Taikun Omakase (Dana Point, CA)

Taikun Omakase Pop-Up at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
One Ritz Carlton Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629
949-240-2000
www.taikunsushi.com / www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/snarz-the-ritz-carlton-laguna-niguel/dining/
Fri 08/09/2024, 08:00p-10:15p



My latest OC sushi adventure brought me to an unexpected location: the schmancy Ritz-Carlton resort down in Monarch Beach, which is currently playing host to a transient omakase experience by the name of Taikun (大君). The pop-up is the creation of the team behind Taikun Sushi, a small sushi bar opened by Ryan Chadwick in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Chadwick was the main instigator behind the Sushi Nakazawa residency in Aspen, which commenced in December 2020 inside the former home of his shuttered spot Grey Lady/Mr. Grey. The success of that experiment inspired him to open Taikun, which started in January 2021 as a takeout-focused concept at Deer Mountain Inn in Tannersville, New York (in the Catskill Mountains). It then turned into a more proper (but still initially temporary) sushi-ya in Manhattan in March that year, and before long, Taikun started popping up around the country.

In February 2022, Taikun made a two-week appearance at Marble Bar, situated inside The Aspen Mountain Residences, while during April and May, the team ran Shintomi Omakase at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami. June 2022 saw Taikun return to Marble Bar for the summer, and in December that year, the pop-up made its way to Aspen's Hotel Jerome, taking over Bad Harriet until the following February. Meanwhile, the team's first residency here at the Ritz-Carlton lasted from July 15th to November 5th last year, and two days in September 2023 were spent back in Tannersville. As for 2024, Taikun returned to the Four Seasons in Miami from February through April, while the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole is playing host from June through September, and Bad Harriet once again from July to October. This current stint in Dana Point launched at the start of the year, and is slated to run until the end of December.

About the Chefs: As for who's in charge of the food, Kei Yoshino was the man who originally opened Taikun with Chadwick. Born in September 1976 and hailing from Kamagaya, Chiba Prefecture, he trained in Japan under Shigeru Shiraishi for a decade before relocating to the US at the start of the 2000s. In the States, he worked at Sen in Sag Harbor and various places in New York City, including Sushi Nakazawa, Sushi Kaito, and Shiro. He's currently heading up Sushi Oku, which was opened in September 2023 in partnership with Chadwick and Scarr Pimentel. With Yoshino occupied, Taikun in New York is currently under the watch of Ferianto Ciu, while this Ritz-Carlton pop-up is ostensibly the charge of Yasu Iwai.

However, running the show tonight was Chef Ben Yu, a Hong Konger born in 1980. He immigrated to the US in 1995, landing in Philadelphia, and began his hospitality career at the age of 16. He started out as a dishwasher, and when he was in college, got a job at a local sushi spot. Yu eventually made his way to Morimoto, then later relocated to NYC, where he cheffed at numerous eateries including the Manhattan outpost of Morimoto, Zuma, Nobu, and Sushi Ishikawa. Prior to the pandemic, he even ran six food business (three pastry, two Japanese, one Vietnamese) in New York, Atlanta, and back in Pennsylvania.


Taikun occupies a space that was once home to one of the hotel's private dining rooms, which has been turned into an intimate space with just eight seats at the sushi bar.


Taikun's omakase spans 16 courses and is priced at a pre-paid $235 a head, plus a $10 payment processing fee (what exactly is that?), 22% service charge, and 7.75% tax. I do appreciate the printed menu, and as I've said before, more sushi-ya need to implement this. To drink, there's a sake pairing at $125 and a premium beverage pairing at $175, or you can choose from a small selection of cocktails, a couple beers, sundry sakes, and an array of wines (including a laughably overpriced bottle of Margaux). Corkage is $50 a pop, limit two. Click for larger versions.


1: Toro Tartare | Kaluga Caviar
Dinner commenced with a puck of tuna tartare, and the fish's lush, fatty nature made a whole lotta sense when taken in concert with the salinity of malossol caviar and the burn of freshly-grated wasabi. A nice opener.


Watermelon Mule [$24.00] | Grey Goose Vodka, Watermelon, Lime, Ginger Beer
Beverage-wise, we got things going with a couple of cocktails, starting with this riff on the classic Moscow mule, one with plenty of ginger-y punch, but only whispers of watermelon.


2: Mochi | Hokkaido Uni, Ikura, Caviar
Here, the trademark brine of salmon roe was at the forefront, set off by the sharp sting of wasabi while the rice cakes tempered the flavors at play and also mixed things up texturally. I detected some welcomed flashes of freshness from the shiso flowers, too.


3: Cherrywood Smoked Sashimi | Ponzu, Sesame, Onion
Silky cuts of king salmon were imbued with a subtle smoke that complemented the fish without ever becoming overpowering. A tangy ponzu dressing was also appreciated, but even more effective was the zestiness of those greens, which really cut through the heft of the sashimi.


Ritzy Smoked Old Fashioned [$28.00] | Angel's Envy, Orange, Bitters
This next cocktail was definitely on the boozier, bitter side, its sweetness and smoke forcefully conveyed to be sure. Not a bad pairing with the salmon above.


The arrival of the ginger and finger napkin proclaimed the start of the sushi portion of our meal.


4: Kinmedai
Golden eye snapper is generally one of my favorite neta, and didn't disappoint tonight. The fish was a joy texturally, and its delicate flavors were enhanced by tangy, citrusy nuances and a savory soy-fueled finish.


At this point, we opened up a bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée 171ème Édition that I'd brought. Disgorged in 2022, the Champagne was a blend of a dozen vintages spanning 2000 to 2015, and was composed of 45% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, and 18% Pinot Meunier. In terms of aroma, think bountiful amounts of brioche, supported by zippy citrus and earth. On the palate, the sparkler showed off a lively effervescence, its tart, lemon-y flavors joined by a pert acidity, light florals, a touch of nuttiness, and a subdued minerality. As the evening progressed, I seemed to detect less breadiness, and more fruit. This was drinking pretty well tonight, but still seemed a bit young, so I'm sure that the wine will get even better with age.


5: Aji
The horse mackerel was certainly a winner, largely due to how well the heat of that ginger matched with the refined brine of the fish.


6: Nodoguro
It's always a treat to find blackthroat seaperch on the menu, and indeed, the akamutsu was properly supple, simultaneously showing off both sweetness and a growing umami note. However, I'd like to see some sear here to draw out the fish's flavors even more.


7: Ishidai
Up next was an uncommon sight at SoCal sushi bars: barred knifejaw, also known as striped beakfish or stone snapper. The fish possessed a dense, soft, sticky mouthfeel and a subdued flavor profile that was dutifully enhanced by salty shavings of karasumi.


8: Kamasu
Barracuda made for a relatively full-flavored neta, one further bolstered by a robust topping of ankimo.


9: Gindara
Hokkaido sablefish ate rich and fatty, so the counterpoint provided by that spicy garlic on top was much appreciated.


10: Akami | House Soy
Here, the deep, savory flavors of kombu amped up the Spanish bluefin's cool brine and very apparent umami.


11: Chutoro
The chutoro represented a noticeable step up in the fattiness department, so the offsetting zing of the pickled wasabi was crucial.


12: Otoro | Kaluga Caviar
Not surprisingly, this final piece of tuna was the most luscious of the bunch, a near melt-in-your-mouth cut that took well to both a generous brushing of soy sauce and a dollop of caviar.


Baja Coast Cosmo [$22.00] | Ketel One Orange & Peach Botanicals, Lime, Tonic
With the wine dispensed with, it was time for another cocktail. This twist on the iconic cosmopolitan was a bit more interesting than most thanks to its herbaceous edge.


13: Hokkaido Uni
The cool, sweet salinity of Hokkaido sea urchin was on proud display here, perfectly married to the grassy, oceany qualities of crisp nori.


14: Miyazaki A5 Wagyu | Japanese Sea Salt, Lemon, Seasonal Truffle
To no one's surprise, Miyazaki beef arrived meltingly tender, unabashedly fatty, and seared just enough. I quite liked the complementary musk of those truffle shavings, and well as the bite's pinpricks of salt.


Our final beverage was the Echigo Flying IPA [$12]. I'd had the brewery's beers numerous times before, but never knew that they made an IPA. In any case, it was about what you'd expect, demonstrating a citrusy, bitter, floral character that was indeed rather invigorating.


15: Otoro Handroll | Daikon Radish
This hand roll featured a blissful marriage of tart, crunchy takuan and fatty tuna, moderated by rice and made all the better by that crisp seaweed wrapper.


A bonus serving of sea urchin at the end was just as tasty as the first.


16: Dessert
Dessert duties were handled by a mandarin sorbet with orange marmalade and a sprig of fennel. I found it refreshing citrusy, but with a palpable heft from the marmalade. A welcomed respite from all the strong flavors that preceded it.

The whole idea behind Taikun Omakase still seems slightly odd to me, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect coming in here, but it all worked out well in the end. The sushi and zensai were pretty much on point, and I didn't mind Yu's nontraditional flourishes either. Service, coordinated by Director of Operations Adrian Taylor, was affable and effectual, and overall, I have to conclude that this looks to be one of the better sushi experiences in Orange County. I wonder if the team will return once their control of the space lapses at the end of the year.