komasa inspires pop chart hits!

Komasa

351 E 2nd St

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 680-1792

price: $$

verdict: omg, i love it!

i would like to resurrect an old song that i wrote because of my complete adoration of komasa. here it goes:

(read my review to the tune of sir-mix-a-lot's "baby got back")

oh, my, god. becky, look at komasa.it is so small. *scoff* it looks like, one of those hole in the walls....
i love komasa and i cannot lie
you other sushi eaters can't deny
that when you walk into this itty bitty place
and you get tuna in your face
you get sprung, wanna pull out your gut
'cause you notice that sushi roll was stuffed
sitting at the sushi bar i'm staring
i'm hooked and i can't stop swearing
that "oh baby, your food's the best"
let me take some foodie pictures
my homegirls tried to warn me
but that spicy tuna roll you got makes me so hungry
ooh, rump-o'-salmon-skin
you say you wanna feed my friends?
well, feed me, feed me
'cause we ain't your average sushi groupies
i've seen them rollin'
and here i sit just droolin'
komasa's da shit, da best,
got it goin' like a turbo 'vette
i'm tired of trying other things
and hearing people sayin' other sushi places have the best thing
take an avid sushi eater and ask him that
we say "other places are just plain whack"
so, foodies! (yeah!) foodies! (yeah!)
do you like to eat some sushi stuff? (hell yeah!)
then go shake it! (shake it!) shake it! (shake it!)
shake your healthy gut to komasa!
komasa's NOT whack!

when i first chanced upon komasa about 5+ years ago, it was love at first bite. to me, it epitomized what i called "the sweet spot," not the "g-spot" you nasties. a sweet spot is sweet because pricing is just right and you get great food to boot. for many years, komasa was a sweet, sweet, sugary sweet sushi spot for me. although i always ate a lot and waddled out with only a few bucks left in my pockets anyways, i knew it was a great deal. quality was tip top and the fish you were served were thick fish slabs...ridiculously thick to the point where i look at the owner a.k.a. sushi chef from time to time and wonder if he's making any profit.

hi owner! me likey your sushi!

for many years, i went once a week. eventually my consistency petered out in the name of food blogging and going on food hunts. the last time i went to komasa was about 5 months ago and after going this past friday, i see that komasa has suffered from the economic downturn as well. the sushi...are finally regular sized now :( i miss my ginormous komasa slices. :( sushi quality is still great though. delicious. well, into my belly went:

albacore salad. seared albacore, avacado, gubo (japanese root), shredded iceburg lettuce, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, sliced cucumbers, and seaweed in a delicious, tart (probably ponzu) vinegrette. it is quite a hearty salad and super yumtastic.

blood red maguro (tuna) so deep in its coloration that it looks magenta. holy freshness it is! uni (sea urchin), and scallop sushi (fresh scallop pieces mixed with mayo and smelt eggs).

let me take a quick second to write a love note to the great sea urchin since i heart it so much:

roses are red,

violets are blue,

when i stick you in my mouth,

i taste the ocean, yes i really do.

ok, perhaps i'm not an emily dickenson with my words to my beloved sea urchin, but my god thank you poseidon for offering such a lovely silky sea tofu that is the sea urchin. a sushi dinner is never complete without it. and thank you komasa for keeping it under $6 and not at mp (market price) like other bastards.

and OF COURSE, i get their spicy tuna and lots of it! of all the spicy tuna rolls i've eaten ever, komasa reigns supreme. perfect spiciness to this kewpie mayo concoction.

spicy tuna cut roll. mmmmmm...

spicy tuna handroll. told you i love this shit and eating it in different ways DOES make a difference :)

two orders of lovely albacore. do keep in mind that i came with a friend. sheesh.

unagi (freshwater eel). one for you and one for me? i like the sweetness to it and the crispy edges.

topped it all off with a mixed tempura chaser and we have a winner here folks. it always feels so right when i grub at komasa.

there's always a cute toothpick holder that accompanies the bill. it appears that christmas cheer has already seeped into this sushi dwelling.

i always order everything that i've just shown you and i'm as regular about it as your bowel movements. komasa is pretty popular and during peak hours starting from 6:30-7 p.m., you can expect about a 45 minute to an hour wait. if you're not THAT hungry, you can always stroll around the vicinity and grab a few japanese snacks while you wait.