A great sushi restaurant understands the tightrope between offering fresh fish for the masses and pleasing the snobs, between tradition and innovation. And Wafu of Japan understands this better than its competitors. The tiny dive, located just outside the gates of John Wayne Airport, can omakase with Morimoto, offering blue shrimp complete with fried head for your sucking and buttery toro. But lunchtime crowds come for the rolls, unabashedly American in execution and flavors. Don't get distracted by such goofy names as Vegas or Hawaiian roll, the latter being spicy tuna topped with albacore drenched in a garlic ponzu sauce that actually has a bite. And the samurai burrito—crab, shrimp tempura and tuna wrapped in fried soy paper—is the finest Mexican-Japanese fusion since the teriykai bowls of MOS2.
