Zo not omakase

Sushi Zo, sushi-nazism at its finest.

"Chef Keizo say no soy sauce."

"Chef Keizo say you can put soy sauce now."

"Chef Keizo say no photos. Or you will get kicked out."

And these are the orders that are commanded of us from Keizo's army while each dish is placed in front of us. As I sheepishly stuff my camera back into my bag, I think to myself: Aren't I a patron? Sure as hell doesn't feel like it. But I had it coming. Clearly printed in bold ink, on the menu in font 32, lists Keizo's "10 Commandments" of sushi doctrine. Need I say more?

Even with these strict rules, Sushi Zo has its share of die hard fans. Many go as far as to claim that Zo lies next in line to Urasawa! And truth be told, it is probably one of the finer, if not the finest sushi joints I've experienced. Not only are the morsels of fish fresh, but fresh to a point where I even forget that I'm eating expired fish. This may be an oxymoron, but I didn't note the slightest fishy-ness. Keizo has a dizzying array of sushi; some specials are imported from Japan. So you will be able get your hands on exotic, bite-sized pieces of Baby Tuna - tuna in its adolescent stage, thus "baby", creamier than its older counterparts, and very good -

and maybe some Skipjack Tuna which is also a rare but delicious find.

Even the Spanish Mackerel, which I usually shy away from because of its intimidating glistening skin, is devoid of fishy-ness and lies in harmony with the ponzu sauce and ginger.

Salmon with pickled radish

Normally a mundane sushi on its own, but paired with Keizo's homemade soy sauce and a sliver of pickled radish, seem to perk it up a bit.

The damage? 24 whopping pieces per person! The only gripe I have is the non-appearance of uni and salmon roe. Which makes me wonder, has our hunger for sea urchin finally drove them to the brink of extinction? Twice I've entered Nijiya Supermarket with disapoinment. No uni. Even Kiriko on Sawtelle did not carry uni that night. Once again, we've inadvertently finished off a specie.

 But there's a caveat to all this gushing. Fridays and Saturdays are omakase only. Which is fine by me. I've no qualms with omakase, it's the lazy man's way of enjoying sushi in gastronomic porportions. Although I do believe that omakase should be creative, seasonal, and different from the regular menu. The whole point of omakase meaning "entrust" should be a journey of the unexpected, at least I wholeheartedly believe so. Sushi Zo fails in this aspect. Each small piece of sushi is straight from the sushi checklist without deviation, save a few in the opening act:

What a peculiar presentation! Although the taste is anything but intriguing. Two baby squids with a dallop of miso dressing. Let your imaginations run wild.

The closest thing to uni tonight: ika (squid) noodles infused with uni.

So is this a true omakase? Keizo's creativity is somewhat limited to the first few offerings, then followed with everything off the sushi menu. There is no contest to the quality of the seafood and I have no objection to his traditional-Edo style method. I've even grown to love the warm rice that sometimes falls apart in the soy sauce. But to install the omakase only decree is a bit hard to stomach, even if it is only on weekends. Since the dishes are strictly from the menu, I would prefer the liberty of ordering my favorites and leave off the likes of salmon and such. Grumbling aside, I will be back for the iron-fisted sushi policy, being the masochist that I am. But on weekdays, undoubtedly.

Sushi Zo

9824 National Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90034-2713 -

(310) 842-3977

Ikko's Omakase at a glance

Does LA or OC reign supreme in sushi?

There has always been some controversy on this matter amongst myself and my OC cohorts. I decide to take it upon myself to shed some light on this issue. Having dined at Ikko a few times, I feel that it would suffice to represent the OC region. Ikko is located in a non-descript strip mall like most restaurants in the So-Cal vicinity. The interior is modern and sleek, fusing with the jazz playing in the background, already cueing us in to Ikko's contemporary approach.

Rather than going thru each dish and redundantly describing the texture and temperature of each slab of fish, I've decided to elaborate on a few standout ones -- plates that were a little more divine than the usual. (My feeble attempt at an excuse for laziness, mind you.)

The ankimo (monkfish liver) pâté.

Steamed Egg with Uni infused sauce and shaved black truffles.

The champion dish is the steamed egg with uni and truffles. The pervasive smell of freshly grated truffle lingers in the air wooing you to take a mouthful. A bite too soon! The tongue scalds.

Foi gras and crispy wafer

It's evident that Chef Ikko likes to play Franco-Japanese style. And you can't blame him. This is above and beyond your typical fusion sushi joint where you will find foi gras instead of yellowtail sashimi and jalapeno. I, for one, have no affinity for anything fusion. Yet, somehow Japanese and French seem to coalesce well here. Maybe it's the yin and yang factor of light and heavy cuisine. Ikko's love for French cuisine shines through and accentuates an otherwise mediocre sushi establishment. Despite the frequent import of Japanese fish, the sushi seem to dim in comparison to the likes of Zo, Mori and what not. I can say with veritable triumph that LA sushi reigns supreme But is it a fair comparison? Probably not.

Ikko

735 Baker Street

Suite C

Costa Mesa

(714) 556-7822

Sushi Sushi - Unchanging

An old sweetheart should always be there to give guidance, be available for coffe, and knows what makes you tick, in theory. And this is exactly what Sushi Sushi is to me. Shige San has never beguiled me with trickery and empty promises. With almost assembly like speed, he always creates beautiful plates of sushi art.

 The rice to fish ratio is always a perfect 1:3. There are times I almost forget of Sushi Sushi's existence with the dizzying lineup of new and notable places to try. Yet, he's always in my subconscious, beckoning me to come and enjoy an old comfort. A place where surprises don't occur.

The uni has always been a pillow of creamy sweetness with just the right amount of brininess.

The ikura, most likely preserved by Shige San himself, seems lighter than its counterparts, almost like bubbles made of sea water.

The hand-grated wasabi portrays his traditional side, never succumbing to the freakishly green synthetic paste in a tube.

Perfect pieces of sushi roll out sequentially, almost at a tangible pace. Every visit seems to entail the same methodical story; uni sashimi, sweet shrimp, hamachi, toro.. ending with a tuna handroll.

 

Why don't you stimulate my senses anymore? Monotony isn't conducive to a healthy relationship! Years have gone by and yet nothing has changed. Your uniform courses have not fluctuated with the season nor has your "specials". Maybe next year when we meet again, your offerings will been tweaked, but not bereft of that traditional value I've always known to love.

Sushi Sushi
36 1/2 Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 277-1165
http://www.sushisushibh.com/