Umi by Eden in Glendale Takes a Stylish Page From the Likes of Nobu | Eater LA
"Opened in March 2024 on Eden on Brand’s former first floor, Umi by Eden brings an upscale raw sashimi and sushi program to Glendale in a dimly lit lounge setting designed to feel more luxurious than a typical sushi spot. I found the interior heavy on black marble countertops, green accents, and black plush velvet chairs and sofas, an aesthetic clearly taking cues from Los Angeles Japanese lounge restaurants. Chef Hoon Kang, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate who spent seven years working under Michael Cimarusti at Providence, sources most of the fish from Japan and cures it for up to a week using techniques like ike jime and shinkei jime; he also sometimes applies a touch of French technique to the sashimi. Standouts include a golden eye (or seasonal red) snapper sashimi served on a creme fraiche panna cotta and nori, topped with kumquats and airy yuzu foam, and a zuke-style bluefin tuna cured overnight in soy, presented on a bronze plate over yuzu custard with halved green grapes, pickled pearl onions, and blistered tapioca squid ink chips — a reimagined childhood snack of the chef’s. The menu also offers inventive appetizers such as ceviche miso cones with chopped salmon, halibut, tuna, and albacore, an A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef tartare with truffle vinaigrette over truffle toast, plus more typical hand rolls, sashimi, and rolls featuring spicy tuna, baked crab, and salmon skin; staff will even accommodate requests to bring select items from Eden on Brand if diners want to mix menus." - Andrew Watman
