Sushi stop

Raw fish, done right, all the time

by

You’ve heard of the pescatarian diet (covered elsewhere in this issue), as well as the raw food diet (vegan, with no foodstuffs raised over 118 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Me? I thought a cross between those was a far better approach. The best of both worlds: I call it the All-Sushi Diet. 

There is no better place to eat raw fish in our region than Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub (1815 South Coast Hwy.) in Oceanside. While Davin Waite’s sushi is deeply respectful of tradition, it definitely isn’t strictly Edo-mai style. It is, in fact, sui generis, a thing unto itself: the best ingredients put together in ways that make intuitive sense and many that don’t right up until you taste them. It’s outrageously creative excellence.

At the other end of the spectrum are two sushi bars that adhere to the pristine perfection of the classic style: Sushi Dokoro Shirahama (4212 Convoy Street, Kearny Mesa) and Sushi Tadokoro (2244 San Diego Ave.) in Old Town. At Shirahama, Koji Kotani’s strict interpretations of sushi will teach diners something they did not know. Tadokoro’s omakase is an edible dance performance, progressing from white fish to shiny, playing with offal and unusual ingredients such as baby conger eel, before finishing with anago (OK, broiled and sauced salt water eel isn’t raw but it is sushi).

Himitsu (1030-G Torrey Pines Road) in La Jolla was mentioned in the pescatarian piece, and for good reason: Chef Mitsu Aihara goes back to the origins of sushi. His cures—a technique originally intended to lengthen fish shelf life at a time refrigeration wasn’t possible—yield flavor profiles far better than merely “fresh” fish. Try the zuke sushi—tuna marinated for a few hours in soy—or the kohada (gizzard shad).

Say “sushi” and most think nigiri (or California rolls). For a different take, however, hit up j/wata Temaki Bar (4646 Convoy St. #103) in the Convoy District for its unusually crafted temaki: tubular rather than conical (think hand-rolls). Freshly toasted nori wrappers yield a crisp exterior that counterbalances the warm rice and (usually) cold fillings. The ikura roll is simple perfection:  salmon eggs, a shiso leaf, sushi rice and nori. The saltiness of the salmon eggs pairs brilliantly with the slightly grassy, cinnamon and spearmint flavor of the shiso.

There’s no such thing as good cheap sushi: Take that to the bank. The closest in San Diego is Kura Revolving Sushi Bar (4609 Convoy St., Suite F). Instead of a sushi chef making the sushi behind a bar and handing it directly to the customer, Kura’s chefs are in the back and the sushi is delivered by an elaborate conveyor belt system. Grab whichever dish appeals. It’s efficient, mechanized, fast and creates a sense of silly fun.

But for an almost literally unbelievable sushi experience head south of the border to Toshi-Toshi (Av. Colima 2292, Col. Madero) in Tijuana. Helmed by the longtime sushi sous to the legendary Yukito Ota of Sushi Ota, Toshi-Toshi offers nothing less than high-end omakase. While most of the offerings are Edo-mai style, the grand finale is a tour de force of luxury: uni, truffle, quail egg, fresh wasabi and more. It shouldn’t work, but oh boy, it does!

In my view the best way to cook fish is not to cook it at all. Sometimes serving an ingredient entirely raw, with no more manipulation than curing or marination highlights its natural flavors, textures and subtleties. There’s nothing to hide behind. That’s what sushi is all about. And if I had to eat one thing for the rest of my days (or at least the week), it had to be sushi.