la.foodblogging

I’ve spent the past few years sampling sushi from various SoCal supermarkets. Just about all markets in LA carry some form of sushi or rolls. Trader Joe’s carries an assortment of speciality rolls like California and veggie. Gelson’s usually has an assortment of pre-made stock rolls near the deli. Personally, I’m not keen on pre-made sushi, I don’t like how the flavors start to combine or how the seaweed taste starts to incorporate into the rice.

Bristol Farms and Whole Foods, however, have full sushi service. In addition to freshly made rolls and sushi assortments which are restocked regularly, there is usually a preparer at the ready for your special orders.

Whole Foods offers a large selection of fresh fish at their seafood counter, so it’s only natural that they have a great selection of sushi at their counter. They have the added novelty of brown rice sushi (which I know is probably better for me, but I find the rice too sweet as a pairing for fish). Whole Foods usually has an exhuastive selection of pre-made rolls, sushi and combos on weekends. There’s usually no need to make a special order, as they often have it there. I have a fondness for tuna and avacado or yellowtail and avacado rolls and they usually have both. Their salmon is also very good. Some supermarket sushi seems to be made with cured salmon (lox) of some sort, which is fine for a Philly roll, but is just wrong in every other instance. Oddly enough prices for Whole Foods rolls are about the same as you’d get with your regular neighborhood sushi joint, though cheaper than upscale fare such as R23. Rolls are priced between $3.50 (minis) and $14.00 (combos). All comments are based on sushi purchased from the Glendale location.

Bristol Farms also has a full sushi bar. They have a decent stock of pre-made fare and I have taken advantage of having a preparer at the ready by ordering my favorite roll: Tuna and Avacado with Daikon sprouts. Again, since Bristol Farms has a good fish counter, they have a good selection of fresh cuts of fish. Bristol Farms also has a small but decent selection of Sake for those that want the complete expience. Rolls are priced between $6.50 and $12.00. Comments are based on sushi purchased at both the Beverly Hills and South Pasadena locations.

Though there are accomodations in the stores for eating right there, I like to take the rolls home and my husband and I then plate them on some Japanese stoneware. I usually go with low-sodium tamari as regular soy sauce seems more salt than that saucy flavor. Settle down in front of the DVD player with some anime or just a good movie and it’s quite an evening.

Whole Foods - Glendale
331 North Glendale Avenue
Glendale, CA 91206

Bristol Farms - Beverly Hills
9039 Beverly Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90048

Bristol Farms - South Pasadena
606 Fair Oaks Avenue
South Pasadena, CA 91030

By cybele (see more of her posts). You can find more of cybele's writing all about candy at her own website Candyblog.net