Monday, January 23, 2006

A sushi sensation and experience at SUSHI OTA in San Diego

Prior to coming to San Diego, I did lots of research into where to dine. We need a place that was convenient and reasonably quick on our final night, since we had to get up at 530AM today for the early flight home. I decided on SUSHI OTA, since it has the highest ratings for sushi in the San Diego region and it happened to be less than 5 minutes from our hotel at 4529 Mission Bay Drive (at Bunker Hill) just north of Mission Bay where we were staying.

The unpresuming location in a mini-mart mini-mall next to a 7-11 and a car dealer was daunting at first. We entered the small establishment to find numerous groups waiting and told the hostess we had a reservation. She mumbled something to another women and we waited (albeit not very patiently). Smokers hovered outside the door, so every time someone entered a huge blast of chilly air (it was about 55 degrees last night) blew in, first chilling us, then filling our noses with tons of cigarette smoke, as we stood next to the door to avoid the wait staff and bumping into the clients eating nearby. For 30 minutes we endured this, finally speaking up and ultimately getting the next table 2 minutes later (right next to that same door!). A bottle of DRY CREEK 2003 FUME BLANC helped to dull our nerves that were twisted as we perused the confusing menus, not being sushi experts at all.

We stared at the table of six Japanese men (the place was full of Asians) who were dining on a special multi-course meal that looked intoxicating and fabulous. We assumed it was ordered in advance, as most of the dishes we saw were not on the menu (we did ask our waitress that much). I honestly felt like it was the tasting part of an IRON CHEF show going on next to us. Next time we do this, I will try to arrange such a tasting in advance as we have done before at KAZ Sushi at home!

We settled on several menu items and several specials and Will asked for an order of the SHRIMP FRIED RICE that was quite tasty with lots of large shrimp all bundled up in it.

First came the SUSHI SELECTION including the traditional sorts: CALIFORNIA ROLL, TUNA, YELLOWTAIL, OCTOPUS (Will loved that), EEL (perhaps the best I have ever had), WHITEFISH, SALMON & SHRIMP (the least exciting as it often is). Next came the TORO SPECIAL a superior slightly-seared version all piled up around a mild white julienned radish with a pile of delicious GARLIC PASTE on top in PONZU VINEGAR SAUCE. It was superb!

Within seconds another large plate arrived with more beautiful white shredded radish covered with a hollowed lobster tail for decoration. Surrounding the OMAKASE SASHIMI Platter was a gorgeous presentation of raw fish: FATTY TUNA BELLY, SEA URCHIN, GREAT AMBERJACK, BABY ABALONE, and a hefty portion of LOBSTER TAIL. This dish offered some of the best and perhaps the worst raw fish we have ever had. I can take or leave Sea Urchin, but Will truly did not care for its spongy texture that has the most bizarre feel in the mouth. The tuna belly was superb, the GREAT AMBERJACK perhaps the best piece of sashimi I have ever had in my life and the LOBSTER was a new and exciting experience, never having eaten it raw before. Quite delicious! The biggest disappointment, and the oddest part of the entire meal was the raw BABY ABALONE. I asked both the waitress and the hostess if was supposed to be SO HARD, think like trying to chew through gristle on meat, and they both said they didn't know. We had to ultimately swallow the think whole, or spit it out (which we really couldn't do). Having swallowed it, I got virtually no taste out of it, Will called it cardboard. I have had the rare cooked abalone before, but this was truly AWFUL. I wonder if any of you out there can say if you have had sashimi abalone and if it IS supposed to be this way.

Our final dish was a magnificent KOBE BEEF CARPACCIO that deserves a million bravos. I had this with a small portion of heated MASUMI "OKUDEN KANTSUKURI" ("Mirror of Truth") Sake which was dry and tasty, but while warm, has a "cool" feeling in the mouth. I loved it. Will had his traditional Sapporo beer and we headed back to hotel for an early bedtime.

Phyllis in the air again