sushi monster 19

LINK: sushi monster 19

I took Sally out to eat at one of my fav sushi places to celebrate — surviving 2026, thus far. It was a 16-course dinner omakase bonanza. All the fish/seafood are flown in from Japan daily. I know that The Four Seasons in the Maldives does does that and a handful of other sushi restaurants in SoCal.

I’ve been here several times, it’s tucked inside the Ritz hotel and there are only eight seats at the counter, making the dining room feel very intimate.

There was a couple that arrived about 15 minutes late and I could tell that it irked the chef. I’m a very punctual person and being late is rude not only to the chef but to the other diners. He had to prepare the three plates that they missed while staying on track with the time because there was another set of eight people slated to dine in our seats after us. There are only two set seating times on the nights they are open.

I generally don’t drink water, especially with ice. I like to order warm green tea whenever I eat Japanese foods.

I take a quick snap and then eat the sushi piece(s) in front of me right after so that the quality and consistency is at its peak.

Hokkaido scallop and seabream sashimi
Irizake dipping sauce not pictured

King mackerel with garlic chips and citrus ponzu

Otoro tartar with caviar

Gari (pickled ginger) to refresh the palate and an oshibori looking wet wipe for the fingers.

I eat with my hands instead of chopsticks. My skills in using chopsticks are very poor, go figure?

They don’t give you soy sauce here because it’ll overpower the delicate taste of the fish. Plus, they’ve been pre-seasoned anyway with some sort of glaze or ponzu. Respecting the chef’s craftsmanship is super important.

Hirame with a small piece of fin on top

I want to say that this is chum salmon, but I was too busy eating and smiling like an idiot, to hear what the chef was saying. If anyone knows, just leave me a comment, thanks in advance.

Chef Riki going to town torching away. He’s had extensive training in Japan and worked at many Michelin starred restaurants. I’m certain that he’s looking to get his own Michelin star.

Japanese swordfish full of umami-sama.

The chef looked at me and asked me if I was a sushi chef because I was talking to Sally about the different sushi cuts. I laughed. There aren’t many female sushi chefs that I’m aware of, at least legit ones anyway. I told him, “No, I don’t know that much but I do eat a lot of sushi”. He seemed to like my answer and smiled.

Chef recommended that I try Miura in Beverly Hills, it’s an 18-course tasting menu. It was awarded a Michelin Star this year.

Bluefin tuna prepared three ways. Akami, chu-toro, and otoro. My favorite is the otoro because it’s so fatty and melts in my mouth.

Kohada, very thin layer skillfully sliced.

Jasmine green tea.

Narabi uni from Hokkaido. I could eat the box by myself. Just sayin’.

Uni nigiri. Sally said that she was scared of uni and that this was her least favorite. I just shook my head in disbelief.

Blackthroat seaperch with homegrown yuzu. It was rich and buttery tasting.

A5 Miyazaki Wagyu BMS 12 with sour plum sauce and black truffle from Australia

White miso soup with sea bream

Anago that was simmered in broth

White miso butter mochi. I love mochi so much and this did not disappoint.

We were so full that I almost had to be rolled out of the restaurant. Sally couldn’t believe she ate everything, plus two glasses of wine. She couldn’t thank me enough for taking her here for dinner.