Navigating the Mondo Menu at Sushi Yuzu in Toluca Lake

It is easy to feel overwhelmed with Sushi Yuzu’s menus, which span three double-sided pages plus a sushi checklist. You could easily order a different dish every day for months and barely make a dent. This local wonder has served one of the Valley’s deepest sushi rosters for nearly a decade, with many fish you won’t find at other local sushi bars, often seasoned in unexpected ways.

Sushi Yuzu serves flights of three different fish: tuna, yellowtail and salmon. It is a great way to experience a variety of cuts and preparations. Their salmon sampler ($17.75) features Scottish salmon presented four creative ways. Aburi salmon tops rich, seared belly with ginger and scallions. Salmon battera, silky kelp-cured fish, co-stars shiso and sesame seeds. Salmon nigiri comes topped with tangy, bursting finger lime beads. Finally, saikou (supreme) salmon is dressed with savory caviar.

Dial up the salmon quotient even further with Sushi Yuzu’s delectable salmon toast ($6.50). Bead-like jewels of salmon tartare join seasoned seaweed and salmon roe on crispy rice “toast.”

Of course Sushi Yuzu is skilled with far more than salmon. Their omakase (chef’s selection) costs $68 for 10 pieces and $85 for 15 pieces. Luxurious supplements include sturgeon caviar, fresh-shaved Italian black truffle or fresh-grated wasabi (real, not colored horseradish). Add these ingredients to any order for $10.

Sushi Yuzu, located at the base of a Spanish-style building and named for a type of Japanese citrus, is typically bustling at lunch and dinner. If you can’t snag seats at a table or the 10-seat bar, sister restaurant Kabosu is located right down the street … but that’s a whole other ocean of dishes to navigate.

10118 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake, 818-763-8355