ONE ... SINGULAR SENSASIAN EVEN THOUGH IT ENDS WITH II.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic SUSHI BARS GALORE dot Ventura Boulevard's 17 miles of restaurant row. And if you're not happy with the one you currently frequent, or happen to be a curious, adventurous foodie who can't resist a new place, there's a new one in the heart of Sherman Oaks. With the departure of Il Balcone comes its replacement SensAsian II. ``So where's SensAsian I?`` I ask the manager. ``There isn't one,'' he replies. Anticipating my confusion, he clarifies the issue immediately, informing me that the reason for the ``II'' is simply to allow the signage to have a couple of chopsticks illustrated after the name. So much for marketing. SensAsian isn't merely a sushi bar, it also designates itself as an ``Asian grill.'' This means that in addition to the expected Japanese items normally available at a sushi bar, SensAsian's kitchen prepares a sprinkling of dishes of Thai, Chinese and Korean heritage. Hence the ``Asian'' part of SensAsian. For sushi sushi A Japanese raw fish delicacy that may be a vector for parasites–eg, Anasakis, which often affect sushi made from mackerel caught in early spring Endoscopy Edema, gastritis, erosion Clinical Myalgia, abdominal pain Radiology Thread-like larvae may purists, the chefs behind the bar here do a good job crafting regular sushi snacks with fresh, reasonably thick-sliced tuna ($3.50), yellowtail ($3.95) and albacore albacore: see tuna. albacore Large oceanic tuna (Thunnus alalunga) that is noted for its fine flesh. The streamlined bodies of these voracious predators are adapted to fast and continuous swimming. ($3.50). And the special appetizer-size sashimi plates are really outstanding, with tuna tataki ($7.95) and seared sear 1 v. seared, sear·ing, sears v.tr. 1. To char, scorch, or burn the surface of with or as if with a hot instrument. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. albacore ($7.95) cleverly arranged utilizing fresh lemons in the center of the plate to dramatically drape drape v. To cover, dress, or hang with or as if with cloth in loose folds. n. A cloth arranged over a patient's body during an examination or treatment or during surgery, designed to provide a sterile field around the area. the raw tuna and seared albacore into a Mount Fujiyama depiction, with the bonus of very fresh, excellent-tasting sliced fish. From the noodle offerings, Singapore curry noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. with calamari, shrimp and onions ($7.95) were somewhat disappointing one evening, with the thin rice noodles Rice noodles are noodles that are made from rice. Their principal ingredients are rice flour and water. However, sometimes other ingredients such as tapioca or corn starch are also added in order to improve the transparency or increase the gelatinous and chewy texture of the slightly mushy mush·y adj. mush·i·er, mush·i·est 1. Resembling mush in consistency; soft. 2. Informal a. Excessively sentimental. See Synonyms at sentimental. b. and the curry sauce Noun 1. curry sauce - allemande sauce with curry powder and coconut milk instead of stock sauce - flavorful relish or dressing or topping served as an accompaniment to food less than sharp. But complimentary edamame Edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod commonly found in China and Japan. The pods are boiled in water together with condiments such as salt, and served whole. (boiled soy beans) and miso soup indicates the willingness to please by the helpful staff and management here. A half-dozen Szechwan (spelled Sichuan on the menu) dumplings ($5.95) provide a neat starter. So does the mixed seafood salad ($6.95). The best entree dish here is undoubtedly the catfish fillets, an unexpectedly large portion ($12.95), steamed and lightly stir-fried and served with a white sauce studded with snow peas. Korean barbecued ribs (kal-bi, $10.95) come forth nicely flavored but a sometimes a trifle gristly gris·tly adj. gris·tli·er, gris·tli·est 1. Composed of or containing gristle. 2. Resembling gristle. gris . There are loads of choices here, with numerous seafood and chicken offerings, even a Cantonese barbecued duck dish. And they're all under $15 and quite shareable. The emphasis at SensAsian is decidedly with the appetizer and entree plates. Sushi might end up an afterthought. And why not, there appears to be too much of it around, anyway. Larry Lipson, (818) 713-3668 larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com SENSASIAN II Food: Two and one half stars Service: Three stars Wine: Two and one half stars Where: 14633 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Hours: Open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly, to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Recommended items: Tuna tataki sashimi, seared albacore sashimi, seafood salad, catfish with special sauce. How much: Everything under $15. Full bar. AE, MC, V, Discover. Wine list: Better than one would expect with food that is usually complemented by sake or beer. Wines by the glass from $5.75 to $9.50 and bottles from $20 to $50. Reservations: Helpful. Call (818) 995-9380. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Owner Sebastian Kim pairs traditional sushi and sashimi dishes with an ``Asian grill'' concept at his SensAsian II. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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