History

California sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) is harvested by free divers off La Jolla; San Diego is the second-largest US uni port after Santa Barbara. The Tuna Harbor Dockside Market (Saturdays, since 2014) sells live uni boxes direct from the divers. Soichi Sushi and Sushi Ota's omakase showcase the highest grades.

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Common allergens: Shellfish, Soy

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 live whole sea urchin (or 1 tray of premium-grade A uni from Tuna Harbor or a Japanese fish market)
  • 200g sushi rice, cooked and seasoned with sushi vinegar
  • 1 sheet of toasted nori, cut into 4 strips
  • Soy sauce (Yamaroku Kikuhime or other premium aged shoyu)
  • 1 fresh wasabi root, finely grated (or wasabi paste)
  • Zest of 1 Meyer lemon or yuzu
  • Sea salt (Maldon)
  • Optional: 1 small jar salmon roe (ikura) for a 2-tone gunkan-maki
  • Quail eggs (optional, for a yolk topping)

Method

  1. If using a live urchin: wear thick gloves. Hold the urchin spine-side down. Cut a circular hole around the mouth (bottom centre) with strong kitchen scissors.
  2. Scoop out the dark gut and rinse the inside gently with cold seawater (not fresh water, which destroys the texture).
  3. Lift out the 5 orange-yellow lobes (the gonads) with a small spoon. Place them on a chilled plate; do not crowd.
  4. If using pre-packed tray uni, lift the lobes onto chilled plates with a small spoon, taking care not to break them.
  5. Form small ovals of sushi rice (about 18g each) in slightly damp hands; this is the nigiri base.
  6. Wrap a strip of nori around each oval, sealing it with a rice grain. This forms the gunkan-maki (battleship roll).
  7. Place 2 to 3 lobes of uni on top of each rice oval. Add a tiny dot of fresh wasabi.
  8. For the variation: top one or two of the gunkan with a small spoon of ikura (salmon roe) for a 2-tone classic.
  9. Finish with a small grating of yuzu zest and a flake of Maldon. Dip the corner of the nori lightly in soy sauce. Eat in a single bite.

Tip from the editors. Live sea urchin must be processed within 4 hours of harvest; if buying from the Tuna Harbor market or a fishmonger, ask when it was harvested and refuse anything over 24 hours. Fresh water destroys uni instantly; use only cold filtered or seawater.

Where to eat san diego sea urchin (uni)

San Diego Sea Urchin (Uni) in San Diego

Tuna Harbor Dockside Market ★ 4.5

$$ SeafoodEmbarcadero

Open-air fishermen-run seafood market on Harbor Lane at Tuna Harbor, Saturdays 8am to 1pm; tuna, halibut, prawns, sea urchin from local hook-and-line boats.

OrderLocal yellowfin tuna loin, opah, spot prawns

Why locals goA Saturday-only fisherman-to-public dock market behind Seaport Village, rotating 70-plus local species sold direct from the boats.

TipArrive by 09:00 for the best sashimi-grade tuna; the cutting station portions whole fish on the spot.

Directions

Soichi Sushi ★ 4.8

$$ Japanese sushiNorth Park

Soichi Sushi is a michelin-starred omakase counter in a converted university heights bungalow with no signage and a twelve-seat bar, easy to walk past.

OrderChef's omakase, the kanpachi nigiri

Why locals goA Michelin-starred omakase counter in a converted University Heights bungalow with no signage and a twelve-seat bar, easy to walk past.

TipBook a fortnight ahead for the omakase; the a la carte counter takes walk-ins around 17:30 most weeknights.

Directions

Sushi Ota ★ 4.7

$$$$ JapanesePacific Beach

Sushi Ota in San Diego is Yukito Ota's Mission Bay Drive room since 1990, the strip-mall sushi counter that has trained more San Diego sushi chefs than any.

OrderThe omakase, ordered by sitting at the counter and asking the chef directly.

TipBook the counter, not the dining room. The strip-mall location is intentional; ignore the parking lot and step inside.

Directions Book

Sushi Tadokoro ★ 4.6

$$$ JapaneseOld Town

Sushi Tadokoro in San Diego is Mitsui Tadokoro's Old Town omakase counter, the long-running Michelin Guide-listed Japanese kitchen with traditional.

OrderThe omakase nigiri course; the toro sashimi with grated wasabi made tableside.

TipReservations strongly recommended; the counter seats twelve and books out a week ahead.

Directions Book

Ironside Fish and Oyster ★ 4.4

$$$ SeafoodLittle Italy

Ironside Fish and Oyster in San Diego is the Little Italy raw bar from Consortium Holdings, an India Street room with a piranha-skull installation and a wide.

OrderConnecticut-style lobster roll, hot with butter; the oyster tower to share.

TipHappy hour at the bar runs $2 oysters Mon-Fri 3-5pm; the back patio gets sun until 7pm.

Directions Book

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