I’ve had my eyes open looking for fresh wasabi ever since a reader told me about a (since closed) sushi place in La Jolla that served the green horseradish prepared fresh instead of the ersatz powder that’s more commonly used outside of Japan. I was taken aback to find it on the menu at Ikiru Japanese Restaurant in Liberty Station, of all places!

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/07/37956/

Yup, there it was, listed as an appetizer: “fresh wasabi,” $1.95. I had to try it.

Served up in a ramekin alongside an excellent order of salmon sushi, the wasabi had a chunkiness that I hadn’t expected, but it packed a whopping amount of sinus-clearing heat. Maybe it had been chopped instead of grated? Wasabi tartare.... Regardless, the flavor was brighter and fresher than the fake stuff, with a green, herbal taste. I don’t think it was the finest wasabi available, which can costs hundreds of dollars for a single pound and is usually reserved for fine sushi restaurants, because the flavor of that is downright revelatory. It was nevertheless a rare treat and an improvement over the reconstituted paste.

I put it to good use on my chirashizushi bowl as well. There was nothing really exciting in there--the typical salmon, tuna, tamago, snapper, seaweed, and rice--but it was cut well and the fish was of excellent quality. The rice at Ikiru was a tiny bit extra sweet and, while a touch gluey in the bottom of the chirashi bowl, the effect of the high-profile rice and the fresh wasabi satisfied.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jan/07/37958/

Needless to say, Ikiru’s sushi impressed me. There were plenty of “average” sushi bar items on the menu, but the everyday stuff plays second fiddle to the better-than-expected fish and the delightful surprise of the fresh wasabi.

2850 Womble Road
619-221-1228