Joe S.
Yelp
I headed to the westside for a movie screening and needed a quick bite to eat. I went to my trust Yelp app and found The Backhouse. And what a find it was!! I asked to be seated at the bar since I was in a bit of a hurry. I ordered a beer, some sautéed Shishito Peppers, and a Yellowtail Yuzu Roll.
The Shishito Peppers came out quickly. They had been flash seared, tossed with a tasty soy miring sauce, and topped with bonito flakes. The first pepper was sheer bliss, hitting your mouth with the perfect balance of umami, a little heat, and the punch of the bonito flakes. Yummm!!! The second pepper was a different story though. It was extremely hot and quickly blew out my taste buds. Ouch!! These peppers are usually quite mild but one can always expect to find a spicy one every now and then.
Thankfully my mouth recovered just in time for the Yellowtail Yuzu Roll to arrive. The middle was filled with spicy tuna and it was topped with slices of Yellowtail and avocado and served with a tart Yuzu sauce. The tuna was nicely spiced with a decent kick of heat and a nice punch of toasted sesame oil. The Yellowtail was nice and tender with a subtle sweetness that indicated its freshness. Combined with the cool avocado, this roll had a nice balance of flavors and went perfectly with my beer.
I'm very happy to have stumbled upon this place thanks to Yelp. The service was very friendly, the food was quick to come out, and the prices were reasonable for the quality I received. I'm looking forward to returning the next time I am on this side of town. Well done Backhouse!!!