BREAKING THE RULES at The Land & Water Co.

Today’s Lunch…

Finger rolls : Sashimi poke, cucumber wrap, Hass avocado, bonito flake, house-pickled ginger (on menu)

Scallops : seared, with lemon and yuzu kosho (chef’s whim)

Umami Bowl : Salmon belly, Japanese mint (shiso), bowl of sweet sushi rice, steaming pork belly dashi, negi, smoked tuna flakes and heirloom cherry tomatoes from the Land & Water Co. garden (on menu)

Conclusion : Yellowtail Nigiri – no explanation needed

THE STORY

Everything is elevated with the most perfect sushi rice. When I say perfect, I cannot even begin to tell you the story of how the rice is made at Land & Water Co. because I can do it no justice. As I’ve said time and time again, there is no better way to fall in love with the art of sushi than to listen to Chef Rob Ruiz explain how his team makes sushi rice. This is the base that establishes the ethos which is the Land & Water Co. mantra.

Look at the pretty pictures, read the description and head to downtown Carlsbad to taste for yourself. Do not underestimate the staff. Chef Rob Ruiz has trained and mentored his team into passionate, focused curators of the art if sushi.

If you are accustomed to the few good traditional, Japanese sushi houses in town, you may see these young, tattooed surfer types and think they couldn’t possibly satisfy your obsession for great sushi. What makes the experience so different is that they are part of a new breed of sushi establishments that are revolutionizing the casual sushi concept of the last decade.

Perhaps the word “casual” is not the best descriptor. Let’s go with unstuffy, contemporary – because casual tends to mean cheap, which equates to low quality. I assure you, this is the furthest thing from it. Land & Water Co is the product of Chef Rob Ruiz who is a local Oceanside son who seeks to include the freshest, most local produce possible from their little garden and that of several small local farms in the area. The seafood is always chosen for it’s freshness, origin and sustainability factors. The flavor combinations and the structure that is presented with each dish is not only memorable to the palate but also to the visual senses.

As the winner of the 2016 International Ocean Award for his campaign to bring awareness to the urgent attention to saving the Vaquita Porpoise, Chef Rob Ruiz lives and breathes his love of the sea from his heart to your plate.

Website: http://www.landandwaterco.com/

Hours: Lunch Fri – Sun 11:30am – 3pm | Dinner 5:30pm 

Address: 2978 Carlsbad Boulevard, 110, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Phone: 760-729-5263

Affordability: $$$