The Phoenix Rises from the Ashes
Our visit to Miyabi Uni has been a very long and anxiously awaited one. We were huge fans of Maruhide Uni Club, a Japanese restaurant in Torrance specializing in all dishes made with uni (sea urchin) before they closed down last year. When we found out that Uni Club closed, we were seriously bummed. It was a rare gem; everything an uni lover could ever wish for. We were elated when we found out that Miyabi Uni was going to be opening in Torrance and would be run by the two main chefs from Uni Club. We finally made it out tonight after weeks of failed attempts and though we didn’t really know what to expect going in, we left feeling full, happy, and appreciative of the experience Miyabi Uni had to offer.
The service was amazing from the second we walked in till the second we walked out. The hosts and servers were extremely attentive, accommodating, and kind. Per Yelp and our server’s recommendations, we went with the Uni & Quail Egg appetizer, the Uni Salmon Ikura Donburi and the Uni Cream Pasta.
We usually ask if it’s okay to take pictures before we start snapping away, and when we asked our server if it was okay, he asked us if we were food bloggers. We briefly mentioned that we had a small blog we keep up as a hobby, and that was that. After we ordered, a kind gentleman came up to us and introduced himself as Carl, one of the restaurant managers. He gave us the low-down on how Miyabi Uni came to be and how it stands apart from Uni Club in its departure from tradition and its focus on creativity and experimentation. He was super accommodating and welcoming which we totally appreciated because restaurant owners hardly do this for us nobodys!
Now onto the food. The Uni & Quail Egg shooter was seriously out of this world. The combination of all the flavors in one spoonful is orgasmic. The richness from the quail egg, the buttery and oceany flavor from the uni and the tartness from the tosazu sauce all combine so delightfully. Definitely a must try if it’s your first time, and even if you’re not into the whole raw egg thing, you should give it a chance. It won’t disappoint.
Now onto the food. The Uni & Quail Egg shooter was seriously out of this world. The combination of all the flavors in one spoonful is orgasmic. The richness from the quail egg, the buttery and oceany flavor from the uni and the tartness from the tosazu sauce all combine so delightfully. Definitely a must try if it’s your first time, and even if you’re not into the whole raw egg thing, you should give it a chance. It won’t disappoint.
The uni cream pasta is a total must have. We watched the head chef prepare bowl after bowl after bowl. It seemed like almost every table was ordering it! The cream is a light cream sauce that is mixed with pureed uni. The spaghetti is cooked to a perfect al dente with a couple pieces of uni gently placed on top and some finely chopped chives to garnish. Though the sauce is a cream sauce, it’s not too rich or overwhelming and on the lighter side. Every bite is a bite of uni luxury.
We ended the meal with their house-made yuzu sorbet. Such a nice and light way to end the meal. The yuzu definitely shines through but isn’t too powerful. It’s a nice sweet and sour combo that is oh so refreshing! Highly recommend this dessert if you still have some room in your belly.
Miyabi Uni isn’t Uni Club, but you can’t be blamed for wanting to compare the two. Uni Club used to have a fairly sizeable menu with uni prepared in countless ways. Miyabi, on the other hand, has a smaller menu which keeps some of the gems from Uni Club such as the donburi and uni soups, but prides itself on being more experimental with their uni dishes. We only had a little taste of their impressive menu, so we’ll definitely be coming back to try their other dishes!
Miyabi Uni
1231 Cabrillo Ave #101
Torrance, CA 90501
