Echigo — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Came here for lunch with someone who's very particular about sashimi and sushi -- she doesn't want to eat fish that tastes "fishy" and Echigo did not disappoint in this respect.

At my friend's recommendation, we had the lunch special consisting of 5 pieces of nigiri sushi and a blue crab roll. It didn't come with miso soup so we had to order it separately. The server didn't point this out -- we figured it out midway through the meal and placed the order for it along with an order of seaweed salad and tamago nigiri.

For the lunch special, each piece was served individually by the waitress, one dish after another. Waitress was very polite, pleasant and made sure to refill our green tea as well. 

My friend explained to me that unlike traditional places, the sushi rice served here is warm -- she described it as being "skin temperature."  Maybe that's why the nigiri sushi tends to melt in the mouth.  For the uncoordinated like moi, the warm sushi is very crumbly and hard to eat.  Friend didn't care that I looked like a slob, but note to self -- not sure this is a good place for a first date if you're looking to make a nice impression.

Sushi's out of my budget for dinner, but I'll probably come back again for lunch, but start off with the a la carte miso soup and seaweed salad to fill me up a bit before the nigiri sushi starts to appear.

As for ambiance, Echigo is very quiet which earns an extra...

We decided to try Echigo based on a lot of the good reviews on here, and were disappointed. If you want to sit at the bar, you are forced to go Omakase... I went for it since I figured that would be a great way to try out a new restaurant. Turns out their idea of Omakase is a rather small pre-set combination including one small plate of a single type of sashimi, eight individual pieces (not pairs) of nigiri, and one rather lackluster crab roll. Ours came out to just under $50 per person. The pieces of fish were generally rather small (I am currently eating a bowl of cereal because I was still hungry), and varied in freshness, with a couple leaving that distinct "not-so-fresh" aftertaste. I don't want to discourage efficiency, but the fact that my Omakase was basically made by a culinary assembly line along with several other people's gave me the feeling that they use it as a way to save money instead as a way to show off their best fish and technique... In any case, I did enjoy the warm rice, but it did not make up for the other shortcomings of the experience, and I will not be a repeat customer. With so many other better and/or cheaper sushi options in the neighborhood, there's no reason to put up...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this no-frills sushi restaurant that truly exceeded my expectations in every way. The setting was simple and unpretentious, focusing all attention on the culinary experience. The chef, a true artisan, impressed with his meticulous preparation and presentation of each dish. The fish was the highlight, offering unparalleled freshness and flavor that spoke volumes of the chef’s dedication to quality and craft. Each bite was a delightful discovery of taste, and the attentive service added to the overall warm and welcoming atmosphere. The service was incredibly friendly and effective. This hidden gem proves that sometimes the most memorable meals come from the most unexpected places, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking authentic and...