Uni, or sea urchin, is one of the “rare” sea animals that are harder to find, so we didn’t quite see it in many restaurants other than few sushi restaurants until a few years ago. But, now we can find uni in a variety of forms such as pasta, risotto, and even udon.
Here are five restaurants in Los Angeles that you should try if you are an “uni lover”.
Marugame Monzo
329 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(Mon-Fri) 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5-10PM, (Sat-Sun) 11:30AM-10PM
At Marugame Monzo (Simply Monzo), you can enjoy cream udon that has a uni cream base.
Sea Urchin Cream Udon: $15.95
Cento Pasta Bar
128 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014Â (Wed-Sat) 11AM-3PM
1634 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (Mon-Fri) 11AM-3PM
Cento Pasta Bar is actually a “hideout” place. They only open for lunch, and uses DTLA’s ‘Mignon’ restaurant location from 11AM to 3PM on Wed-Sat. They also open at ‘Birch’ on Mon-Fri. However, the menu changes weekly, so make sure you check their weekly menu on their Instagram.
Uni Pasta: $14 (+$2.50 to add burrata)
1212 Santa Monica
1212 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(Mon-Sun) 11:30AM-10:30PM
EMC Seafood
3500 W 6th St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90010
(Mon-Fri) 11AM-2PM, 4PM-2AM, (Sat) 12PM-2AM, (Sun) 12PM-12AM
Hama Sushi
347 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(Mon-Fri) 12PM-2PM, 5:30PM-10PM (Sat-Sun) 5:30PM-10PM
At Hama Sushi, which is located in Little Tokyo, you can enjoy fresh uni with quail eggs.
Two Pieces of Uni Sushi: $9
by Audrey Joung