Kogane (Alhambra, CA) [2]
Kogane Sushi
1129 S Fremont Ave, Alhambra, CA 91803
626-615-2698
www.instagram.com/kogane_la/
Wed 10/15/2025, 08:15p-10:45p
If you're a fan of sushi omakase in Los Angeles, you'll probably be familiar with Kogane (黄金), which opened in December 2021 with Fumio Azumi and Kwan Gong behind the counter, Chef "Roe" (I Gusti N Mahendra) in the kitchen, and Jon Tran running the front-of-the-house. After my first visit, I quickly deemed the place the top sushi spot in the San Gabriel Valley, a declaration that a lot of Angeleno sushi aficionados would probably agree with.
Things were chugging along quite smoothly until November 2023, when Kwan-san left the restaurant and LA in general. His destination was Cleveland of all places, where he teamed up with fellow Indonesian Ryan Endrian (Sake Dojo, Nobu, Matsuhisa, Sushi Sasabune, Octopus) to start work on Sushi Kuwahata (鮨桑畑), which bowed in June this year. Fumio-san and Roe-san continued on following the exit, but the spot would suffer the loss of Tran at the end of 2024 (he joined the Corridor 109 team, but has apparently left already). Following all these departures, perhaps the writing was on the wall, and on September 18th, it was announced that Chef Azumi would also be leaving due to an upcoming change in concept (Kogane's going more casual). The itamae's final day would be on October 18th, and thus I wanted to return for a final farewell before it was too late.
Inside, things really haven't changed much. Pictured above is the view from my seat in the middle of the sushi bar, which was occupied by just six guests.
Tonight's dinner cost $300 a head, which, refreshingly, was exactly the same price I paid during my first visit here, over three years ago. Shown above are tonight's 21-course menu, signed by Fumi-san, Masa-san (who runs the hot kitchen), and Shin-san (who runs the FOH, and is thinking about opening a sake bar upstairs of Viet Tapas Bar in Eagle Rock), as well as Kogane's offerings of sake, wine, beer, and other beverages. Corkage, meanwhile, was $50 a bottle. Click for larger versions.
1: Mushi Awabi
First up was steamed Hokkaido ezo-awabi, which arrived with a wonderfully soft but "snappy" texture. The abalone was tasty on its own, but paired swimmingly with both the sting of wasabi and the additional depth imparted by a slippery sauce made from the sea snail's liver (kimo).
To pair with my meal, I BYOB'd a bottle of the 1999 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut, which was drinking beautifully tonight. Initial whiffs revealed deep, super toasty aromas joined by touches of oxidation, bitterness, and a delightful nuttiness. In the mouth, think mature, yet still vivacious, with bountiful amounts of lush, sweet stone fruit commingled with more of that underlying yeastiness. A couple courses in, the sparkler opened up even more, and was teeming with the "brioche slathered with peach preserves" character that I love in my bubbly, superbly punctuated by plenty of zip and acidity on the palate. One of my favorite wines of the year I'd say.
2: Osuimono | Kamasu, Matsutake, Mitsuba
The suimono course featured an elegantly briny cut of Japanese barracuda set in a delicately smoky, savory clear broth. Matsutake mushrooms imparted a real autumnal element to the soup thanks to their spicy, earthy nature, and I really appreciated how the zestiness of that Japanese parsley uplifted the dish.
3: Sashimi | Hirame, Zuke Chu Toro
Two types of sashimi were on offer tonight. I began with the gratifyingly supple shards of wild flounder, which, when taken with the shoyu, really seemed to emphasize the soy sauce's nuttier qualities. We also had 13-day dry-aged bluefin chutoro, marinated in sweet soy. The fish was near-ridiculously creamy, and displayed savory, smoky, fatty notes that were further bolstered by the kick of a nori-based condiment. Meanwhile, the inclusion of hana hojiso and umibudo helped lighten things up.
4: Kegani Hairy Crab
Horsehair crab was up next, and really showed off the cool, sweet salinity I was looking for. The crab was well-accented by the punch of a vinegar-y dipping sauce, while the inclusion of kani miso made for even more depth and complexity.
As always, the arrival of the finger napkin, ginger, and geta signaled the commencement of the nigiri portion of our meal.
5: Kasugo (Baby Sea Bream)
The kasugo-dai (wild baby snapper) made for a strong start. I was a big fan of the fish's tender-yet-robust texture, as well as its considerable sweetness and nutty savor, which paired like clockwork with the Chef's firm-ish rice.
6: Aji (Spanish Mackerel)
The mackerel was a winner as well, demonstrating a deft blend of sweetness, salinity, and herbiness that, once again, made total sense with the shari.
7: Hotate (Fresh Scallop)
Hotategai delivered with loads of cool, sweet brine, all livened up by the heat of wasabi, the mild rice moderating everything.
8: Amadai Matsukasa Age
Tilefish was prepared by dousing it with hot oil in order to puff up and crisp up the scales. This resulted in a particularly satisfying mouthfeel, while flavors went in a delectably oceany, umami-forward direction. In fact, I was even reminded a bit of Cantonese-style steamed fish.
9: Kohada (Gizzard Shad)
Gizzard shad is a neta that I generally look forward to at a sushi-ya, and tonight's version did not disappoint. The fish possessed that amalgam of sweetness, acidity, and salinity I was seeking, nicely tempered by the sumeshi.
10: Hokki (Surf Clam)
Hokkigai is a relatively rare sight at sushi spots here in Southern California, so I was happy to see it on the menu. The bivalve showcased a great "crunch," while its robust tastes worked hand-in-hand with the nuttiness and tang of the rice.
11: Yuzu Miso Chilean Sea Bass
Patagonian toothfish arrived deliciously flaky, fatty, and miso-boosted, with a lovely sear to boot, all while the cucumber and myoga ginger brightened things up.
At this point, I "traded" some of the Cristal above for a pour of the 2025 Juyondai Honmaru Hiden-Dama-Gaeshi Tokubetsu Honjozo Namazume (十四代 本丸 秘伝玉返し 特別本醸造 生詰), which the diner sitting next to me had BYO'd. The bouquet here was fresh and fruity, with boatloads of honeydew commixed with fragrant florals. Palate-wise, the sake went in a decidedly silky-smooth direction, proffering a plethora of candied, juicy, fruity, melon bubble gum-esque notes, contrasted just a smidge by a backbone of umami and spices.
12: Dry Aged Bluefin Tuna
A ruby-hued cut of dry-aged akami exuded a sophisticated savoriness that juxtaposed perfectly with its rice.
Here we see Chef Azumi showing off tonight's tuna selections, sourced from Baja.
13: Dry Aged Bluefin Toro
Not surprisingly, the toro was an altogether different story compared to the lean meat. We're talking super fatty and melt-in-your-mouth, with the aggressively vinegared rice serving as an apt foil.
14: Sesame Tofu with Bafun Uni
Here, a puck of nutty, soft-spoken gomadofu served as a base for the application of sweet-n-saline sea urchin, the wasabi and hanaho imparting a touch of brightness to the fray.
15: King Crab Shabu Shabu
Tarabagani was served in shabu-shabu form, and conveyed the crab's sweetness admirably, perked up by the piquancy of that ponzu-ish sauce on the side. However, I would've liked a wider variety of ingredients here in order to mix things up in terms of both taste and texture.
16: Uni Temaki
Hokkaido sea urchin sourced from producer Hamanaka Ogawa (浜中小川) arrived in hand roll form. Here, I reveled in the balance between the uni's saline-sweetness and that tart, nutty rice, with the seaweed imparting an agreeably grassy finish.
Pictured above are Chef Fumio and Chef Masa charcoal-searing slices of blackthroat seaperch for our next course.
With both the wine and sake dispensed with, I enjoyed a glass of Sapporo Draft Beer [$12], which ended up being on the house (I'm assuming because I shared my Champ with the staff).
17: Nodoguro (Black Throat Sea Perch)
Akamutsu is something that I always look forward to, and it didn't let me down tonight. I reveled in the fish's cool, fatty, lightly charred nature, and how that integrated with the assertiveness of the rice--a consummate match.
18: Clam Broth Miso Soup
Thanks to the incorporation of the surf clam utilized above, tonight's misoshiru seemed to have more nuance than usual. I wouldn't have minded a bigger cup.
19: Anago (Sea Eel)
Saltwater eel had a "meatier" texture than I typically find (not in a bad way), but its sweetness was just what I was expecting.
Trimming tamagoyaki in preparation for our next course.
20: Tamago
The Chef's cake-like gyoku was certainly to my liking thanks to its semi-fluffy consistency, subdued sweetness, and saline edge.
21: Dessert | Farmers' Market Persimmon, Farmers' Market Plum, Housemade Black Sesame Ice Cream
Plum and persimmon made for a refreshingly fruity finish, and I could've eaten a whole pint of that homemade kurogoma ice cream.
I'm glad that I expended the effort to make it out to Kogane one last time. With Azumi-san's departure, it looks like the title of the best sushi restaurant in the SGV will now belong to Yuen in City of Industry. As for the Chef's next steps, he's striking out on his own, and will be taking over the former home of Morihiro in Atwater Village, which seems apt given that he worked for Onodera-san from roughly 2007 to 2012. His plan is to launch Osusume Fumio (おすすめ 文郎) by the end of October. It'll be a more casual, sushi-focused spot, with a $160 omakase-plus-à la carte menu, so I'll definitely be looking forward to that in the near future.
1129 S Fremont Ave, Alhambra, CA 91803
626-615-2698
www.instagram.com/kogane_la/
Wed 10/15/2025, 08:15p-10:45p
If you're a fan of sushi omakase in Los Angeles, you'll probably be familiar with Kogane (黄金), which opened in December 2021 with Fumio Azumi and Kwan Gong behind the counter, Chef "Roe" (I Gusti N Mahendra) in the kitchen, and Jon Tran running the front-of-the-house. After my first visit, I quickly deemed the place the top sushi spot in the San Gabriel Valley, a declaration that a lot of Angeleno sushi aficionados would probably agree with.
Things were chugging along quite smoothly until November 2023, when Kwan-san left the restaurant and LA in general. His destination was Cleveland of all places, where he teamed up with fellow Indonesian Ryan Endrian (Sake Dojo, Nobu, Matsuhisa, Sushi Sasabune, Octopus) to start work on Sushi Kuwahata (鮨桑畑), which bowed in June this year. Fumio-san and Roe-san continued on following the exit, but the spot would suffer the loss of Tran at the end of 2024 (he joined the Corridor 109 team, but has apparently left already). Following all these departures, perhaps the writing was on the wall, and on September 18th, it was announced that Chef Azumi would also be leaving due to an upcoming change in concept (Kogane's going more casual). The itamae's final day would be on October 18th, and thus I wanted to return for a final farewell before it was too late.
Inside, things really haven't changed much. Pictured above is the view from my seat in the middle of the sushi bar, which was occupied by just six guests.
Tonight's dinner cost $300 a head, which, refreshingly, was exactly the same price I paid during my first visit here, over three years ago. Shown above are tonight's 21-course menu, signed by Fumi-san, Masa-san (who runs the hot kitchen), and Shin-san (who runs the FOH, and is thinking about opening a sake bar upstairs of Viet Tapas Bar in Eagle Rock), as well as Kogane's offerings of sake, wine, beer, and other beverages. Corkage, meanwhile, was $50 a bottle. Click for larger versions.
1: Mushi Awabi
First up was steamed Hokkaido ezo-awabi, which arrived with a wonderfully soft but "snappy" texture. The abalone was tasty on its own, but paired swimmingly with both the sting of wasabi and the additional depth imparted by a slippery sauce made from the sea snail's liver (kimo).
To pair with my meal, I BYOB'd a bottle of the 1999 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut, which was drinking beautifully tonight. Initial whiffs revealed deep, super toasty aromas joined by touches of oxidation, bitterness, and a delightful nuttiness. In the mouth, think mature, yet still vivacious, with bountiful amounts of lush, sweet stone fruit commingled with more of that underlying yeastiness. A couple courses in, the sparkler opened up even more, and was teeming with the "brioche slathered with peach preserves" character that I love in my bubbly, superbly punctuated by plenty of zip and acidity on the palate. One of my favorite wines of the year I'd say.
2: Osuimono | Kamasu, Matsutake, Mitsuba
The suimono course featured an elegantly briny cut of Japanese barracuda set in a delicately smoky, savory clear broth. Matsutake mushrooms imparted a real autumnal element to the soup thanks to their spicy, earthy nature, and I really appreciated how the zestiness of that Japanese parsley uplifted the dish.
3: Sashimi | Hirame, Zuke Chu Toro
Two types of sashimi were on offer tonight. I began with the gratifyingly supple shards of wild flounder, which, when taken with the shoyu, really seemed to emphasize the soy sauce's nuttier qualities. We also had 13-day dry-aged bluefin chutoro, marinated in sweet soy. The fish was near-ridiculously creamy, and displayed savory, smoky, fatty notes that were further bolstered by the kick of a nori-based condiment. Meanwhile, the inclusion of hana hojiso and umibudo helped lighten things up.
4: Kegani Hairy Crab
Horsehair crab was up next, and really showed off the cool, sweet salinity I was looking for. The crab was well-accented by the punch of a vinegar-y dipping sauce, while the inclusion of kani miso made for even more depth and complexity.
As always, the arrival of the finger napkin, ginger, and geta signaled the commencement of the nigiri portion of our meal.
5: Kasugo (Baby Sea Bream)
The kasugo-dai (wild baby snapper) made for a strong start. I was a big fan of the fish's tender-yet-robust texture, as well as its considerable sweetness and nutty savor, which paired like clockwork with the Chef's firm-ish rice.
6: Aji (Spanish Mackerel)
The mackerel was a winner as well, demonstrating a deft blend of sweetness, salinity, and herbiness that, once again, made total sense with the shari.
7: Hotate (Fresh Scallop)
Hotategai delivered with loads of cool, sweet brine, all livened up by the heat of wasabi, the mild rice moderating everything.
8: Amadai Matsukasa Age
Tilefish was prepared by dousing it with hot oil in order to puff up and crisp up the scales. This resulted in a particularly satisfying mouthfeel, while flavors went in a delectably oceany, umami-forward direction. In fact, I was even reminded a bit of Cantonese-style steamed fish.
9: Kohada (Gizzard Shad)
Gizzard shad is a neta that I generally look forward to at a sushi-ya, and tonight's version did not disappoint. The fish possessed that amalgam of sweetness, acidity, and salinity I was seeking, nicely tempered by the sumeshi.
10: Hokki (Surf Clam)
Hokkigai is a relatively rare sight at sushi spots here in Southern California, so I was happy to see it on the menu. The bivalve showcased a great "crunch," while its robust tastes worked hand-in-hand with the nuttiness and tang of the rice.
11: Yuzu Miso Chilean Sea Bass
Patagonian toothfish arrived deliciously flaky, fatty, and miso-boosted, with a lovely sear to boot, all while the cucumber and myoga ginger brightened things up.
At this point, I "traded" some of the Cristal above for a pour of the 2025 Juyondai Honmaru Hiden-Dama-Gaeshi Tokubetsu Honjozo Namazume (十四代 本丸 秘伝玉返し 特別本醸造 生詰), which the diner sitting next to me had BYO'd. The bouquet here was fresh and fruity, with boatloads of honeydew commixed with fragrant florals. Palate-wise, the sake went in a decidedly silky-smooth direction, proffering a plethora of candied, juicy, fruity, melon bubble gum-esque notes, contrasted just a smidge by a backbone of umami and spices.
12: Dry Aged Bluefin Tuna
A ruby-hued cut of dry-aged akami exuded a sophisticated savoriness that juxtaposed perfectly with its rice.
Here we see Chef Azumi showing off tonight's tuna selections, sourced from Baja.
13: Dry Aged Bluefin Toro
Not surprisingly, the toro was an altogether different story compared to the lean meat. We're talking super fatty and melt-in-your-mouth, with the aggressively vinegared rice serving as an apt foil.
14: Sesame Tofu with Bafun Uni
Here, a puck of nutty, soft-spoken gomadofu served as a base for the application of sweet-n-saline sea urchin, the wasabi and hanaho imparting a touch of brightness to the fray.
15: King Crab Shabu Shabu
Tarabagani was served in shabu-shabu form, and conveyed the crab's sweetness admirably, perked up by the piquancy of that ponzu-ish sauce on the side. However, I would've liked a wider variety of ingredients here in order to mix things up in terms of both taste and texture.
16: Uni Temaki
Hokkaido sea urchin sourced from producer Hamanaka Ogawa (浜中小川) arrived in hand roll form. Here, I reveled in the balance between the uni's saline-sweetness and that tart, nutty rice, with the seaweed imparting an agreeably grassy finish.
Pictured above are Chef Fumio and Chef Masa charcoal-searing slices of blackthroat seaperch for our next course.
With both the wine and sake dispensed with, I enjoyed a glass of Sapporo Draft Beer [$12], which ended up being on the house (I'm assuming because I shared my Champ with the staff).
17: Nodoguro (Black Throat Sea Perch)
Akamutsu is something that I always look forward to, and it didn't let me down tonight. I reveled in the fish's cool, fatty, lightly charred nature, and how that integrated with the assertiveness of the rice--a consummate match.
18: Clam Broth Miso Soup
Thanks to the incorporation of the surf clam utilized above, tonight's misoshiru seemed to have more nuance than usual. I wouldn't have minded a bigger cup.
19: Anago (Sea Eel)
Saltwater eel had a "meatier" texture than I typically find (not in a bad way), but its sweetness was just what I was expecting.
Trimming tamagoyaki in preparation for our next course.
20: Tamago
The Chef's cake-like gyoku was certainly to my liking thanks to its semi-fluffy consistency, subdued sweetness, and saline edge.
21: Dessert | Farmers' Market Persimmon, Farmers' Market Plum, Housemade Black Sesame Ice Cream
Plum and persimmon made for a refreshingly fruity finish, and I could've eaten a whole pint of that homemade kurogoma ice cream.
I'm glad that I expended the effort to make it out to Kogane one last time. With Azumi-san's departure, it looks like the title of the best sushi restaurant in the SGV will now belong to Yuen in City of Industry. As for the Chef's next steps, he's striking out on his own, and will be taking over the former home of Morihiro in Atwater Village, which seems apt given that he worked for Onodera-san from roughly 2007 to 2012. His plan is to launch Osusume Fumio (おすすめ 文郎) by the end of October. It'll be a more casual, sushi-focused spot, with a $160 omakase-plus-à la carte menu, so I'll definitely be looking forward to that in the near future.
posted by kevinEats at
8:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home