At Sushi By Scratch, theatrics overshadow the fish - Review - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"If you have to ring a doorbell to get into a restaurant, you’re probably in for a theatrical experience. Sushi By Scratch, an omakase restaurant inside an Encino shopping mall, delivers on that front. A night here begins in a dim cocktail bar, followed by a walk down a darkened hallway. The host bangs on an unmarked wooden door, which dramatically opens to reveal a sushi bar with chefs wielding blowtorches like it’s a welding shop. It’s kitschy, mysterious, and builds genuine anticipation. If only the sushi were as exciting as the entrance. Sushi By Scratch offers just one option: an 18-course, nigiri-only omakase (plus one dessert) for $185. That price might not be astronomical in LA sushi terms, but it does set an expectation for a high-end omakase, one which Sushi By Scratch, despite creative and sometimes tasty nigiri, doesn’t fully live up to. video credit: Brant Cox You will eat some good sushi (the buttery bone marrow and scallop topped with spicy poblano kosho are standouts), but many pieces land like over-sauced gimmicks, not revelations. A slice of toro arrives dripping in brown butter and topped with a cut of pineapple. Ever wonder what cereal on sushi tastes like? Hamachi with sweet corn pudding and blowtorched bread crumbs finally answers the question. Hint: it’s not good. With 12 locations nationwide, the LA-born Sushi By Scratch is officially a chain, and it feels like it. Each course is pre-written on painted signs behind the bar. Cheesy anecdotes from the chefs feel pulled from training videos (return for a second dinner and you’ll notice repeated lines). And yet, Scratch can provide a good time if you're able to quiet your inner sushi snob. There are multiple sushi bars available for large parties and buyouts are common, which makes it a fit for a unique birthday dinner or celebratory meal with people who couldn't care less about seasonal skipjack and the merits of knifework. But if great sushi is your priority, far better options exist up and down Ventura Boulevard—without doorbells. Food Rundown Hamachi One of the worst pieces at Scratch arrives firstunfortunately. Maybe it’s a good piece of hamachi, but you’ll never know it. All you taste is blowtorched sweet corn pudding and bread crumbs that taste like somebody dipped raw fish in cereal milk. photo credit: Brant Cox Scallop This simple, balanced nigiri is a highlight. The naturally sweet scallop is kept front and center, while a dollop of housemade poblano kosho provides a zesty kick that hangs around after. photo credit: Brant Cox Albacore A lot is going on with this albacore. The fish is rubbed in a roasted garlic confit, then buried under a heap of way-too-salty fried onions. But somehow the only thing we remeber saying to our date was “flavorless.” photo credit: Brant Cox Akami After several courses of unnecessary sauces and garnishes, we were excited for a piece of fish with just wasabi and soy sauce. It’s a shame the actual tuna is bland and mushy. photo credit: Brant Cox Bone Marrow Some gimmicks you can’t help but fall for. Blowtorched bone marrow that tastes like a slab of soft butter on rice is one of them. photo credit: Brant Cox" - Brant Cox
