LA Omakase｜Managing Expectations Matters in Life… and in Sushi Too 🍣

I’d heard about Inaba for a long time, but since it’s located in Torrance, I kept putting off the visit. After trying nearly all the decent omakase spots in LA—and constantly hearing that Inaba ranks among the city’s top three—I finally managed to book a seat and went with high hopes. The conclusion? Inaba is definitely delicious, and the experience was pleasant. The appetizers are diverse, executed with skilled technique, and the fish handling in the sushi course is refined. But maybe because my expectations were set so high, I left feeling slightly disappointed. In a competitive omakase landscape like LA’s West Coast scene, being called “top three” naturally makes you expect something extraordinary. In the appetizer section, Inaba really loves using shiso. Maybe it’s because of the summer menu, but almost half of the dishes were topped with shiso flowers. Even as a shiso lover, I felt the frequent use of such a distinct flavor made the courses taste a bit repetitive. For the sushi, I felt the rice was a bit too dense—not as light as I prefer—though the seasoning was okay. The fish selection didn’t bring many surprises: mostly seasonal silver-skinned and lean fish you’d expect in summer. The beltfish (tachiuo) was tougher than ideal, lacking that silky oily texture. The gizzard shad (kohada) was also too sour for my taste. And in early summer, I was really hoping to see baby gizzard shad (shinko) instead of just the standard kohada. On the bright side, Inaba’s tuna aging is excellent. Whether it was the chū-toro or akami, the umami was concentrated, and the texture was incredibly tender. I also loved the engawa (flounder fin muscle)—getting a combo of flounder and engawa was a treat! The best dish of the night was likely the abalone with liver sauce: rich, creamy, and perfectly tender. Especially when enjoyed with a small rice ball dipped in the leftover sauce—the balance of savory, sweet, and acidic notes was absolutely delicious. Honestly, I often think that managing your expectations makes life more enjoyable. The same might go for dining. If I hadn’t gone in expecting a “top 3 LA omakase,” it would’ve been a more satisfying experience. This review might sound nitpicky, but it’s only because the meal, while good, didn’t leave a strong impression. There’s no point in just echoing popular praise—I truly hope Inaba brings more surprises in the future. 📖 Tasting Notes: 🐚 Shiso & Uni Soba – Noodles too firm, overall just okay 🐟 White Fish Sashimi – Served with sea salt 🥚 Sweet Shrimp Chawanmushi – With ginger and asakusa nori, a bit thin but nice 🐟 2-week Aged Chū-toro – With shiso sauce, tasty and well-balanced with acidity 🐚 Abalone – Tender, rich liver sauce, excellent with sushi rice 👏👏👏 🥬 Seaweed Soup with Shrimp & Nori 🦅 Vinegared Dish – Crab & Large Scallop 🍣 Sushi Series: 🐟 1-week Aged Akami 🐟 Flounder + Engawa 👏👏 🐟 Birthday Sushi 🎂 🐟 Beltfish with Seaweed Salt – A bit tough 🐟 Horse Mackerel with Ginger & Green Onion 🐟 Bigeye Fish – Pretty interesting! 🐟 Seared Ōtoro – A bit overly charred 🐟 Kohada – Too sour for me 🐟 Black Throat Perch – Delicious, with yuzu pepper 🥣 Fish Bone Miso Soup 🐟 Anago (Sea Eel) – Simmered with shiso 🥚 Tamagoyaki – Infused with shrimp & scallop broth Have you been to Inaba? What’s your favorite omakase spot in LA—and how do you manage expectations when trying hyped restaurants? Share your thoughts below! 🍶✨ #LAFood #Omakase #JapaneseCuisine #SushiLovers #LAEats #FoodReview #EatLikeACritic #TorranceEats #FineDiningLA #OmakaseJourney