Cycle 16 – Item 224
Post 5,703
17 (Sun) August 2025
Seared Baby Lobster (Nigirizushi)
3.5
at Amami Sushi
-Cupertino, California, USA-
with DJ, HL + J + K
Sending the Kid Off to College (The Cal Handover): Day 4 of 8
-
- Day 1 (16.221 “Walnut Shrimp” (Candied Pecans with Jumbo Prawns))
- Day 2 (16.222 DeliciousHot Dog)
- Day 3 (16.223 Roasted Duck (Half))
- Day 4 (16.224 Seared Baby Lobster (Nigirizushi))
- Day 5 (16.225 Wintermelon & Seafood Soup – Go Bears!)
- Day 6 (16.226 Fettucine … Anchoïade – Let’s Celebrate in Style)
- Day 7 (16.227 Original Tofu Soup – This Is Where I Leave You)
- Day 8 (16.228 Korean Beef Short Rib with Vegetables Wraps)
In the San Francisco Bay Area. MISSION: transition DJ into his new life as a freshman at the University of California – aka Cal (to those who know) aka UC Berkeley (to those who don’t): sign up for a local mobile phone number, open a checking account, buy pillows for his dorm room. After that fateful visit to Berkeley last summer, which I’d dared to hope would inspire DJ to apply later that fall, then get accepted and enroll in the spring – meanwhile, donating to the Buddha for Academic Achievement (see 13.094 Just Regular Eomuk), asking a priest for his blessing (see 15.256 Pretty Jeon), erecting a shrine to the Golden Bear Gods (see 16.082 Kongnamul Scallop Guk), and delivering a presentation to steer him in the right direction (see 16.083 Tangsuyuk) – the dream came true. A graduate of Cal myself – Go Bears! – I look forward to buying a “Cal Dad” t-shirt.
4 nights at Hahn’s, 2 nights at Berkeley, 1 final night back at Hahn’s.
SHOPPING
My only personal experience with Trader Joe’s goes back to the summer of 2003, when I was staying at my cousin’s apartment in Emeryville (she was a grad student at Cal, in Korea for the summer break) and studying for the bar exam – I would occasionally buy food at a Trader Joe’s in the neighborhood. Vaguely, I recall that the store wasn’t that big, not really a full-on supermarket, more of a high-end convenience store with items catering to single/young/busy customers, like prepackaged sandwiches and meal kits. “Two Buck Chuck” was a thing.
Primary objective to purchase Trader Joe’s tote bags as gifts for my staff – the popular limited edition mini totes weren’t available, just the standard big ones.
Also scored several sauces that will be featured in upcoming posts.
LUNCH
After Trader Joe’s, we stopped by their favorite local taqueria for lunch.
The food was amazing. Meats were succulent and very nicely seasoned. Hand-rolled flour tortillas were delectably squishy and chewy. Enhanced with excellent pico de gallo and a range of home-made hot sauces. Best tacos since that occasion last year when I was nearly killed (see generally 15.179 Chicken Tacos Regular).
DINNER
Amami Sushi is a Japanese restaurant. Specializes in sushi, with emphasis on nigiri. Though generally casual, the whiteboard menu offers daily specials of premium items at premium prices.
The plan had been to treat everyone to a fancy dinner, both to celebrate DJ and Kaitlyn going to Cal and to thank Hahn and Jenny for hosting us at their house, something involving steak and lobster perhaps. But nobody seemed that keen. When Kaitlyn suggested sushi instead, everyone jumped on board.
The food was excellent. Pristinely fresh. Choice cuts. Better across the board than MJ Sushi.
The pièce de résistance was the Baby Lobster. Shared with Hahn, 1 apiece. As anticipated, it turned out to be something like a langoustine or crawfish or just a really big prawn than actual baby lobster. I found that the caviar and pickled jalapeńo toppings were a bit distracting at the outset (Hahn didn’t mind) – too tangy, too briny – but once beyond, the sweetness of the flesh came through, enhanced by the aburi sear. Not a bad value at $13. Anyway, it was a fun way to end the meal.
(See RESTAURANTS IN USA)
(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See BOOZE)