Lisa Y.
Yelp
What a hidden gem for omakase...literally! With an unassuming facade and just a small sign with it's logo on the outside, you'd never know Robin was behind those glass windows and door!
This restaurant is dimly lit inside with both tables and sushi bar seating. If you sit at the sushi bar, you can see all the action, including your sushi chef putting together each course right in front of you! Would definitely recommend! The menu is unique in that it's based on a sliding scale. Price ranges from $119-$219 based on your unique preferences and budget. You can always adjust along the way too if you feel like you're still hungry or want something specific to be included.
Here are some of my favorites from our omakase menu for the night! I loved the contemporary aspect of this omakase and the blend between traditional techniques and use of non-traditional local ingredients in the dishes.
- Steelhead trout nigiri with persimmon slice - I haven't had persimmon paired with sashimi, so I enjoyed this fresh take on it!
- A5 wagyu tartare with diced asian pear, on fried nori, topped with Santa Barbara uni - What an incredible bite! The A5 wagyu and uni were perfect.
- Red sea bream, spicy apricot jam, sea salt, and shaved miso cured egg yolk - Loved their flavor profile of spicy, salty, and umami elements. It really elevated the sea bream!
- Kinmedai golden eye snapper from Japan, yuzu gel, ponzu, lemon zest - This was a more citrus-forward nigiri. As a big fan of citrus, naturally I loved it.
- Cold smoked kanpachi, Korean BBQ vinegar and kimchi sauce with radish kimchi, chives, sesame seeds, slice of Asian pear. Smoked for 4 hours with applewood - I enjoyed this Korean inspired take on kanpachi.
- Hokkaido uni, torched bacon fat, drizzled soy sauce and lemon juice - Their uni was really on point. So creamy and sweet.
- New Zealand King Salmon with truffle butter on top and torched. Soy sauce, truffle salt, lemon spritz. Truffle slices on top - The perfect pairing of salmon and truffle. The truffle helped to bring out the flavor of the salmon rather than overpowering it.
- Black Sea bream kurodai from Cyprus, kombu on top, caramelized onion puree with smoked honey for sweetness, salt and peppercorn, ponzu - This one really surprised me! The caramelized onion puree was definitely a hit!
- Cold noodles with sesame dressing, Japanese style chimichurri with green onion, grape seed oil, sesame seeds, shaved winter truffle - Refreshing take on cold noodles!
- Caviar with aioli or creme fraiche on potato chip on rice. Robin signature dish, Chef-owner Adam's take on fish and chips - This was a fun one! Not what you'd typically expect at an omakase restaurant, but a fun way to experience caviar.
- A5 wagyu nigiri, lemon juice and soy sauce, shaved foie gras - One of the highlights of the night! This was such a sight to see from beginning to end! The foie gras comes as a giant block and is grated super finely like a blanket of snow over the A5 wagyu nigiri! So fun to watch our sushi chef prepare this dish! The taste was amazing too! I've never had anything like it before!
For dessert, we had a coconut soft serve with dark chocolate chips, orange cardamom caramel, and sea salt. Complex in flavor, yet light enough to be the perfect wrap up to the meal!
Overall, service was wonderful, and the menu was incredible!