). This dish also facilitates the consumption of good sake (non expensive kind) and does very well with properly warmed sake in addition.
Other variants of this prep include fish head (instead of chunks of fish)or parts of the head/collar and bones (“ara-ni”).
I prefer this far more than the tried and true grilled hamachi kama.
Maybe the grainy description of the gindara isn’t the correct adjective, and it could be the marinades you mention altered the flesh. There really wasn’t anything wrong with it. I just don’t care for cod so much.
Thanks for the input everyone. I want to read a few of your posts again before answering, discussing and questions; plus I want to look a few things up . This really is Sushi School. It’s work, but fun!
P.S. I have also been to a couple of places y’all have just mentioned… TBC.
In the summertime, I like maki of ume with shiso and yamaimo - very refreshing. Kanpyo maki is also a classic, but I don’t get it enough. Forgot where I had it, but uni with cuttlefish is great, too.
I wonder if slimy foods will ever catch on in the States. Yamaimo, okra, nameko, natto, raw egg etc.
I remember the first time I had neba-neba soba it was quite a shocker. Now I am a fan.
The goal! I see that happening the more places I eat and repeat visits to others. Now it’s about learning the nomenclature of the basic styles of sushi and fish, the flavors and textures, and not screwing up my etiquette . I’m learning much more, but you get it. I would eventually like to delve into the mystery of rice - which is probably not a mystery to some - and the reason for the order of dishes. Some revelations come accidentally. We had lunch at Yuko Kitchen in Mid-City today. It has nothing to do with my sushi journey. It’s just a funky, little neighborhood spot that serves healthy, Asian fusion dishes and yummy bowls. I was eating my bowl and noted the rice. It was basic, starchy, Japanese rice, perfectly fine for a bowl, just not premium sushi. I would not have made that distinction a couple of months ago.
Absolutely. I will let chefs serve what they like, even if it is something I didn’t care for previously. Some posters seem to be passionate about torotaku, so that I would like to try again.
So how did everyone else learn to appreciate sushi? Was it a concerted and determined effort? Or just a natural progression, where you began to seek out better versions of a food that intrigued and beguiled you?
I’m glad to hear about your experiences at Sushi Sushi, and you’re starting to discern what you like and don’t like about certain types of fish / preparations. 
. This really is Sushi School. It’s work, but fun!
. I’m learning much more, but you get it. I would eventually like to delve into the mystery of rice - which is probably not a mystery to some - and the reason for the order of dishes. Some revelations come accidentally. We had lunch at Yuko Kitchen in Mid-City today. It has nothing to do with my sushi journey. It’s just a funky, little neighborhood spot that serves healthy, Asian fusion dishes and yummy bowls. I was eating my bowl and noted the rice. It was basic, starchy, Japanese rice, perfectly fine for a bowl, just not premium sushi. I would not have made that distinction a couple of months ago.
