Something fishy was going on at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance. Dozens of sushi fans and sashimi lovers crowded around a large table that was set up on the outside patio of the supermarket. They watched in awe as a 150 lb. bluefin tuna was being carved and cut into smaller pieces.
This was not some ordinary tuna. This particular fish was flown in directly from Japan's renowned Toyosu Market in Tokyo, the largest wholesale fish market in the world. It's a major tourist attraction with an auction market, restaurants, and shops.
Instead of flying all the way to Japan to experience a tuna cutting demonstration firsthand, SoCal's hungry masses can enjoy a taste of Tokyo courtesy of Japanese seafood company Uoriki, which has partnered with the Japanese market for the event. This is the first time Mitsuwa hosted a Toyosu Market Fair at its Torrance location.
The professional tuna carver
Shinji Sakamoto, who has worked with Uoriki for more than 20 years, deftly used his carving knife on the big fish — chopping off its fins and head, then making quick work on the rest of the body.
"As long as you follow the bone structure, you can cut the fish very easily," Sakamoto told the crowd.
He then made a cut across the length of the body and pulled the top half off — exposing the bright red filet and showing off the marbled part of the bluefin tuna called otoro. Its rich flavor and buttery texture make that part of the fish a fan favorite. The crowd clapped in approval as it was revealed.
And the verdict?
As Sakamoto continued to carve off large chunks of the tuna, Mitsuwa staffers cut them into smaller pieces, and put them into little white cups with toothpicks for the hungry audience to sample. A little soy sauce was poured into each cup and it was ready to eat.
Beatriz Adanza and Tam Doan, who drove to Mitsuwa from Carson, tasted the tuna, and gave it a thumbs up.
"We eat a lot of sushi. I like how fresh it was," Adanza said.
"It was soft — softer than i expected, fishier than I expected, but still like very flavorful. Very good," Doan added.
The larger chunks of tuna were taken inside the market to a booth near the front doors where smaller slices were used to make maguro sushi. Other customers opted for the sashimi filet, paying up to $69.99 for the fattier and marbled cuts of the tuna.
Event details
There's one more bluefin tuna cutting demonstration at Mitsuwa Marketplace at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance today at 1 p.m.
If you can't make it out to this demo, organizers say they might bring it back in the future.
Toyosu Market Fair
Where: Mitsuwa Marketplace, 3525 W Carson St., Ste. 164, Torrance
Tuna cutting demonstration: Oct. 13, Sun., 1 p.m.
