Restaurant Review: Encino Katsu-Ya

I’ve had a just the teensyest bit of a problem lately.  And that problem’s name is Katsu-Ya. Every couple weeks I find myself at the sushi bar sitting in front of Chef Jason and telling him to make me whatever is the best.  At first he was conservative but now he is bold serving up some of the freshest seafood I’ve had outside of Tokyo.

After several meals at this energetic branch of the LA mini restaurant chain I have found that the only thing I want after I leave there is to go back for more.  Last Friday I sat at the sushi bar and watched most of the people around me order Spicy Tuna Rolls and California Rolls.  And I saw their eyes shoot back at my food wondering what was going on at my end of the sushi bar!

First course that came over the glass was Baby Black Snapper Sashimi with Yuzu Pepper.  This delicate fish paired with the spicy tang of the yuzu pepper paste made my mouth water.  The voice of a friend of mine, known to many as The Sucklord, rang in my head as I remembered him savoring sushi one evening during San Diego Comic-Con and telling everyone at the table, “Hey, that bite costs $3.00, pay attention to what you’re eating!”  And then to himself, “I hate when people just throw down sushi and don’t think about it.  This is expensive shit!”

Baby Black Snapper Sashimi with Yuzu Pepper

Albacore Belly Sushi

Second course Jason presented me with two perfect pieces of Albacore Belly Sushi.  I asked him if this was on the menu all the time.  And he told me that is on the menu all the time, but he knew I would like it because he cut it himself that morning and it was super fresh.  He was right!  The soft albacore belly held together just long enough to make it to my mouth where it could fall apart in private.  Wow.

Lollipop Roll

Third course was something I had been eyeing my past couple trips.  It’s a hollowed out cucumber rolled up with tuna and avocado and served with a spicy mayo dipping sauce.  Sure looks pretty on the plate.  They call it a Lollipop Roll.

And for my grand finale, although it sure was hard to not get the Hot Crab Roll in Soy Paper, Chef Jason asked me if I liked Salmon Roe.  Well…sometimes Salmon Roe can be a little salty for my taste.  But as he hadn’t steered me wrong yet, I went for it.  He told me that they marinate the roe.  That made it less salty and much more flavorful.  Plus you still get the pop pop pop that makes it fun to eat the little eggs.  Although I always feel like I could eat just one more piece of sushi the two pieces of Ikura Nigiri finished my meal.

Ikura Nigiri

When I get my hair cut, I just sit in the chair and tell my hair stylist to do whatever she wants.  She likes this and is undaunted.  She gets to be as creative as she wants and I have never come home unhappy.  So, when I sit at the sushi bar I want to eat what the best thing is.  What the freshest thing is.  What the chef would want to eat!  So, when I return to Katsu-Ya I can only hope to go home happy every time.  With a belly full of the freshest and possibly most delicious sushi the chef can find.