FIN in Culver City

I have so much respect for sushi, but that wasn’t always the case. For the longest time I turned my nose up to it because I generalized all sushi to look and taste like rotten fish. It was overpriced, disgusting, and probably still moving. There was nothing anyone could do to make me think otherwise. Push the fast forward button on time and I found myself open to California rolls and shrimp tempura. Baby steps, people. Today, I wouldn’t consider myself to be a veteran to the cuisine, but I enjoy more sushi than when I first started. With that being said, when I got the chance to eat at FIN Sushi in Culver City, I swam to the opportunity to find new dishes that I could fall in love with.

Yeah, that was a fish joke.

What got me to go to FIN wasn’t initially their sushi. I actually saw a few photos of their cocktails and the well-mannered lush in me squealed with excitement. I then scrolled over their mouthwatering menu online and was captivated by their seductive sounding dishes. Tiger prawn tacos, mango miso duck, and seared beef carpaccio were calling my name. To avoid talking back to the menu on my computer, I grabbed my bestie (TJ) and we made our way to FIN. Once at the restaurant, the look and feel was  inviting and comforting. The bar and dining areas aren’t over the top. Instead they are simply designed with accent pieces like lamps and photos. This way it looks nice, but not like it’s trying to hard.

Drinks
Once we sat down and met our sweet waitress, Alysha, we looked over the drink and food menus. We started with cocktails. TJ, being the sake lover that he is, ordered the Sakemoto ($15 for 300ml). The sake is a nice grade and goes down smooth like water, but is on the drier side. Don’t let that fool you, it may be smooth but it carries its weight and strength.

I ordered the Hello Kitty ($12). The drink takes Kettle One vodka and mixes it with Pom Juice, agave, lemon, and muddled berries. The vodka in this drink is no supporting actor to the mix-ins. Instead, it is strong and very prominent in a way that makes you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. The sprightly fruit accents that came from the muddling of the berries only help to balance what could have been an overpowering vodka.

Starters
At this point, we had our orders down, well, the appetizers at least. We first ordered the Seared Beef Carpaccio ($16). It was seared filet mignon with a layer of crisp shiitake mushrooms and truffle dressing. If you know me, which by now I think you should, then you know mushrooms and truffle are flavors that I have yet to acquire. That was until now. The beef comes out in clean-cut slices that easily separate as you pick them up with your chop sticks. Or fork, rookie. The dressing is light and sweet while the mushrooms help the ponzu dressing burst with flavor. The whole dish melts in your mouth to the point that I have to take back what I said about mushrooms and truffle. I was wrong. But I won’t say it again, you’ll just have to re-read that sentence over.

Following the carpaccio, we had the Seared Albacore Sashimi ($13). Remember when I said that I disliked sushi? I was an idiot. This sashimi is everything I could want from sushi and more! The beautifully plated dish has light pink colored tuna that is thinly sliced and dressed with a spicy onions. It’s a straight forward starter that awakens your taste buds for the dishes to arrive next.

Mains
At this point, it was time to order our entrees. To be honest, the appetizers aren’t small dishes although it’s a tapas bar. That being said, you can easily order these appetizers (and a few others) and eat them as mains. But once you see what we ordered, you may want to go straight to the entrees. Alysha let us know they had two dishes that were favorites for their regulars: the Miso Black Cod ($18) and the Bluefin Tuna Sashimi ($15). The way she described the plates with so much zest made me forget that I had a menu in my hand. Once she finished, we looked at each other and went with her suggestion. I got the cod while TJ got the sashimi. When I tell you Alysha made a exceptional suggestions, I mean it.

The sashimi is Cajun rubbed and sits in an ichimi ponzu dressing. The dressing is tart and thin with a gentle citrus accent that brings out the flavors of the sashimi. The tuna is enticing in its appearance and wonderful in its taste. With one bite it evaporates in your mouth making you indulge in its delightful essence while making you feel as if you didn’t eat a thing. It’s a great plate!

The miso black cod is a small filet that arrives to the table atop of three pieces of carrots and asparagus. I looked at it with a face that read, “I’m going to destroy this”. Turns out the plate destroyed me from the inside out in a delicious way. It is such a delicate piece of cod that it instantly slides apart when you press your chop sticks against it. The fish is soft and supple, while the skin is textured and has a sweet miso, sake, and butter glaze. The beauty in the fish is that they wash it in sake and marinate it in miso overnight. You read that right, they bathe the code in liquor. For a fat moment, I wondered if I could be washed in sake and marinated in miso. Can you imagine how great I would be in the morning? I digress. This dish was perfect in every way except in its size. I loved the taste and needed more, much more, once I finished it. The temptation to order another serving was unbearably strong, but I ate from TJ’s plate to quell the gluttony.

Extras!
The restaurant managers were so nice to offer us two extra dishes. Was I prepared for it? Not at all. Did I accept it? With arms wide open like Creed. The first of the two dishes was the Shrimp Hand Rolls ($11 each, $1 to add avocado). Pricey for hand rolls? Yes, but if you’re celebrating or you just found a $20 earlier in the day, get it. The raw rolls are made with spicy shrimp that are seasoned with sriracha sauce, ponzu dressing, and a dash of mayonnaise. The shrimp is then rolled in white rice and avocados, and wrapped in soy paper. It’s definitely a spicy roll, but once you brace yourself for it, it will be well received. The rolls are on the secret menu, but now that you know about them, you can get them.

The second of the two dishes was the Pumpkin Tempura ($5). First of all, I love pumpkin anything. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, and even pumpkin scented deodorant—I get to smell like Thanksgiving everywhere I go! Here, the pumpkin slices have a thick tempura exterior. The pumpkin itself isn’t noticeably seasoned—so it doesn’t spark of flavors like salt or warm butter, instead the slices let the tempura take reign. It’s nice, but I think if it had greater accents to it, it would be unforgettable.

Dessert
Unfortunately the final dish arrived. It was the  Flourless Chocolate Cake ($8). The miniature cake was dressed with a single raspberry, blackberry, and a mint leaf and glazed with hot chocolate. I was skeptical about the cake since it’s free of flour, but I was surprised to find that it was still rich and decadent. I’m pretty positive I won’t order a flourless cake over one made of flour, but if it’s the only dessert on the menu I would get it. Plus it since it isn’t made with flour that means it has fewer calories than regular cake, right? I’m going to say yes. But don’t listen to me.

FIN is a lovely restaurant with an incredible menu. The food is savory and tantalizing. So much so that I want to relive it all over in this very moment. But there was something to the location that I thought was interesting. Just outside of the building was a set of lights that looked as if it led somewhere. I quickly became nosey and wanted to know what was back there. I asked the manager and he smiled and let me know it was The Alley, a hidden speakeasy that would transition guests from dinner to nightlife. With that I had to check it out for myself and what I found was beautiful.

Stay tuned for the review of The Alley!

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Address: 12223 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Phone: (310) 398-8611
Hours: Monday to Saturday – 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:00pm to 11:00pm and Sunday – 5:00pm to 9:00pm
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