For those of you who know me well, you know there is nothing I love more than an amazing sushi dinner. You either love sushi or you hate it, and if that's true I'm a sushi whore and proud of it! My fascination and love affair with sushi & Japanese cuisine started at a young age. I can remember at the age of 3 my father coming home from working in the city with sushi grade tuna from the market that he would slice up. My mom, he and I would sit at our kitchen table with soy sauce, wasabi, and the thinly cut tuna it was always really special for me because they would let me stay up and watch movies those nights. From those special treats to going with my dad to business meetings at the local Sushi Bar when my mother was in London... sushi is my comfort food as much as my mama's cooking!
Sushi & Japanese food for me has always had a special flair. It has soo many levels: texture, color, heat; it’s a multifaceted food when you really get into it! One of my all time favorite sushi spots is Kanpai in Westchester. This small sushi bar is located across from Loyola Marymount University and I first discovered when I moved in my freshman year. Originally meant to cater to the Japanese business men who use to stay at the Furama Hotel (now custom hotel) Kanpai is traditional, high quality, Japanese cuisine. A Sushi Lovers paradise!
Kanpai's menu is fairly priced for the high quality food you get, but for those of you on budget there are coupons on restaurant.com as well as amazing lunch specials, but warning it is a pretty small place about the size of a classroom so make sure you go early and call ahead to put your name down.
Here are some of my favorites:
Peppered Toro Sashimi: This cut of tuna is usually from the belly but is translated to “fatty tuna” is the most marbleized cut of tuna and holds the most flavor. It is served topped with thin fried garlic chips and a lil wasabi tobikko. Sooooo Good!
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Unagi (can be had sushi or sashimi style): Also known as the sex in the “sex on the beach” roll. Probably one of the most popular sushi orders, unagi is bbq broiled fresh water eel. You really can’t beat this type of sushi. It slightly cooked but still has that sushi flair. And it’s amazingly yummy
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Uni Tempura: Uni is the actually sea urchin roe. Sea urchins are the spiny creatures you often see in tide pools and shallow water. It’s bright orange and very delicate so seeing it tempura style I had to try it. At Kanpai they wrap a lobe of sea urchin in a shiso leaf and then into the tempura batter. The tempura is served with sea salt, smoke salt, and curry salt. I cannot tell you enough how amazing this dish is. If you love uni you must try it tempura style with the shiso, it is amazing!
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Sushi: There is lots of amazing sushi to try at Kanpai. Everything from scallop and albacore sushi to salmon & asparagus rolls, and spicy tuna hand rolls! Anything you get at Kanpai, even the simple stuff will be amazing!
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Kanpai Sampler Plate (3pcs): If it’s on the specials list this is a great deal. You get to try three things from the chef’s choice. Last I went I got two medallions of ankimo (monk fish liver) a.k.a foie gras of the sea, Seaweed marinated in rice wine, and an endive boat with tuna and spicy sauce!!!Sooo good!
Other crazy amazing things available at Kanpai are some very authentic Japanese delicacies like Live shrimp, Live scallop (shown below) & Shark fin (shown below)…I didn’t try these but some of the people around us did!LOL!
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Anyway there is nothing like Sushi Love and no place better to have some luvin than at Kanpai.
<3 NOM NOM
