This is what a $14 piece of toro sushi looks like: Takami

This is the view from the outdoor patio at Takami, a very attractive new sushi and robata restaurant located on the 21st floor of 811 Wilshire in downtown L.A. And this is where we got the bill for the "M.P." toro sushi and discovered it was $14 per piece, or $28 per order. (A two-piece order of toro sashimi is $58.)

To be clear: No blame to our server, who was lovely and pro. "M.P." was clearly marked on the menu. And while I agree with restauranteur Danny Meyer's assertion that "M.P." really means “Either a restaurant changes its menu infrequently or they’re not interested in telling you what the price is.” -- well, at least the definition is consistent.

Still. That's $14 for one piece of tuna belly sushi. One small piece, less than 2" long and perhaps 3/4" wide, cut thinly enough for me to notice that the kitchen scores each piece on the diagonal, allowing the fish to drape more attractively and giving it the illusion of being thicker. Then all was forgotten  -- it was delicious -- until we got the bill.

Or am I being unfair? Up next:  The market price for toro, as defined by other sushi restaurants.

Takami, 811 Wilshire Blvd. (213) 236-9600

Noise-O-Meter: 68-72 dBs, even with the proto-disco music piped onto the patio

Comments

[Lesley]

We at at Sushi of Naples recently, dying for sushi but didn't want to leave the confines of the Dena. We ordered the toro. It was beautiful, like butter, no stringy fat (which I've had the misfortune of getting at other places). Plump pieces, cut just thick enough. Price tag: $5.50 per piece. We had such a surprisingly good dinner that night, we went back a few nights later. Ordered the same thing. The toro had fat lines in it this time; it was more marbled last time. Still, beautiful. Fresh, soft, fatty. Mmmm.

$11 for two pieces of toro sushi.

[GS]

I learned a long time ago to ask what the actual market price of a dish is if I had any interest in ordering it. It's obviously the right/smart thing to do as this particular example shows.

I think there's a perception that asking for clarification on "MP" is somehow being cheap which is obviously ridiculous.

The conspiracy theorists will tell you that restaurants deliberately leave prices off the menu in lieu of "MP" to gouge customers. While I don't necessarily agree, how much does the price of toro (or any other MP item for that matter?) actually vary from day to day?

[LWR]

Part of the problem with pricing--and perhaps quality--of toro right now is that it's not in season. The prices should be more reasonable when it's less difficult for vendors to obtain the bluefin tuna, and the taste will be far superior; peak season is in the winter months.

[Dana]

Except... even Matsuhisa charges less. And so does Sushi "You'd be cranky, too, if you got up at 3 a.m. to buy fish" Nozawa. (See next post.)

[replica LV]

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