Last week I walked into a new sushi bar & Izakaya spot (Izakaya is a type of communal drinking establishment similar to a pub) for lunch. As you walk into this spot the first thing you note is the customer service. For a mall spot (its in the trendier north end of the Northridge mall) the service was great. Maybe this was because the spot was new…. Either way the host was super friendly and we got the traditional greeting from the chefs. The next thing you notice is the decor – its definitely trying hard to be a trendy-lounge type spot; which makes scene since it is an Izakaya spot. However lets get down to what you really want to know about – the quality of the sushi.
I have eaten some good sushi throughout my life. I have paid top dollar for it and I have also gone to Shoguns in Northridge. All that to say I have run the gamut when it comes to sushi. This place falls somewhere in between. The price is definitely on the lower end of things. Not quite Shogun prices but not Go’s Mart prices either. However you are definitely getting good quality sushi for the price – actually I would say excellent quality sushi for the price.
Here is what I got:
- Mackerel – (ordered Spanish mackerel but they were out…). It was a bit to lemony and had a strange consistency.
- Yellowtail Toro – wow! High quality fish, melted in my mouth.
- Spicy Albacore Roll – usually most places serve spicy tuna (which is tuna mush) but this place had spicy albacore. It was one of my favorite rolls we tried. And it was only $4
- Miso soup – watered down, it seems like they used a powder instead of a paste to make this.
- Ginger – fresh, and I mean fresh!
- Wasabi – none of that fake stuff. You could tell it was made from the root. Super high quality!
Overall – I liked the service and decor. The sushi was really good. And I can’t wait to try their happy hour. Only downside is that they don’t have an alcohol license yet, so you can’t get sake with your sushi. (And what kind of Izakaya spot doesn’t have drinks!)
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 