Omakase by Gino is nestled amid a sleepy section of downtown Santa Ana but inside, this sushi den is firing on all cylinders. Distressed wood and exposed brick lend a tavern feel while decorative touches are decidedly Japanese. 
Chef Choi Jin-ho (the restaurant's name is a play on his name) brings palpable joy to this spot with his friendly but focused manner, and the food is just as smile-inducing. Imagine the likes of yuzu cream tucked with a ribbon of crisp Asian pear filled with house-cured ikura or a beautiful fillet of tuna sliced, hit with a flame and set atop an elegant swoosh of garlic and shishito pepper miso. Thick udon noodles are tucked with lobes of creamy uni and a thatch of Italian black summer truffles for a supremely enjoyable (woodsy) bite.