I had first read about Sushi Beluga on one of my Yelp searches for new and noteworthy restaurants in the area. Since I had the day off, I decided to give them a try on MLK, Jr. Day.
I checked their opening time which was 11:00 a.m. and headed down to Playa. I arrived around 11:26 a.m. and saw the sign by the door that their soft open business hours were not as advertised, but they were set to open in 4 minutes so I decided to wait it out in my car until 11:30 a.m. and was the first customer through the door.
My server was absolutely lovely and welcoming. She explained that they had only been open only a month and a half and not all the items on the menu were available yet. She went page by page and identified those selections and mentioned that they expect to have the full menu available and be fully operational by the end of January or beginning of February.
I ordered the salmon sample which had 5 pieces of salmon for $15.95. For those doing the math, each piece cost $3.19. It was definitely not a cheap plate, but I was hopeful that the 5 star reviews on Yelp were on point.
I was sold on my first bite of the aburi miso salmon. It was tangy, complex with varying layers of flavors. The salmon tasted like it had hints of mirin, soy, sesame oil and citrus. It turned out to be my favorite on the plate.
That first bite set the stage for the rest. Next was the salmon with yuzu which had a smoky, citrus flavor. The third sample was the salmon truffle which was a bit oilier than the first two and had a slightly earthier aftertaste.
The next two samples were both king salmon as the restaurant was out of ocean trout. The texture of the king salmon was akin to the butteriness of the sashimi I had at Sushi Katsura which was located a couple hundred meters from the famous Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. King salmon #1 was Rey light, citrusy and quite refreshing while king salmon #2 had a bit of crunch and a slight tartness which tasted a bit like mango salsa on top contrasted by the salmon which had a more subdued flavor.
I didn’t believe I would ever taste quality even remotely close to what I indulged in during my visit to Tokyo in 2018 but at long last, I think I found a restaurant that is a much closer than Tokyo and likely a less expensive substitute.
Sushi Beluga is not your cheapest fare but the quality of the food they serve demands a slight upmarket price. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and having been spoiled with the freshness and exemplary cuts of fresh fish in Tokyo, I can wholeheartedly recommend Sushi Beluga as my new local go-to sashimi, sushi and nigiri spot in Playa Del Rey.
Sushi Beluga 207 Culver Blvd. Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 https://www.sushibelugaca.com
For my midweek lunch, I had a hankering for something different that was warm and comforting, savory and nurturing. It struck me that I hadn’t eaten Indian food in a while so I looked at my bookmarks on Yelp and saw that Cali Tandoor was in close proximity and they a lunch buffet!
I had driven by Cali Tandoor within the last week and realized it had replaced a long-standing Mexican restaurant.
It has a small parking lot adjacent to it. The entrance leads to a covered patio which opens into the main indoor dining room. The buffet station was towards the back of the restaurant.
I arrived a bit after 1 p.m. and the food surprisingly tasted fresh. most Indian buffers tend to look and taste dehydrated after sitting in room temperature for a few hours.
The rice was still light and fluffy, and the chicken was quite moist and tender. The quality of the food speaks to the freshness of the ingredients and the kitchen’s skill in preparing the food.
Two plates and two pieces of naan later I’m quite full and satisfied. I’m always happy to welcome a new and delicious restaurant to my hometown and will definitely be frequenting Cali Tandoor quite often in the very near future.
Cali Tandoor
9609 W. Venice Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
http://calitandoor.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.