Much like nigiri sushi, the best versions require a rigorous attention to detail that belies its simple presentation.īefore his eponymous sushi restaurant opened in February, Susumu Ii was best known as the proprietor of Kasen, a spartan strip-mall sushi spot in Fountain Valley considered among the crème de la crème of Orange County sushi. Commoners would arrange pieces of fish and other toppings beneath a layer of rice to hide their extravagance, flipping the dish over to reveal their gem-like beauty once it was time to celebrate.īut not all chirashi are created equal. Befitting these times, culinary historians believe the dish originated in Japan as a special-occasion meal during a period of relative austerity in the 17th century.
Most frequently that has meant chirashizushi, a colorful layering of sliced fish over vinegar-seasoned rice that in some circles has become the official takeout splurge of 2020.Īt its pinnacle, a chirashi bowl is both practical and indulgent, a mosaic of tastes and textures packed as neatly as a box of See’s Candies and equally thrilling to dive into.
Like so many other aspects of life, the pandemic has turned the intimacy and immediacy of the omakase experience into a liability rather than a luxury.Īnd yet, forced to adapt, L.A.’s most serious sushi chefs have elevated takeout sushi to new heights. Before the pandemic, a visit to one of L.A.’s upscale sushi restaurants might have gone something like this: You sit shoulder to shoulder at a narrow counter while a chef skillfully assembles pieces of nigiri and gently hands them to you one at a time, patiently explaining where the fish was caught and how it was prepared.
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