54 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 18-24, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com The numbers are staggering— around 40 special rolls, another 14 classics, seven that are deep fried and six for vegetarians, along with nigiri, sashimi, poke, noodle bowls, fried rice and more. While the menu at Hanabi Sushi in Castroville can seem daunting, for Chef Francisco Mandujano, it’s the proper sum of a career at Japanese restaurants from posh spots on the Peninsula and the Bay Area to unassuming little joints. At each, he encountered both tradition and dabbles of fusion. “So I put it all together—plus a little Mexican,” the chef says with a broad smile. Avocado, cilantro and other South of the Border flavors span the menu. El Mexicano is a roll filled with seasoned crab and avocado topped by shrimp tataki, cilantro, green onion and jalapeño, fueled further by a drizzle of hot sauce. Mandujano also shows a deft touch when it comes to Japanese customs. Yellowtail nigiri, for instance, presents delicate fish—a clean, buttery savor— decorated with a gossamer thread of lime that leaves a finespun acerbic trail. Yet he seems to revel in creations like El Mexicano, which brings distinct ingredients to a roll and calls them into concert. The grassy heat of jalapeño plays in the background, muting its inferno in support of the briny sweetness of shellfish. The chef’s creativity knows few boundaries, other than an abundance of flavors steadied in unexpected balance. The Mr. Danny roll is an example. Mandujano prepares what might otherwise be humble American-style tuna maki. He then shrouds it in a vibrant salad of lemon, pineapple and mango, along with showers of green onion and cilantro, along with more fish—tuna and salmon—dressed with ponzu and a house garlic sauce. The result is dazzling, both refreshing and earthy, with little contentious nips of bitterness calmed by sweet and sour nuzzles. Tuna and salmon lend nutty, creamy impressions. It is sushi presented as a carnival. But it also makes sense. “Sometimes I don’t sleep at night—I want to create something new,” he says as his wife, Yolanda Gonzalez, gives a knowing nod. “I want to be unique. People like it or don’t like it, but if they like it they come back.” Mandujano took over the longstanding Japanese restaurant three years ago. It had traded owners several times, causing its reputation to suffer. The chef admits that for the first year, the few people who entered the dining room did so with obvious reservation. But he had experienced such uncertainty before. An experienced Japanese taisho at a fine sushi establishment on the Peninsula once asked Mandujano where he would open a place if he had a choice, then turned his back in disbelief when Mandujano suggested Prunedale. Ichiban Sushi, wedged in a Prunedale shopping center, became a success. And Mandujano’s faith— patience, too—paid off at Hanabi Sushi (which is also tucked into the corner of a nondescript shopping strip). “People try it and people like it,” he observes. Apart from the daring and colorful, the chef also believes in substantial presentations. The specialty rolls are not dainty. Fish and other ingredients peek over the brim of bulky bowls of seafood ramen. Mandujano is also happy to play with the familiar. In its original iteration back in 2011, Hanabi Japanese Restaurant featured a specialty roll with local artichoke. Mandujano’s The Ville similarly celebrates the sushi bar’s home with a shrimp roll crowned with artichoke. The chef defined his craft over time, on the job. His first position in the restaurant industry was as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant, where Mandujano would marvel at the deliberate construction of maki. “‘How do they do that?’” he recalls thinking. “I had to learn.” Now some regulars wave off the menu. They either know what they want—the Vegas roll was a Prunedale favorite that draws Ichiban’s former customers to Castroville—or are keen to test Mandujano’s creative limits by calling for “Whatever chef wants to make.” Hanabi Sushi has become a destination. “We had to wait a year for customers to know us,” the chef says. “I’m happy people support us.” Hanabi Sushi, 11276 Merritt St., Castroville. (831) 6334262. FIRST COURSE Chef Francisco Mandujano pores over towering sushi presentations. “If we serve the same as other restaurants, they might as well go to those places,” he says. BUBBLES BATH…A Taste of Monterey is hosting a sparkling celebration on Friday, Dec. 19 from 5-7pm. Sip six different sparkling wines, some from Monterey County and some from renowned sparkling regions around the world. Chef Bruce Finch will prepare a small bite food pairing for each. $35; space is limited. 700 Cannery Row, Suite KK, Monterey. (831) 646-5446, atasteofmonterey.com. TAPAS DANCING…Lepe Cellars and Chef Christina Lonewolf Martinez are teaming up for an evening of tapas and wine tasting on Friday, Dec. 19 from 5-7pm. Taste your way through Spanish-inspired dishes with local flavor, all paired with Lepe wines. $82. 19 E. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. (831) 597-2029, lepecellars.com. NICK OF TIME…Give the kids one last opportunity to tell Santa what they want for Christmas with a brunch buffet at the Crocker Dining Hall at Asilomar Conference Grounds on Sunday, Dec. 21 from 7:30-9am. Enjoy a festive morning with food and opportunities to meet and take photos with Santa. Afterward, check out the festive decorations on the property. $22/adults; $18/children ages 5-11. 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. (888) 635-5310, visitasilomar.com. ON TARGET…You’ve heard of cocoa bombs, but have you heard of birria bombs? Probably not, but you can experience one for yourself at Mission 19 Taqueria. Bite into a giant, crisped corn dumpling ball filled with birria and cheese and a blast of flavor and a side of birria consomme for dipping. 598 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 7174843, mission19taqueria.com. ’DUE CREDIT…Cozy up this winter with wine and warm, gooey fondue at Pelio Estate. Now through Jan. 4 they are offering a unique, Swiss-style cheese fondue experience. Indulge in this special winterized wine and cheese pairing by one of their cozy fire pits. 25 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley. (831) 298-7402, pelioestatewines.com. BUY NOW…Tickets are on sale now for Pebble Beach Food & Wine, which takes place April 9-12, 2026. The premier culinary festival presents more than 40 events over four days, with hundreds of celebrity chefs, celebrated wines, spirits and more. Tickets range from $195-$1,500. pebblebeachfoodandwine.com. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “We had to wait a year for customers to know us.” EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS On A Roll A veteran sushi chef with a non-traditional spirit has revived Castroville’s Japanese restaurant. By Dave Faries
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==