RESTAURANT REVIEW: FIN Culver City

12223 W. Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90066

(310) 396-8611

finculvercity.com

Prices: $$

By JACQUELINE PRIMO | Reporter

For a restaurant to take somebody (me)—who won’t let anything with shell or scales touch her plate—and convert her into a raw fish lover, that is truly a feat of oceanic proportions. This was exactly what happened when I lunched at the Asian fusion restaurant FIN in Culver City.

Michael Flanagan, restaurant partner/general manager, served as my highly accommodating guide walking my guest and me through our meal. When I told him of my preference for vegetable dishes and my aversion to anything aquatic, he assured me there were plenty of choices that would tantalize my taste buds.

However, I had no idea that I would leave the restaurant with a changed outlook on fish following one bite.

After being seated at a corner table by the window in FIN’s clean, sleek atmosphere with glossy wooden tables and black seating, we sipped on tasty miso soup. The dish was the perfect temperature with bite-size tofu pieces, chopped green onions and seaweed bits that lent the soup more substance. Although miso soup can often be too salty, FIN’s was just right.

We followed up the miso soup with a cold Seaweed Salad with cucumber and carrot slivers. The dish was raw and fresh, and I recommend trying it before something punchier like the Albacore Onion from the tapas menu.

With one bite of the Albacore Onion with ponzu (a citrus-based sauce), I was hooked; slivers of raw albacore loin so tender that they seemingly melted in my mouth. Paired with crispy onions, they were sensational. All of my trepidation about sushi and sashimi slipped away, and I decided to become a bit adventurous.

From the short list of inventive cocktails, I ordered a Hello Kitty with Ketel One Vodka, pomegranate juice, lemon, agave, muddled berries and “a touch of love,” Flanagan said as he set the glass down on our table.

It was this last ingredient that makes you a good dancer, he assured us. With a cocktail so delicious and easy to drink, I had no reason to doubt him.

I will certainly return with friends for drinks—maybe the Blushing Geisha with wine, rock sake and yuzu juice or the Drunken Sumo with Tateo jalapeno tequila, lime juice and agave—in the restaurant’s adjoining hidden bar and speakeasy called Alley.

My lifelong fear of fish seemingly evaporating, I eagerly opted for the Jicama Tacos off the tapas menu: basa sole white fish lightly breaded and wrapped in a delicate jicama shell.

Each bite of the flaky, buttery fish topped with crispy coleslaw resulted in a plethora of textures and flavors with just a tad of heat. They were like little mouthfuls of magnificence. The dish comes with three tacos that are two bites big at most, so I recommend ordering multiple plates if you’re sharing.

For our main courses, we were each served a FIN Bento Box consisting of one cut roll and two choices each, plus rice, miso soup and salad. I devoured the Pumpkin Tempura with Curry Salt, which was perfectly seasoned and a delightful mix of salty and sweet. Although fried, it was not greasy and it stayed intact without coming apart when I bit into it.

The Avocado & Cucumber Cut Roll (my go-to) ranks as one of the best I’ve ever had.

My guest lunched on wild Alaskan Salmon Teriyaki as well as a Baked Crab Cut Roll, both of which burst with flavor.

We also had the chance to taste the Tuna Jalapeno Crispy Rice, a house favorite according to Flanagan. After a few bites of the soft, spicy tuna atop the crispy rice, it was easy to see why the dish is so popular.

For dessert, the Flourless Chocolate Cake with red berry sauce and fresh berries did not disappoint. Because it is so dense rich, it’s wise to share.

With my new appreciation for fish, I looked at FIN’s menu again before leaving and several dishes caught my eye—the Tuna Poke Rice Bowl from the lunch menu and the Spicy Rock Shrimp Tempura from the dinner menu looked tempting.

For my meat-eating dining companion, it was the Filet Mignon with Truffle Mashed Potato and Plum Wine Sauce that had him checking his calendar for a date for a return visit.

As for me, I cannot wait to see which Asian fusion dishes I will fall in love with next.

FIN is participating in Dine LA for lunch and dinner through July 26. Check the website for special Dine LA menus.