Azuki Sushi

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Azuki Sushi Lounge is a mid-range sushi option in San Diego, tucked somewhere between the higher-end omakase purveyors (Nobu, Sushi Ota) and progressive small plate places that emphasize both style and substance (Cloak & Petal comes to mind). 

Incidentally, Hane Sushi — Sushi Ota’s little sister restaurant — is a few blocks north of this place. Sushi legend has it that when Hane Sushi opened about a year after Azuki, respected veteran sushi master Yukita Ota called the other neighborhood sushi masters and warned them of the ass-kicking beat-down that was about to happen. I’m sure he said it exactly like that.

Since then, despite the proximity to greatness, Azuki has fared just fine, although I think it flies a little under the radar as far as San Diego options go.

The chirashi bowl here is my favorite. Meaning ‘scattered,’ it’s filled to the brim with fish of several varieties, all standard stuff like tuna, salmon, and hamachi, all delicate and mild and served room-temperature on top of the rice, a small detail that brings out the flavor of the fish. The rice is undressed besides some sesame seeds and pickled ginger. A few hits of soy sauce kick things up a notch and, for me, make it the perfect meal.

The miso glazed eggplant tends to be overly glazed and too sweet for my taste, almost disturbingly so. The glaze seeps into the eggplant so you have something that’s tender and fleshy completely soaked by a sticky-sweet glop. I can get past the texture, but the saccharine hit overwhelms.

The speciality rolls are where this place gets a little too cutesy for its own good. The ‘r u kidding me’ roll seems to be the most popular, a line-up of snow crab, diver scallops, and tempura asparagus wrapped in soy paper topped with seared tuna, white truffle oil, flash-fried leeks, and mixed greens bathed in a garlic ponzu and served such that it rises ten feet off the plate. You’ll see server after server carry this to the tables around you. 

Simple maki rolls like the avocado and cucumber roll are more my speed, small plates of simplicity that complement any main entree. A plate of nigiri is another thing I like, a few pieces of chef’s choice nigiri and a choice of maki roll — California, spicy tuna, or spicy salmon.

Service can be hit or miss, usually alive to start followed by a disappearing act during the meal. At the bar, I’ve had my bowl handed to me with a perfunctory ‘here’ while others around me get a run down of the fish types in their orders. Your mileage may vary.

Note that if you’re coming here for dinner, you will need a flashlight to navigate the back patio area. I also think we need menus written in braille.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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