Ju-ichi — Restaurant in San Diego

Learn this name: @chef_nghi. Learn the name of his business: @juichi11sd. We ordered at his soft opening (January) of his premium quality, gorgeous presentation to-go sushi business. No restaurant. You order to-go and it's sushi bar fresh. And everyone, literally e v e r y o n e knows (cuz I let them know) I'm pretty picky about sushi and sashimi because I've been lucky enough to have grown up with super fresh choices and I know the difference. Add to the fact that my husband and brother-in-law are fish often, my sis and I get spoiled with fresh fish all the time. @juichi11 did a phenomenol job picking, crafting, and creating his "sushi lovers"to-go style omakase. *The sashimi was JUST the right slice/thickness and did I say FRESH?? *The rolled ika was probably one of the best I've ever had including Hawai'i, SF, PDX and here. *The ikura popped so fresh it was almost crunchy and I am super duper picky about ikura. *the uni was like silky custard but more luxurious than that. And uni goes all sorts of wrong most of the time (SD really does have premium uni if you know where to get it fresh/live). *The Maki Roll, with what, - Ahi? And is that SHISO? I've never had that combo. I love both seperately and get really excited anytime I see ume-shiso on the menu because it's rarely served. But together? Damn. *crab with a "C" - not a "K" (no shade on the Krab but when you can get it fresh it's a different element/texture/taste) - juicy and sweet without having to get your hands all nasty. *OGO!! He included fresh ogo which is like a red kind of seaweed that you usually only find in Hawai'i (if it;s not ogo specifically it's some super fresh variety of seaweek that tasted and smelled like the pristine, deep sea, far off the coast open ocean salt water. All this to say, FOLLOW HIM WHEREVER HE GOES AND PICK UP WHATEVER HE OFFERS - you will NOT be disappointed! @chef_nghi - GOSHICSOUSAMA DESHITA!! and cheers to new beginnings!!!!

Second order: 10 months later - the husb ordered a custom sushi/sashimi board for a surprise picnic and MAN @juichi11sd.....just THANK YOU. I love nearly all sashimi but have had a lot of...unsatisfactory.....saba. I love Japanese style grilled saba but as sashimi/sushi it's not been my favorite. There was ONE sushi bar in LA I had gone to years ago where the chef convinced me to eat it and it was shockingly delicious and smooth I've been chasing that since. Chef Nghi's choice/prep on the saba was what I've been looking for in SD. The rolls were not overdone or over saturated with too much or over the top ingredients but were creative and very complimentary and cohesive. The nigiri had the perfect amount of seasoned rice and a perfect cut of fish and I swear you could have no teeth and be able to eat every piece of his sashimi. Melt in your mouth good, y'all. The presentation was super sharp and arranged beautifully. What a treat. We are so excited and can't wait to order more in...

Excellent hole in the proverbial automotive wall off Convoy, a small 40 max person sushi + joint. We sat at the bar and were served by Steven who was really nice. Asked about the Otoro and he was very fond of it, so we ordered sashimi. Which came elaborately on the ice bowl production with sticks and such (why are we doing this,,, for a three piece?). It wasn't very good at all. Smelled and tasted fishy, with lots of sinew so that was disappointing.

However, at the same time we received the greatest simple dish I've ever eaten in my life. Garlic butter edamame with sea salt....oh and hing mu, which I believe was sauteed on addition. Holy moly what did I just eat. I know this is crazy but we ordered 3 more because it was probably the most outstanding dish served. Said it meant it.

Got the hamachi in a broth which was devine. Bone marrow surprisingly was phenomenal with toasted sourdough points. Yum yum. The hamachi sashimi was good and there was a roll that was good I'll update this later.

One thing with the sake purchases of a "glass', it's a shot glass in a wood box. The wood box has liquid (sake) in it which surrounds the shot glass. You're supposed to pour the wood box sake into your shot glass. Pretty strange but pretty cool.

8 .7/10 will definitely visit again...

Sigh.. Where do I even start. Sushi rice is the most basic thing for any Sushi restaurant and this place just doesn't get it right. Sticky, cold and way too much of it in nigiris. We came by for the SUNDAY NIGHT $125 Omakase and was so stuffed and so disappointed. The menu was innovative, you can tell the chef put a lot of thoughts into it, but it just wasn't good. The chawamushi was watery, creamy soup was cold. They served a salad in a fancy bird nest that's not really edible. Deep fried baby fish was bitter, the nigiris were under-seasoned and the rice was so bad. The worst dish was probably the uni panacotta. You might as well be eating PURE BUTTER. No one in the room finished it. It was so rich and unbalanced. The last dish was a uni, A5 wagyu, bone marrow handroll. So fancy sounding but you can't taste the bone marrow at all, it was just there for clout. and again, terrible terrible sushi rice! Honestly people these days focus too much on being gimmicky and Instagram friendly than actually making good food. I'm sure the chef himself didn't sit through his 10 course meal and walked out feeling proud and satisfied because we...