CULVER CITY, CA
Labor Day. Party of one. Shojin has been at the top of my list for quite some time. I couldn’t have picked a better day to finally visit. In honor of the holiday, the chefs prepared their signature sushi tasting menu—half portions of four different cut rolls and two hand rolls.
No fish were harmed in the making of this meal.
The restaurant has a romantic flair to it. Think florals, candlelight, and attentive servers dressed in formal attire. Reservations are highly recommended.
Once in, the first decision to be made is what to sip on. Their drink selection includes an extensive variety of cocktails, wine, beer, and sake. Having arrived at noon, it felt a bit early for alcohol. So I ordered the Sparkling Lime Detox, a mouth-watering mix of lime, sparkling water, and ginger.
Since going vegan, I think sushi has been the cuisine I miss most. Thank you, Shojin, for bringing it back!
Every time a new plate was placed before me, I did a little happy dance. First up was the warm and creamy Baked “Crab Cake” Hand Roll: crab cake, avocado, vegenaise, and smoky-sweet tamari sauce wrapped in soy paper. The tasting had just begun, but I already knew it would be my favorite. (I was right.)
Next in the lineup was the Spicy Rock Mushroom Hand Roll. In this roll, perfectly cooked tempura mushrooms are combined with avocado, cayenne pepper, and wasabi mayo. Oishii!
Baked Crab Cake & Spicy Rock Mushroom Hand Rolls
The hand rolls were followed by the colorful Crunchy Tiger and Green Dynamite Extra rolls, both with the greatest ingredient of all time—avocado. Made with soy “chicken” and asparagus, the Crunchy Tiger is one of their most popular items. It’s garnished with crispy potato, wasabi mayo, and sweet tamari sauce. The Green Dynamite Extra roll is a beautiful arrangement of plants, including mashed avocado, cucumber, kale, asparagus, and carrot, topped with cilantro, sliced lime, green chili sauce, and chipotle spice.
Green Dynamite Extra
Last came the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll and Dynamite Roll 2.1, both made with spicy tofu. The Spicy Baked Scallop Roll has smoked mushrooms and onions, and the Dynamite Roll 2.1 gets a flavorful boost with dynamite and spicy beet sauce.
Did I mention that this tasting menu was intended for two people?! I finished every delicious bite, but there was no room for dessert. For those sporting stretchy pants and insatiable appetites, Shojin’s sweet treats include Matcha Strawberry Cake and Tempura Banana & Chocolate Mousse.
Spicy Baked Scallop Roll
Dynamite Roll 2.1
