Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub - Oceanside, CA

Wrench & Rodent has been on my TO-DO list for a long time! The restaurant is not only popular among sushi lovers but is also a proud member of Farm to Fork San Diego. That means they supports our local farmers and fisher families as well as a fairer, more sustainable food system. You can't help feeling a little LOVE for having a great mind-set! Other Farm to Fork members we've dined at include Cueva Bar, Royale, BiGA, and Terra American Bistro. 

Despite busy schedules, I finally decided LET'S DO IT! We drove north to Oceanside to splurge for my birthday, albeit 3 weeks late! Even with a reservation, that place was already packed! I would have LOVED to sit by the bar but there was only an outdoor table available. In the future, I'll request bar seating! Still, we were excited because it was hubby Dennis's FIRST omakase experience. He missed out on MY first one at TOO Sushi Project last year!

We ordered the omakase and our friendly waiter informed us that new plates would continue to arrive until we asked them to stop. The first couple of dishes arrived fairly quick.Please excuse any typos since everything was verbally announced.

1) Tuna Nigiri - Everything tasted oh so fresh with a minimal splash of sauce (non-intrusive) or simple seasoning.

2) Japanese Yellowtail Belly Nigiri - I thought this was slightly fishier than the rest of our courses but still very tasty.

3) Opah Belly Nigiri - We especially loved the opah belly with its wonderful sear and a delicious ponzu-ish dressing! Definitely recommend ordering this off the menu!

4) New Zealand Salmon with a citrus salt/sugar - Enjoyed a touch of sweetness here to change up the flavors entering our mouths.

5) Seared Chorizo Albacore with Black Pepper Cabbage - What an creative combination! There was a cajun-like seasoning to it and the cabbage was somewhat chilled and so refreshing!

6) Japanese Yellowtail Nigiri - Continuing to feed our yellowtail needs!

7) Local Yellowtail in a Beet Stem Relish - Yellowtail was yummy though the beet flavor was very pronounced. Neat how they used all parts of the beet!

8) Seabass Sashimi in Fig Water - Raw seabass tastes really different than when it is cooked and was still delicious. Water is really sweet though. Definitely trying interesting flavors that night. 

9) Scallop with Truffle - First time having scallop completely raw, and it was almost buttery in this form! Fantastic.

10) Tandori Shark Skewers - Meat cooked so tender though seasoned with strong Indian spices. Fun to try.

11) Sea Finger Nigiri with Finger Lime on top - Firmer texture of this item but still a delectable bite. Slight burst of zest from the lime flesh.

12) Sea Bass with Kale Stem Salsa - Yay seabass again! I loved the crunch of the brownish stems too! Not quite like celery crunch but very enjoyable.

13) Wahoo with Blueberry with Ogo on top - Hello wahoo! You can really taste the blueberry in the sauce. Feels like dessert sauce!

14) Salmon (tastes like belly) and Taragon and Blackberry - So fatty and yummy

15) Hamachi Belly - Another great fish with a tiny bit of wasabi underneath

16) Yellowfin with Garlic - Like the light garlic taste especially on the rice. Looks very similar to the last fish we had.

17) Chocolate Peppermint Bundtcake - This came from a vegan bakery but you couldn't even tell! Great chocolate flavor and fluffy texture! The hint of peppermint was just right! Where can I get more?

The food was beautiful and mouthwatering all night. Did we really eat ALL that? Why yes indeed, and very happily too. Dennis is officially part of the omakase fan club with me!

Thanks to our wonderful sushi chefs who made all this happen for us and the rest of the diners. I can taste the quality and see why this place is so popular! Your exact dishes will vary, as this was OMAKASE! Also impressive that it was sourced locally! Next door is their japanese food counterpart, The Whet Noodle. Perhaps on our next visit! Another exciting place is The Plot, a new business from Executive Chef Davin Waite that focuses on zero waste! You're doing something right chef and we'll be back to support your businesses!