By Brett Callwood
The trouble with regularly reviewing food is that we’re constantly battling our weight as a result. Therefore, we have to write about salads for our sake as much as yours. That said, healthy eating genuinely does have a positive impact on your life, and it’s important to know where you can get some super-tasty salad.
That was on our mind when we ventured into Toshi Sushi, located on West Redondo Beach Boulevard. Before that though, a little history. There used to be a highly-rated sushi restaurant called Toshi Sushi in Little Tokyo, known for quality food at a reasonable price.
The same owner has now opened a restaurant with the same name right here in Gardena, and again it has a reputation for high quality sushi that doesn’t break the bank, in a casual environment.
The menu is as extensive as it’s tempting. Sushi and sashimi plates decorated with fatty, deliciously oily cuts of salmon, tuna and more all look magical. With sushi, the colors and the aromas are almost as important as the tastes. It’s all very artistic and overwhelming from a sensory perspective, when done right.
But again, we were on the lookout for a salad when we entered the Toshi Sushi doors. There’s no need to miss out though – we opted for the Sashimi Salad. We didn’t regret it for a second either; the mixed leaves were fresh and so full of flavor that it felt like the chef had picked them from the ground immediately before preparing the dish.
The dressing, which appeared to be soy sauce-based but we can’t be exactly sure, coated everything with a rich but light flavor that worked wonderfully well. This isn’t the sort of salad that you want to cover with a lavish portion of a creamy dressing, disguising the natural flavors. A thin, oily dressing works wonders.
Of course, the sashimi is always going to be the star of this particular show. Leaves and dressing, no matter how fresh and well paired, are going to be a bit dull by themselves. Throw on a generous amount of sashimi, and the whole salad springs to life.
In this case, those same fatty cuts that we could see on the plate are added to the salad, and they make each bite a proper treat. The tuna, as sturdy and full of flavor as it is, stands up to the rigors of a salad admirably well. Under the leaves and dressing, really explodes.
Ultimately, this salad felt like a tasty treat, and that’s not easy to pull off.
Toshi Sushi is located at 1725 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena 90247. Call 310-217-9700.
