"Sushi One Spot" Hits The Spot

Sushi One Spot of Rancho Cucamonga

Foothill Roll

Ocean Blue Roll

Yellowtail Belly Sushi

"John" Special (Deep-Fried Wonton Skin with
Assorted Fish and White Onions)

"All You Can Eat" Special at Sushi One Spot

Sushi One Spot of Rancho Cucamonga is indeed the only spot you need to hit if you want to satisfy some sushi cravings…and with an all-you-can-eat price of $23.95 daily (except during lunch Monday through Friday, when that price drops to $19.95), it’s tough to beat.

At Sushi One Spot, the “All You Can Eat” includes the rolls and unique items on the “Specials” side of the menu, as well as uni and halibut sushi (the latter two may only be ordered one time per customer, and only during dinnertime, should you choose the all-you-can-eat option).

I am usually skeptical of sushi bars that offer an all-you-can-stuff-in-your-face-in-one-hour package. Generally speaking, something’s usually amiss at places that prompt you to pig out at a discount. Perhaps the quality just isn’t there; perhaps the sushi rice isn’t properly seasoned; or maybe the chefs serve rice-heavy sushi rolls so that you load up on carbs instead of fish.

Sometimes, all-you-can-eat sushi joints serve rather ordinary rolls and just list them as special rolls on the menu, then everything arrives drowning in eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise, under an avalanche of deep-fried bits of tempura flakes or stuffed with too much cucumber. Patrons that frequent these types of places, then, tend to be those who are overly concerned with “getting a good deal” and mighty portions, rather than diners who actually care about taste and standards.

For dinner one night at Sushi One Spot, I decided on the “All You Can Eat” deal not just because two of the special rolls that appealed to me on the menu—the Foothill Roll and Ocean Blue Roll—would have cost $13.95 each a la carte; but for a restaurant that just opened three months ago, Sushi One Spot appeared spotless: an extensive, gleaming sushi bar with multiple chefs bellowing their greetings and eager to serve; an energy thrummed, and the place, already popular, was duly packed. The service here is also impeccable; the waiters cater nonstop without being pesky, as they briskly breeze past carrying platters of such whimsical-looking creations that you can’t help but inquire. “Oh, that’s the John,” one server replied when I asked about the plate of deep-fried wonton skins topped with a medley of chopped fish and white onions. (This four-piece item on the “Specials” side of the menu, known as “John,” is $8.95 a la carte.)

As loyal Yelp fans might have noticed, at least during the grand opening of this restaurant, there was much fanfare—perhaps they no longer had the dry ice that was served with salmon sashimi for one foggy effect, but they still had some pretty ornamental platters that I’d seen online. I requested, for presentation’s sake, that my Foothill Roll be served on a glittery hot pink butterfly-shaped plate, and so it arrived that way, the green of the wasabi tobiko on jalapeno slices and red dollops of Sriracha hot sauce contrasting nicely against the fuchsia hue. Inside this roll sits quite an interesting mix of ingredients: perhaps imitation crab may sound ordinary, but pairing imitation crab with cilantro, cream cheese and yellowtail certain makes things more interesting.

Then there was the Ocean Blue Roll, which I requested because I’ve never seen a spicy tuna and yamagobo roll that gets topped with slices of octopus and jalapeno, as well as slices of lemon (rind and all, for that extra zest).

The chef even suggested he could serve me half a roll (four pieces instead of eight) so that I could taste even more varieties without getting too stuffed to keep ordering. And so I had four pieces of a house favorite, the “One Spot” Roll—a combination of tuna, white tuna and salmon, wrapped in soy paper and avocado and then served with chili oil, ponzu sauce, masago and green onions. The halibut sushi was delightful with the garlic ponzu sauce I requested, as was the order of yellowtail belly sushi, which the chef chose to serve with a tasty mixture of soy sauce, chili oil, lemon juice and real wasabi.

For those who want the basic rolls and nigiri, look to the back of the menu and you'll find the standard rolls, such as the Philadelphia, Caterpillar, and Rainbow. (Sushi One Spot does introduce something they call the Canadian Roll on this list, which is simply a roll with salmon, avocado and cucumber.) Choose from nigiri ranging from ono to sweet shrimp. Appetizers, also included in the "All You Can Eat," can vary from gyozas to takoyaki.

The sushi rice here is excellent, the fish fresh and the creativity spectacular; I was almost shocked that such upscale fare could be served at such a nominal price.

The “All You Can Eat” lunch price of $19.95 is honored Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. All day on Saturdays and Sundays, and during dinnertime on weekdays, the “All You Can Eat” deal is currently $23.95. Children under the age of 7 may eat for $14.95.

Sushi One Spot

10990 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga

909-941-1180

Irori Sushi of Marina Del Rey: An Intimate Dining Experience

Sunken Tables at Irori Sushi

Salmon Blue Crab with White Truffle Oil and Ponzu Sauce 

Bluefin Burrata Sashimi with Balsamic Reduction

Kanpachi Caviar

Filet Mignon Uni with Spinach, Red Wine Sauce 

Shooter with Yamaimo

Get Comfortable at Irori Sushi of Marina Del Rey

Irori Sushi creates that certain magic that occurs when traditional Japanese cuisine blends perfectly with a daring twist of fusion, combining a medley of exotic ingredients along with familiar Americanized flavors.

Situated in a shopping complex in the seaside city of Marina Del Rey, Irori Sushi makes sure you feel right at home with their “no-shoes” policy (you are asked to remove your shoes and place them in a cubbyhole right as you enter). And should you happen to not be wearing any socks as you awkwardly tiptoe in, don’t worry—the hostess will hand you a pair of black nylon ones, which look like the little try-on socks you don at a shoe store…the better to protect their delicate tatami floors, another fine feature of this relaxed and intimate dining experience.

You can choose to sit at the sunken sushi bar—the hostess lifts the legless, light-as-air chair so that you can position yourself on what is essentially an elevated floor in the establishment before she tucks the cushioned faux-chair underneath you—or you may want to sit at one of the many sunken tables, which seat three to eight people, depending on the size of the table or whether the table is designed against a wall.

One of the most popular plates here is the “Salmon Blue Crab,” which is shaped like a sushi roll, but without using rice or seaweed. Quite simply, it’s a special item that features blue crab and avocado wrapped with salmon sashimi and then topped with white truffle oil, ponzu sauce, micro arugula and miniature edible flowers. It’s $24 for this six-piece wonder that will leave you in awe for hours.

For a nontraditional approach to bluefin tuna, you can choose between the Bluefin Burrata Sashimi (with Burrata cheese, Balsamic Reduction, yuzu and kai salt) and the Bluefin Delight Sashimi (with a creamy miso-based Nuta sauce, mirin and brown sugar). Both plates cost $28 and come with six pieces of the coveted bluefin. It may be a matter of personal taste, but the Bluefin Burrata blew me away, particularly the way the rich Italian cheese coalesced with the tart balsamic.

Although the "Kanpachi Caviar" dish was fresh and the citrus flavor resonated with me, I found it to be a bit of a misnomer, for part of the name was actually referring to lime caviar, or the tiny gelatinous balls bursting with lime flavor, rather than fish eggs, as I’d thought. (I’ve only seen something similar one time, and that was the lemon caviar served with king crab at the now-defunct Kumo of Hollywood, although on Kumo's menu, it had specified “lemon caviar” and “orange caviar.”)

Taking my taste buds to a whole new level, I ventured to order the “Filet Mignon Uni,” which came with spinach, red wine sauce, balsamic glaze and grated shiso. The chef briefly seared the entire dish with his torch. The result? A rather curious dish with a woodsy pungence. The spears of asparagus (as well as the sauces) actually added a lot to the flavors, offsetting some of the gamey taste that might occur when you pair raw sea urchin with rare filet mignon.

Drawing upon a photo a fan of Irori Sushi had posted online, I asked the chef to make me an oyster and uni shooter with some good ol’ yamaimo—otherwise known as the white Japanese mountain yam—sticking out of the shot glass. Trust me, it makes a good chaser, and beats most super saccharine post-sushi desserts.

Irori Sushi
4371 Glencoe Ave., Marina Del Rey
310-822-3700

Sushi by Culinary Students at Bistro 31 of Santa Monica

Yellowtail Carpaccio

Spicy Salmon Bowl with Sushi Rice

Salmon Onigiri 

Kimchi & Tuna Roll 

Spicy Salmon Tartare with Salmon Roe

Bistro 31 Knows Sushi...And Onigiri Too

For student-prepared fare, the sushi at Bistro 31 is actually quite stellar, and offers a contemporary twist to the artistry and nuances of this Japanese delicacy.

Operated by members of The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California, Los Angeles, Bistro 31 is a Zagat-rated restaurant that is open to the public, offering a cuisine that fuses Asian, French and California flavors—at an affordable price.

As such, you might occasionally find the Yellowtail Carpaccio located next to Cold Somen Noodles with Shrimp on the menu; or happen upon Spicy Salmon Bowl with Sushi Rice on the same page as an entrée called the Traditional Korean Bibimbap.

The newly introduced Salmon Onigiri, listed as a Thursday special, may be ordered with Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass….Show up the following week, and the items have been replaced by Kimchi & Tuna Roll, and Pulled Pork Banh Mi, as the menu may vary from day to day.

The Salmon Onigiri, at its induction, cost a mere $1—a whopper of a deal for three balls of sushi rice, grilled salmon and seasonings, topped with shaved bonito and paired with spicy pickled radishes. Two weeks later, the tester-item price had been marked up to $3, still a steal for a trio of scrumptious rice balls so chock-full of salmon; this time, they were slightly larger, and cheekily garnished with cilantro.

With its cooked tuna and spicy pickled cabbage, the Kimchi & Tuna Roll seems to simultaneously suggest Korean and Japanese food—albeit highly Americanized, with the white fish baked and the Kimchi attenuated in pungence. All the same, it makes a unique sushi roll traditionally encased in sushi rice and seaweed, served with wasabi and ginger.

The sushi rice here is well-seasoned, most notably in the Spicy Salmon Bowl, where it was paired perfectly with avocado and shredded seaweed (the unexpected pickled cucumbers and leafy greens in the bowl were a nice surprise). For only $4, the serving was fairly hefty and satisfying.

Were it not for its manageable prices and location—in a building filled with classrooms—you may not know this was an establishment run by culinary arts majors; during lunchtime, the place can be seen catering to companies that share the same business park. Here, future restaurateurs and employees learn everything from the art of plating to customer service. It is professional and smooth—down to the fresh bread brought to your table and the suggestions of dessert: will it be a Caramel Walnut Brownie or some Deconstructed Cherry Pie? How about the French Macaroons with Bavarian Cream, for $2?

Lunch prices generally range from $3 to $7 per item, though you might start with the $1 Miso Soup. For dinner, expect fancier dishes such as Pan-Seared Day Boat Scallops for $15; or, for those who fancy a bird, Bistro 31 has been known to serve a Modernist Chicken Cordon Bleu for $11.

Business hours may vary by quarter, but the restaurant is generally open three days a week, from about 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, and for dinner from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Bistro 31

2900 31st Street, Santa Monica

310-314-6057

Sushi Ran: For Bay Area Aficionados

Zuke Chu Toro (Red Wine Cured
Medium Fatty Blue Fin Tuna)

Kasugodai (Baby Red Snapper)

Kamasu (Seared Barracuda) with Myoga ginger 

Soft Shell Crawfish Roll