I read a review on the internet saying that it was the best sushi joint
in southern Cal., so I went there for lunch. I ordered chirashi which
is what i always order, and I noticed that everybody else in the place
was also eating chirashi, a very good sign, I thought.

There are two choices in chirashi, regular $10, and deluxe $18. I had
the deluxe (same as everyone else, I think - and everyone else seemed
to be Japanese).

One or two of the reviewers said that they might try to discourage
gaijin, but they were very friendly to me.

The chirashi was great! Super fresh - included uni and abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only get
it in California. This place ranks right up there with my all time
favorite, Sushi Ten, in Tucson - actually it's even better. Though not
quite as copious, the ingredients are more sophisticated and fresher -
which makes sense considering their respective locations.

Yet another great restaurant in the greatest Asian food locale that I
know of - Orange County, CA.

wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only get
it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in Hartsdale
NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Ken Blake wrote:
wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only get
it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in Hartsdale
NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


It must have been shipped in from overseas, probably frozen. I believe
it is illegal to export fresh or frozen abalone from the west coast.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

So what did you think of it, Ken? It caught me by surprise. I thought
is was a piece of I don't know what at first as it has a different
consistency from the fish. I'll like it better the next time when i
know what to expect.

There was another thing I had there - it tasted rather "fishy" as if it
was not so fresh, but everything else there was shockingly fresh, so it
must have been something different, but I don't know what, and I didn't
ask.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Ken Blake wrote:
wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only get
it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in
Hartsdale
NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


It must have been shipped in from overseas, probably frozen. I believe
it is illegal to export fresh or frozen abalone from the west coast.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

So what did you think of it, Ken? It caught me by surprise. I thought
is was a piece of I don't know what at first as it has a different
consistency from the fish. I'll like it better the next time when i
know what to expect.

There was another thing I had there - it tasted rather "fishy" as if it
was not so fresh, but everything else there was shockingly fresh, so it
must have been something different, but I don't know what, and I didn't
ask.


Yes, Azuma in Hartsdale usually carry Awabi. So does Tsuru also in
Hartsdale.
While I appreciate abalone in cooked form, in both Japanese and Chinese
cuisines
as well as a "steak" form American style, I find abalone in sushi a bit "too
tough" for my preference.
Good mirugai also has that texture which I appreciate.
I see nothing indicating it is illergal to ship abalone, either live or
frozen accross
the United States.
In fact here is an abalone farm that does just that.
http://www.abalonefarm.com/live.htm

M

Musashi wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Ken Blake wrote:
wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only get
it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in
Hartsdale
NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


It must have been shipped in from overseas, probably frozen. I believe
it is illegal to export fresh or frozen abalone from the west coast.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

So what did you think of it, Ken? It caught me by surprise. I thought
is was a piece of I don't know what at first as it has a different
consistency from the fish. I'll like it better the next time when i
know what to expect.

There was another thing I had there - it tasted rather "fishy" as if it
was not so fresh, but everything else there was shockingly fresh, so it
must have been something different, but I don't know what, and I didn't
ask.


Yes, Azuma in Hartsdale usually carry Awabi. So does Tsuru also in
Hartsdale.
While I appreciate abalone in cooked form, in both Japanese and Chinese
cuisines
as well as a "steak" form American style, I find abalone in sushi a bit "too
tough" for my preference.
Good mirugai also has that texture which I appreciate.
I see nothing indicating it is illergal to ship abalone, either live or
frozen accross
the United States.
In fact here is an abalone farm that does just that.
http://www.abalonefarm.com/live.htm

M


Hi, Musashi -

OK, it must be farmed abalone...

I found this:

"Abalone is so tightly protected that it can legally be caught only by
sport fishermen north of San Francisco Bay and only if the fishermen
are free-diving, without breathing equipment. Anything else is illegal.
And yet, abalone appears on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's list of "best
choice" seafood. But only in its farmed form, of course, and that quite
likely means that it comes from the Abalone Farm, which accounts for
more than half of the fresh abalone eaten in this country.

Abalone was once considered a California icon, as much a part of summer
as surfboards, cut-off jeans and bonfires at the beach. It was so
common it could be collected from rocks exposed by low tides..."


http://www.latimes.com/features/prin...dlines-pe-food


Also, it seems that california white abalone is on the verge of
extinction.

I have never seen fresh or frozen abalone for sale anyplace other than
California. I saw a big bowl full of live ones for sale at an Asian
market the other day here in Orange County, CA.

Two years ago I watched a sea lion right off a pier in northern CA
chomping 'em down one after the other!

I think I may agree with you about the raw abalone on chirashi - it was
too crunchy.

wrote in message
ups.com...

Musashi wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Ken Blake wrote:
wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only
get
it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in
Hartsdale
NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


It must have been shipped in from overseas, probably frozen. I
believe
it is illegal to export fresh or frozen abalone from the west coast.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

So what did you think of it, Ken? It caught me by surprise. I
thought
is was a piece of I don't know what at first as it has a different
consistency from the fish. I'll like it better the next time when i
know what to expect.

There was another thing I had there - it tasted rather "fishy" as if
it
was not so fresh, but everything else there was shockingly fresh, so
it
must have been something different, but I don't know what, and I
didn't
ask.


Yes, Azuma in Hartsdale usually carry Awabi. So does Tsuru also in
Hartsdale.
While I appreciate abalone in cooked form, in both Japanese and Chinese
cuisines
as well as a "steak" form American style, I find abalone in sushi a bit
"too
tough" for my preference.
Good mirugai also has that texture which I appreciate.
I see nothing indicating it is illergal to ship abalone, either live or
frozen accross
the United States.
In fact here is an abalone farm that does just that.
http://www.abalonefarm.com/live.htm

M


Hi, Musashi -

OK, it must be farmed abalone...

I found this:

"Abalone is so tightly protected that it can legally be caught only by
sport fishermen north of San Francisco Bay and only if the fishermen
are free-diving, without breathing equipment. Anything else is illegal.
And yet, abalone appears on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's list of "best
choice" seafood. But only in its farmed form, of course, and that quite
likely means that it comes from the Abalone Farm, which accounts for
more than half of the fresh abalone eaten in this country.


Ahh yes that's right there are tight restrictions on taking abalone in
California.
Permit holders must free dive (snorkel) and they often use short little surf
boards
connected by a rope to their ankles to use as a "base" and to put their
abalone they
pick up. When I was scuba diving off the Channel Islands I was warned not to
pick
up any abalone. of which I saw many. I did however spear California
Sheepshead
which became sashimi that night.

One thing I have noticed is that the American "farmed" abalone is usually
much
larger than the ones I've seen being sold live in fish stores in Japan.
Maybe a different
species.

M

wrote:

Also, it seems that california white abalone is on the verge of
extinction.

I have never seen fresh or frozen abalone for sale anyplace other than
California. I saw a big bowl full of live ones for sale at an Asian
market the other day here in Orange County, CA.

I've had fresh live awabi sashimi in Boston Chinatown. One of the restaurants
has live tanks with them and many other live fish and shellfish.

Two years ago I watched a sea lion right off a pier in northern CA
chomping 'em down one after the other!

Its all the samn sea lions! They are making them extinct. Lets start
eating the sea lions and see how they like it

I think I may agree with you about the raw abalone on chirashi - it was
too crunchy.

I enjoy the crunch. The flavor is a bit lighter than mirugai

--
Dan

wrote:

Ken Blake wrote:
wrote:

abalone (it's
kinda crunchy), which I never had before - I suppose you can only
get it in California.


Nope. I've had awabi in several places--most recently at Azuma, in
Hartsdale NY.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup


It must have been shipped in from overseas, probably frozen. I
believe it is illegal to export fresh or frozen abalone from the west
coast. Correct me if I'm wrong.


Sorry, I don't know anything about the regulations and can't tell you where
it came from.


So what did you think of it, Ken? It caught me by surprise. I
thought is was a piece of I don't know what at first as it has a
different consistency from the fish. I'll like it better the next
time when i know what to expect.


I haven't had awabi often, but I've had it several times over the years.
I've always found it be very tough and chewy and was never particularly fond
of it. But this last time, at Azuma, this past August, it was much more
tender and I liked it. I can't say it was my favorite of the things we had
that night, but I did enjoy it.

By the way, if you ever get to that part of the country, try Azuma. It's
much more expensive than Sushi Ten, but's also much better. Fortunately, I
only get there once a year, so as a special treat, I can manage to spring
for the cost.

Sushi Ten is still our regular place, though, that we go to most often. It's
good value and probably the best quality in Tucson. But it can't begin to
compare to a place like Azuma.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Dan - Those sea lions probably do account for a lot of abalone. That
big ol guy I waswatching was eating them one after another.

Ken - I'll try to get up there when I'm back around NY, whenever that
might be.

Here's one review of Kasen:

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/02/28/food-lowery.php

wrote:
Dan - Those sea lions probably do account for a lot of abalone. That
big ol guy I waswatching was eating them one after another.

No doubt. I've heard from Californian fishermen that they eat a lot of
their catch too.. as they are reeling the fish in.

Here's one review of Kasen:

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/02/28/food-lowery.php

That's pretty funny. Alas, I have yet to come across such a place.

--
Dan

wrote:
Dan - Those sea lions probably do account for a lot of abalone. That
big ol guy I waswatching was eating them one after another.

Ken - I'll try to get up there when I'm back around NY, whenever that
might be.

Here's one review of Kasen:

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/02/28/food-lowery.php

.... and don't forget that the sea otters are making a come back too.

--
- George
"... are you going to finish that?"

wrote:



Two years ago I watched a sea lion right off a pier in northern CA
chomping 'em down one after the other!


That's why there is no abalone in California.

I had the stuff fresh in Alaska, once. By fresh, I mean
alive and less than 10 minutes out of the sea. Delicious (cooked).

Doug McDonald

Well, I wouldn't put the blame on sea lions. They were there for a
long long time before humans, right? - and abalone used to be very
abundant on the west coast (as did oysters on the east coast) - before
humans.

Speaking of wasabi (another thread), I wonder if I might have had REAL
wasabi at Kasen. It was a somewhat smaller amount, and more grainy,
and less harsh, and with a bit more complex flavor I think, than the
wasabi I am used to. I bet it was. How can you tell.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, I wouldn't put the blame on sea lions. They were there for a
long long time before humans, right? - and abalone used to be very
abundant on the west coast (as did oysters on the east coast) - before
humans.

Speaking of wasabi (another thread), I wonder if I might have had REAL
wasabi at Kasen. It was a somewhat smaller amount, and more grainy,
and less harsh, and with a bit more complex flavor I think, than the
wasabi I am used to. I bet it was. How can you tell.


Real (fresh grated) wasabi will appear more fiberous, and will have a color
that leans a bit towards "yellowish green" rather than a straight "green"
that
you get from the powdered or tube version.
In taste, yes there is a difference. It is deeper and less "hot" than
powdered.

M

Yes, it was real fresh wasabi, I think. The ginger also seemed better
than normal.