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Sushi Murasaki (Santa Ana, CA)

Sushi Murasaki
2901 W MacArthur Blvd
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Dining date: 2/18/17

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I really enjoy the Orange County sushi scene, especially when comparing the price point to comparable sushi in Los Angeles. I haven’t tried too many places in the area (I really enjoy Ohshima in Orange), but a friend recommending trying this spot in Santa Ana. Sushi Murasaki has been one of the highly regarded sushi spots in the area for the past decade.

We took a seat at the omakase-only counter for a procession of sushi.

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Cucumbers and Seaweed

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Halibut Fin

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Japanese Snapper

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Golden Eye Snapper

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Horsemackerel

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Amberjack

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Black Cod

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Grunt Fish

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Blackthroat Seaperch

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Fatty Tuna

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Sea Urchin (Santa Barbara)

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Sea Bass

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Japanese Beef

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Live Shrimp

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Scallop

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Shrimp Heads

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Giant Clam

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Sea Eel

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Sea Urchin (Hokkaido)

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Egg

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I didn’t know a lot about Murasaki going in, and what surprised me most were the amount of flavor accents paired with the fish. A couple of the ones that worked best were the sea bass with shishito pepper oil and eel with yuzokosho. Less successful was a spicy chili oil atop the black cod – it just really overshadowed the fish. Many of the ‘premium’ cuts were left simply adorned with soy; the toro and uni were excellent.

Murasaki may not be the ideal spot for a sushi purist, but it presented some very good sushi in a reasonable price range.

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