Mahé - Seal Beach

Last year I fell in love with Copper River Salmon at Mahé. As I'm sure you know, Copper River Salmon is only available a few weeks out of the year, so timing was everything. I called specifically to see if it was on special, and it was... so I made reservations.

Besides the Copper River Salmon, Mahé is my favorite sushi spot year-round. My favorite is the Mi Novia Roll; it's sushi with a mexican flair. It's basically a California roll covered in shrimp and spicy pico de gallo. It's happiness. We also ordered the Aloha wrap. It's an off-menu must! It's avocado, mango, and crab wrapped in tuna. Perfect for the low-carb dieter. For me, I just love the fresh flavor. The two rolls compliment each other very well. We also threw in another off-menu item, the ono sushi. It was buttery and absolutely melted in your mouth. I have never been disappointed with the sushi at Mahé. In fact, sometimes that's all I get!

Mi Novia Roll & Aloha Wrap

Ono Sushi

Our salads came next. I ordered the Cesaer. It was freshly tossed and very traditional. Dear Ben got the green salad with two different dressings. He wanted the viniagrette, and I wanted the blue cheese. The blue cheese is perfect for dipping the croutons and tiny-baby tomatoes. These are both a good tide-you-over before dinner tastes, especially if you didn't have an appetizer, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Our Salads

Of course, we ordered the Copper River Salmon for dinner, but we also ordered the Nate's Filet. The Nate's Filet was cooked a perfect medium rare, wrapped in bacon, filled with creamy blue cheese, and finally covered in a gorgonzola sauce. Talk about decadent! The filet was served with mixed vegetables and four cheese potatoes au gratin. Tonight's Nate was possibly the best I've had there. And it's a good thing because the Copper River did not meet expectations. Dear Ben says it's just one of those things you build up in your head, and the waiter suggested that it might be similar to a good wine year. I don't know. I feel like steaming the fish did not yield the same great flavor that a cedar-plank grill would produce.

Nate's Filet & Copper River Salmon Special

We didn't order dessert. Nothing on the dessert menu caught our eye, so we opted for a few spoonfuls of Häagen-Dazs Pomegrante Chip ice cream at home. Overall, the night was a success, besides the brief let down of the salmon. Mahé is still one of my favorite restaurants around, and it's definitely the best sushi.


... and those are my Notes from the Napkin.



Mahé
1400 Pacific Coast Hwy
Seal Beach, CA 90740
http://www.eatatmahe.com/