HURRAH FOR RA SUSHI

By Albert Hayashi

With the sounds of the Red Hot Chile Peppers and Def Leppard playing in the background I entered the most exciting new Japanese restaurant to open in the South Bay in years.  On a Friday night, the restaurant venue was packed with patrons. Located in the newly remodeled Del Amo Fashion Center, RA Sushi eloquently blends the Western palate with Japanese styled prepared food.  I began my culinary adventure with a drink called the RA Pleasure.  As one of their six signature drinks, the RA Pleasure blends vodka, sake and an array of fruit juices resulting in a smooth slightly sweet drink.  During dinner I had to try the Banzai Martini which reminded me of a good Mai Tai with sake served in a martini glass less an umbrella.  Our server suggested I start the evening with some of the RA special appetizers, the Mango Ceviche and Latin-Asian Albacore.  As a writer who has traveled abroad and tasted various forms of ceviche from a number of countries in South America , RA’s interpretation of ceviche was on the mark.  Using a cornucopia of seafoods such as lobster, scallops and shrimp topped with a mango salsa served over fresh endive and avocado, this was one dish I thought about ordering a second helping of.   

While watching the “Pure” sake overflow the glazed porcelain glasses into the cedarwood boxes, I began reading the different types of Special Sushi Rolls (found on the last page of the menu).  Purists define sushi as cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar that is shaped into bite-sized pieces and topped with raw or cooked fish, or formed into a roll with fish, egg, or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed.  For those who enjoy the unadulterated taste of seafood, RA Sushi is true to the definition offering traditional anago, ebi, tako, saba and maguro sushi.  More importantly, RA makes the world of sushi more accessible through their delicious special rolls.  Since all of the entrees sounded quite delicious, I went with the server’s recommendations.  If you like spicy tuna, make sure you order the Viva Las Vegas and Gojira sushi.  RA combines a special crab mix in many of their special sushi rolls including the Crunchy Calamari roll and Ultimate Shrimp Tempura.  The Pacific Roll sushi combines the avocado & mango salsa used in the ceviche, (describe earlier) with spicy Albacore, cilantro, jalapeno and cucumbers.  As someone who is quite familiar with Japanese sushi restaurants, RA Sushi’s Special Roll menu offers a delightful alternative to sushi novices who may not find the usual nigiri, sashimi and maki appealing.  The taste and appearance of these special rolls are the farthest from being called or looked upon as being “fishy”. 

Between 4-7 PM Monday through Friday, RA Sushi offers happy hour prices on sushi and drinks.  On Sundays, it is Industry Appreciation Night (8-11pm) at RA Sushi Torrance where you can dine on coconut shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolls for $3.

Fact Sheet:

Address: 3525 Carson Street, Torrance , CA 90501

Phone: 310.370.6700

Hours: 11 AM- 11 PM

Happy Hour (M-F): 4-7

Reservations Accepted

Valet Parking

Price for Dinner (2) w/Drinks: $70.00