Detach the “foot” of the abalone from the shell with a large kitchen spoon (a Japanese rice scoop works the best). Once the shell is removed, gently pull away the liver (innards) and detach where ...

Abalone sashimi with gold leaf at Go's Mart in Canoga Park, serving some of the best seafood in the L.A. area. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The sign above Go’s Mart spells out “SUSHI” in a ...

The astute server eyed our group with understandable skepticism: two couples, two kids, definitely not Asian, and yet we were inquiring about Bada Sushi’s specialty, Korean-style “live” sashimi.

If I had any doubts about whether Bada Sushi’s “live sashimi” was simply a fancy name for “fresh fish,” the entryway dispelled them. It was lined with tanks: In one, a school of dinner-plate-sized ...