Matsu - Sooooooo Good!

18035 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA

Instead of posting a recipe, for this blog I'd like to tell you all about a very special Japanese Restaurant.    Located in Huntington Beach, Matsu has been in business for more than 30 years and is the place my hubby and I have satisfied our sushi cravings for over 20 of those years. 

The sushi at Matsu is remarkable. You can always count on the freshness of the fish, the use of real crab (not Krab) and they offer a wide range of imaginative dishes that not only taste delicious, they look like works of art.  If you aren't in the mood for sushi, in addition to the 12 person sushi bar, Matsu also has an expansive dining room serving authentic Japanese cuisine such as teriyaki or misoyaki style steak, chicken and seafood, tempura, bento and udon.  For a big "Wow" factor consider ordering a Matsu Boat Dinner -- beautiful wooden gondolas filled with lobster, beef teriyaki, salmon, sesame chicken, shrimp tempura, California roll and fresh fruit.  Matsu also has several Teppanyaki tables, excellent for those special events.  If you do have a special occasion let them know in advance and you'll receive a free dessert plus a group photo...and if it's your birthday you'll be serenaded with the catchiest Japanese version of the birthday song you've ever heard! :) 

Besides the mouth watering food, it's the staff at Matsu that completes the experience.  For decades, Matsu's owner Yugi-san was the head sushi chef before he bought the place out a few years ago.  Although we miss him rolling sushi he makes a wonderful host, always greeting us by name when we visit.  Hatsu is the main server in the sushi bar and when I say she is a treasure that's an understatement.  She's worked at Matsu since its inception and she is so sweet and attentive, in my opinion she is the heart of Matsu. Yuki-san is the current sushi chef and he's brought several new dishes to the table so be sure to ask for his special sushi bar menu which may inspire you to try something new.

The bar is also worth mentioning because it's very dark and romantic, making it the perfect place to share a drink with your significant other.  Try the Japanese Kimono, a melon and vodka frozen concoction served with a dainty umbrella on the rim.  It tastes like a fresh honeydew melon!  On the weekends you might have a little wait for the sushi bar but I promise it's very worth it...as the guests have said so often it's become their  catchphrase, Matsu is "Soooooo good!"

The following is a sampling of what we chowed down on during our last visit.  I apologize in advance for the sushi craving you're about to have!  

Salmon and Albacore Sushi

I usually start my sushi experience with albacore but I'm very picky about salmon sushi and at Matsu, the salmon is always melt in your mouth buttery.  Here both are topped with vibrant green onion and a bright, citrus-y ponzu sauce.

Crabby Tuna

My absolute favorite thing at Matsu is the Crabby Tuna.  This creative dish is tuna (maguro) wrapped around fresh crab mixed with the tiniest amount of mayonnaise.  Then it's finished with smelt eggs, green onion and a bit of garlic chili sauce to make it sing!  And sing it does, I typically have 2 orders!

Tuna Boat

The advanced version of the crabby tuna is the tuna boat which is the same as the crabby tuna but topped with two quail eggs.  The bright yellow quail eggs give this dish a creamy pop.

Spicy Scallop Sushi

The spicy scallop sushi is not to be missed. Tender scallops are combined with a bit of spicy mayo and smelt eggs, piled atop a little paddy of rice wrapped in seaweed (nori). You may have had spicy scallop sushi before but the difference is most sushi bars add Sriracha sauce to achieve the telltale heat but at Matsu they use garlic chili sauce (aka sambal) which makes it really unique.

Cucumber Special

The Cucumber Special is by far our favorite roll. Looking like a colorful fish lollipop, it's made by utilizing a sheet of paper thin cucumber instead of the usual seaweed wrapper and is filled with crab, tuna, shrimp and avocado.  A dipping sauce of ponzu, green onion and chili sauce provides a perfect accent for the refreshing flavor of this creative masterpiece.  And watching the chef slice a whole cucumber into the flat sheet required to make this roll is a like sitting in on a knife skills master class.

Baked Clam and Scallop

The baked clam and scallop is actually a hot appetizer but we like to end our meal with this very rich dish as a sort of savory dessert.  It's made with giant clam, scallops, onion, mushroom, zucchini all baked in a creamy sauce topped with green onion and dried bonito flakes.  It's a a definite indulgence but if you split it with a friend I've been told the calories don't count! :)

Until next time, thanks for reading!