Dining Reviews

And then, all of a sudden, there they are, and it’s like life just awarded you a bonus. 



That’s how I felt recently when I wandered into Hashigo Sushi, a clean, fresh and newly minted Japanese restaurant in Huntington Beach. I sat down at the slick, angular sushi bar, looked up to say hello to the chef, and there was Koji. I knew I was in for a memorable meal. 



Koji is Koji Hirano, who used to run his own sushi restaurant years ago out on the eastern end of Yorba Linda. He developed a fiercely loyal following – many of whom were among my circle of friends – who would regularly trek out to sit at Koji’s sushi bar and alternately chat and eat top caliber creations whipped up by the genial host. When the place closed nearly a decade ago, we mourned. 



Koji recently explained that he didn’t care for the bureaucracy involved in ownership, but he didn’t hang up his knives. About 4 months ago, Hashigo Sushi opened in the spiffed-up shopping center off Beach Boulevard and Main Street, and Koji set up shop as sushi chef. 



Happily, he hasn’t lost a step. I put away 3 of his creations and came away suffused with the same happy glow that I remembered from the Yorba Linda days. Koji is fast, artful, fun to watch and easy to talk to. When he hands the plates of food over the counter to you, your response may be almost Pavlovian. 



It’s nice, also, that the décor of Hashigo is minimalist, putting the emphasis on the cuisine itself. It’s a thin, high-ceilinged place, with walls of soft brown and avocado, and wall sculpturing that evokes the movement of waves. The lighting is simple and, above the sushi bar itself, almost retro in style: Long shell-like lamps hang from the ceiling. Several tables are situated along the walls, but the focal point is definitely the sushi bar. 



And why not, when you can order lovely stuff like the citrus salmon roll? It’s a vegetable roll topped with lean salmon and thinly sliced bits of lemon. The addition of the salmon to the humble vegetable roll allows both the fish and vegetables to shine separately, and the topping with lemon is like a linchpin that binds the 2 while ratcheting up the flavor in a quick burst. In a single order there are – count ‘em – 8 big pieces. 



The spicy tuna summer roll was a little masterpiece: spicy tuna, gobo (a root), asparagus, cucumber, avocado and radish sprout, all held together in a binder of rice paper and arranged on a drizzle of sweet white sauce. It’s beautiful to behold, almost startlingly fresh on the palate, with wonderful mixes of textures and flavors – harmonious and refreshing.



That refreshing nature was needed as a counterpoint to the third dish: the baked shishito peppers - thin green peppers with stems that look a bit like jalapeños. They’re not quite as hot, but they pack a decent punch, which is mitigated somewhat by the soy and sake sauce and the dried and shredded bonito topping. 



For a first visit to Hashigo Sushi, I can’t help but recommend bringing a big appetite and spending time at the sushi bar with Koji and his compatriots.

OCM 

Hashigo Sushi 
Japanese Restaurant 
18685 Main St., Suite 106, Huntington Beach 714.848.1111