THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ARTIST AND THEIR MUSE IS ONE OF LOVING AND TENDER DEVOTION. There is a blending of source and spirit between the two which produce a unique union. Often the lines between creator and inspiration become blurred and the result is a harmonic indivisibility. This is undoubtedly the case at Muse Sushi, located at 223 Avenida Del Mar in downtown San Clemente. Chef Obi is the artist and Muse is his inspired creation. “I knew that a muse was a goddess from Greek mythology,” says Obi. “The idea of a passionate legend appealed to my idea for a restaurant, plus,” he adds, laughing “Muse is a short, simple name so it’s easy to remember.” Open since October of 2015, Muse is family owned and operated. All of the family members involved with the restaurant are natives of Thailand and have extensive experience in the southern California restaurant business. Muse is their latest foray in the food industry. Their first and foremost commitment is to the Japanese tradition regarding the freshness and quality of the fish they use. Yet they also foster a passionate desire to weave in new and innovative twists from their homeland. Obi came to California in 2005, his first nine years here he worked at Sushi Plantation in Mission Viejo. At this venue, Obi was under the tutelage of sushi chef Yamamoto who is half Japanese and half Thai. Obi quickly realized his passion was making sushi so he asked Yamamoto to train him in the art. Obi believes that there is a spiritual bonding between the rice balls and the fish. The temperature of the rice, how to shape it, and its size, in correlation to the fish, are pinnacle. If the rice is the heart of the creation then the fish is its soul.
Raw Kushii oysters topped with Hokkaido uni, served in an ice bowl and garnished with seaweed 9.The Muse family (left to right) Skinny, Mina (Obi's wife), Obi, Narong (father of Obi and Kat/partner), Kat
“The idea of a passionate legend appealed to my idea for a restaurant, plus,” he adds, laughing “Muse is a short, simple name so it’s easy to remember.” CONTINUED >
April 2018 | San Clemente Lifestyle
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