San Diego Metropolitan - Downtown Dining

I am told the Japanese word “Zenbu” translates to “all” or “a little bit of everything.” Well, “all” or “a little bit of everything” is about what I have sampled at Zenbu, and my response is, “ichiban,” which I have been told translates to something between “fantastic” and “No. 1.”

Zenbu Sushi Bar and Restaurant is the latest endeavor of Matt and Jacqueline Rimel. The couple also own and operate the La Jolla favorite Rimel’s Rotisserie, and although the two cuisines are worlds apart, the art of running a good dining establishment is universal. A little after one year in business, Zenbu has proven to be a success for the young restaurateurs.

The restaurant is in a La Jolla mini-mall, not the sexiest of locations. But once through the French doors of Zenbu, the mood becomes seductive. The two-story space is dimly lit. The walls and high ceiling are painted black and candles on the tables are the only noticeable form of illumination besides the small red votives strewn on shelves behind the bar.

The music, played a notch or two louder than in most restaurants, must be accepted as part of the dining experience, or you risk becoming “the old people on table 12” asking your hip surfer dude waiter to turn down the music. Besides, they play great stuff like Miles Davis and Steely Dan (“Aja,” of course).

Matt Rimel and his business partner, Andy Saraspe, own several commercial fishing boats and catch nearly all of the local seafood served at Zenbu. What they can’t catch, Matt hand picks from a very select group of purveyors. A couple of live tanks are upstairs in the kitchen, so when a guest orders a fresh local lobster or fresh urchin, it is fresh.

I dined twice in one week at Zenbu, both times with the same companion. I left with the feeling that the service I was getting was “too good.” Worried that they may have “made” me, I went back for a third time about a week later donning a jet black “China chop” wig and a hipper getup than I had worn the previous visits.

Although I did seem to fit in better in a room of black sweaters and European eyewear, the food and service was just as delicious and considerate as I had experienced on my two previous visits. The waiters are attentive and helpful, even chatty at times while describing the menu and the concept, and recommending dishes. Although a small table tent warns that some of the sushi items may take up to 45 minutes, I never experienced that kind of wait.

Like most Americanized Sushi bars, Zenbu offers specialty “House Rolls,” clever combinations with localized names that sell for top dollar. The “Big Pete” ($12) is filled with spicy scallops, cucumber, daikon sprouts and yamagobo, and is topped with Cajun spiced seared tuna. Like all of the rolls at Zenbu, it is big and the flavors are a great combination. The “Zenbu Roll” ($11) is a stone crab, masago and avocado roll dipped in a light tempura batter then flash fried. Simple as it may sound, it’s not an easy feat since it quickly flops if you overcook the avocado. They seem to have mastered it here because on all three visits it was cooked perfectly and was quite delicious.

Zenbu offers all of the standard sushi bar fare, but with flair. A plethora of rolls: rainbow, caterpillar salmon skin and the like are available at fair prices. It also features hand rolls, an up-to-the-minute sashimi list and, of course, an extensive nigiri sushi list.

What sets Zenbu apart from most sushi bar restaurants is its kitchen menu, referred to in Japanese restaurants as the “hot side.” The menu begins with “Hot Starters,” which include many of the usual suspects, including “Tempura Shrimp” ($10) and two varieties of “Lettuce Wraps” ($12), the fajitas of the East.

Of the four salad offerings, I took a fancy to the “Calamari Salad” ($11). It is a clean combination of petite calamari rings over a blend of green papaya, cucumber, shredded daikon and carrots on tender mixed greens. The salad is lightly dressed with a simple but flavorful lime vinaigrette.

The “Hot Wok’d” section offers a lot of choices. Here you choose from rice, noodles or vegetables quickly cooked up in a hot wok with a variety of ingredients. I opted for the “Fresh Scallop” ($15). Bay scallops are wok’d with thin, flat soba noodles, green onions, daikon, bok choy, garlic, ginger and fermented black soybeans. The contrast between the spicy ginger and the pungent black soybeans makes for a zesty dish with a lot of personality. As is true of most of their dishes, this was a good-sized portion. When you go to Zenbu, go hungry.

Zenbu offers several fresh local catches of the day, all at market price, along with a few other entrée selections, including the “Whole Red Snapper” (market price), which can be steamed or fried, and the “Ginger Panko Crusted Salmon” ($22), one of the most popular dishes. For those who may be fished-out by the time they get around to the entrée, the “Grilled Beef Tenderloin” ($24) is a wonderful option.

The house-made desserts live up to their creative menu descriptions and give the Zenbu dining experience a strong finish.

For the time being, Zenbu will go into my regular rotation of favorite dining spots. Although I will likely forego the black wig, I will always remember to bring my reading glasses.