ISO Battera Sushi for New Year's

[Melanie Wong]

I'd like to pick up battera or oshi sushi next week to serve on New Year's Day. Nine years ago, the version at Sushi Shibucho in Costa Mesa was recommended to me. But I'd like to find something in the South Bay, Torrance area, if possible.

Where's your favorite?

Do Nijiya, Mitsuwa or other markets sell pressed sushi prepacked for take-out and are they any good?

Sakae Sushi in Gardena has been mentioned several times, please tell me more.

"O Sushi Shibucho! (long)"
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/52742

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Sushi Shibucho
590 W 19th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Mitsuwa Marketplace
21515 Western Av, Torrance, CA 90501

Nijiya Market
2533 Pacific Coast Hwy, Torrance, CA

Sakae Sushi
1601 W Redondo Beach Blvd Ste 112, Gardena, CA 90247

[BrewNChow]

Kasen in Fountain Valley makes an absurdly good one. 15 bucks a pop though IIRC

[epop]

Kasen is a bargain, and by far the greatest.

[kevin]

Can you eat it there or do you have to get it to go ?

[BrewNChow]

The better question is can you get it to go

[Melanie Wong]

New Year's is almost upon us again and I remembered that I never posted a follow-up to last year's request. As it turned out, we had reason to be in the OC, so I ordered the sabazushi from Shibucho in Costa Mesa. It was wonderful to step inside those doors again after such a long absence.

Sabazushi, made in pressed Kansai-style, aka battera sushi is a traditional food for New Year's because the pickled mackerel and salty kombu kelp help preserve the sushi. Sushi Shibucho charges $9.50 per box of six pieces.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/6651257189/

Quite beautiful with a layer of marinated mackerel on the seasoned rice with the silvery skin intact to decorate one edge. The kombu was laminated over the exposed mackerel flesh. Held up very well overnight to enjoy on New Year's Eve with vodka. On NY Day, the rice had started to harden, but still delicious.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniew...

[Porthos]

You should do a head to head with Kasen one year or before you head back north! To echo sentiments below, they do indeed make a great one.

[catbert]

daikichi in mitsuwa, both torrance and cm, have battera sushi. i've on more than one occasion have bought a pack. as for good, i think daikichi in general is decent. i eat it so it's not bad, it's mostly "fast and convenient." their sushi has never blown me away.

can't say about niijya because i usually frequent the one in puente hills and it's selection varies enough not to expect something

[Ogawak]

Sakae would be the best place for battera. Thinking about it is making me really hungry. Also makizushi. It's all they do and they do it well. Takeout only.

[condiment]

Sakae is definitely the go-to place.

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks much for the rec. Looking at this old post from Servorg, the description "4) Saba: rice topped with pickled Atlantic mackerel" doesn't mention kombu. Does Sakae not include a layer of kombu?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5016...

[J.L.]

Nijiya regularly sells battera, and it's pretty good.

My favorite battera in L.A. is the Osaka-style version at Place Yuu on Sawtelle. Get it to go.

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks, sorry to read that Place Yuu is closing.

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Place Yuu
2101 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

[kevin]

Place Yuu is closing, really???

actually ii was going to rec them too for battera, but now that they are closing...

[Melanie Wong]

Here's the post, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8234... , can you confirm?

[J.L.]

Confirmed. I was there for their last dinner service on Dec. 24th. Sad. So sad.

BUT Mori-san & his wife will be back soon at a different locale TBD, they assured me.

[BrewNChow]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/morinoya-los-angeles#query:place%20yuu

http://www.restaurant-morinoya.com/our-story

http://www.restaurant-morinoya.com/me...

that didn't take long!

[J.L.]

I wrote it up back in April 2012...

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843908