YUM SOO-SHEE

Last Wednesday, The Mobley (the in-house cafeteria at work) had their bi-weekly menu of sushi available for lunch. I usually never get their sushi, even though they've contracted some real-deal sushi company to come in and pre-make the rolls prior to the big lunch rush. Every other Wednesday people line-up for a dose of the not-so-spectacular maki rolls. Those who are more daring go for the side of seaweed salad, too. For some strange reason, I decided that I would get sushi there for the first time ever. Needless to say, it will be my last.

I honestly see no difference between the sushi served at work, and the sushi that's pre-packed at the grocery store. Granted, Bristol Farms serves up amazing pre-packed sushi for a grocery store, but they are the sole exception. I got a combo spicy tuna/salmon roll from The Mobez, and I (1) inhaled it in like 2 minutes, and (2) was not even close to satisfied.

After work, Jess and I decided to walk across the street to the Bev Hills library to study for the CPSM exam. We sat there dutifully studying for over an hour and a half, and the whole time you could hear my stomach growling and turning and doing all sorts of not-so-cool things. When we were done, we had to eat. We stopped at Sushi & Kushi Imai on Wilshire, right on the border of Bev Hills and mid-Wilshire. I've driven by this spot so many times before, but never been. Jess had been once and said that their happy hour was great. We missed happy hour, but were starving anyway so we went. Needless to say, it was great... Jess ordered this "crunch & crunch" thing which was basically a shrimp tempura roll nicely arranged with wonton bits and tempura shavings all over. It looked like a big sushi cake or something. To compliment that, she ordered a stuffed avocado with mushrooms and something else... scallops maybe? Looked amazing. I got a spicy tuna salad --spicy tuna on a bed of mixed greens with fresh slices of avocado on top. I also ordered a baked crab roll, which was OK. It was nothing remotely close to Kabuki's BSR (or something like that) or Roku's baked crab roll, which is still one of the best (if not the best) that I've had. All in all, the experience was good. I would definitely go again, especially for happy hour.

The service lagged a little though, but it was definitely busier than I had expected. It was dimly lit; pretty standard stuff much like the other Japanese places I've been to out here. But it was cozy, not cold like the new Sasabune. Since it was packed, it was a little loud, but not overly so. The sushi bar looked somewhat chic, and it gave balance to the rest of the area -- basically a v-shaped open space filled with tables. Definitely a keeper.

Incidentally, during lunch yesterday Jess and Justin stopped through the new spot made by the Sushi Roku gang of restaurants -- Luckyfish -- here in Bev Hills. It's one of those kaiten places --"conveyor belt" sushi. Not exactly my bag, but I'll try it since it's by the Roku gang. I'll let you know how it goes. Looks like we won't have a sushi shortage ever. Then again, this is L.A.

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Totally unrelated to sushi... but I feel like this is worth of mentioning; at least for my fellow Filos. Those of us who grew up in the 80s are more than familiar with Philippine stars Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion. They were a totally cheesy love-team that, for purposes not completely known to me, ended up getting married in real life. (The world of Philippine cinema is known for doing this ---which is absolutely dumb, I think.) So they had a story-book wedding; a ceremony and reception that royal weddings are made of. And then, as they usually do, they got divorced. Sharon went on to be one of the country's best stars, while Gabby had his share of fame before going on to father two more kids with two other women. (Not judging here...!) Now he's supposedly here in the States.

Anyway. Sharon and Gabby had a daughter, Maria Kristina Cassandra (sp?) - more popularly known as KC. She was the chubby little girl that pretty much grew up in the shadow of her mom. She wasn't absolutely pretty, but not at all unfortunate either. She wasn't super into showbiz, too. Some children of actors in The Phils totally get immersed in showbiz the minute they can walk and talk. But not so much KC, even though she did dabble with theater. Eventually, the little girl grew up... went to Paris for school... watched as her mom gave birth to her younger sisters... and eventually came to reconcile with her once-estranged father. Needless to say, the little duckling (not 'ugly' duckling, 'cause she honestly was never ugly to me) has blossomed into a swan.

Uh... this is her now:

Wow, right? She's gorgeous! She may be a spittin' image of her dad, but as a female she carries the look well. Ahahaha. I'm pretty impressed, and actually can't wait to see how far this one goes in Philppine showbiz. She's got an international look that may work in Hollywood. But is the talent there? Abangan ang susunod na...kabanata!