Who has the best sushi rice?

[ToroTaku]

I'm looking to try one of the popular sushi spots (Sushi Zo, Nishimura etc.) mentioned on the boards and have read through them but I'm wondering if any of you have noticed you like Sushi at one restaurant over the other because their rice is better.

I think most sushi fans have an idea of what they look for in a really good piece of tuna, or saba but the other important partner to the fish is the rice.

Can someone chime in about the sushi restaurant with the best rice. Maybe overheard the owner talking about a special blend of rice he uses with a vinegar that may be different from others.

Thanks

[epop]

i'd llke to find it made without any sugar, which i haven't yet; you'd be surprised to see how much they add.

maybe Urasawa doesn't(i didn't ask).
sasabune was known for having great rice, as stated above. i think this is still the case but i feel like the overall quality shrank with the expansion.

[russkar]

Simple, Urasawa.
Warm, Nozawa or Sasebune

[eileen216]

I like Echigo. They serve their sushi rice warm.

Echigo
12217 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
[phone]

[yakitiyak]

I know this could be controversial.
but, the sushi rice at sushi boy, is really tasty!

I know it's a chain. I went to a downtown catered function. Everyone was saying
how good the sushi rice was. We asked the server where
it came from, he said "Sushi Boy". We were shocked.
It really was good!

What does the rest of the board think?

[ronla]

the best Sushi Rice was at Kokyo, in the center above Ralphs at Pico and Beverwil. The owner, some tech investor who cashed out opened it so he could eat there whenever he wanted and stole the chef from some other big Sushi place. It's since closed, but I think the chef started a new place called Boss Sushi. Does someone know about this?

[budlit]

Kiriko and Urasawa

[duplex]

I agree with you on Mori - very good. I also like the rice at Sushi Tenn.

[omotosando]

Mori has the best rice I've ever had. (But I haven't been to Torafuku - want to try it, but don't really think of it as a sushi bar per se).

Mori has the rice grown specially for his restaurant in the Sacramento area and then polishes the rice in-house every single day. We are talking real attention to detail. And I've never had better miso anywhere, although someone just posted on the Japan board about a place in the Ginza that makes incredible miso, so I'm anxious to compare and see if it could possibly top Mori's miso.

[chefthisguy]

the rice is the most important part...a true sushi chef will not over pack the rice so that whisps of air penetrate it when it is chewed...it also must be at room temperature...if you find both then you have found a sushi gem

[Alex250]

I am a big fan of sushi rice at Echigo

[HPLsauce]

I have heard that the rice used at Mori Sushi (http://www.morisushi.org/) is polished in house. I've only eaten there once (about a year ago), and while the rice didn't leave a strong impression, the meal on the whole was excellent (if rather costly).

I've always liked the rice at both Nozawa and Sasabune (similar: warm, more vinegar than other places), though I have not found the fish at Sasabune so good since they moved.

[alexfood]

Hiko (on National) is another one in the vein of Nozawa & Sasabune; I'm not a huge fan of the warm rice, but Hiko's was delicious, better than both of those others.

[zack]

2nd nozawa for rice. it's not always consistent-sometimes too warm, sometimes over-seasoned (too vinegary). usually it's pretty spot on and i love it.

not often talked about but equally important for gunkan sushi and hand rolls is nori, which again, nozawa's excels.

[alexfood]

Great topic, ToroTaku! I wish I had a less off-topic response, but here it is anyway: the rice at Torafuku (on Pico next to the Westside Pavilion) is great, and if you order the zuke-don (marinated tuna bowl) and ask for sushi rice, it's fantastic. Some of the best japanese rice in L.A.