About
You might find the name a bit funky, perhaps interesting or odd, but it is definitely the least unique thing about this laid-back sushi hot spot located on South Coast Highway in Oceanside, California.
Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub is a true neighborhood gem with a stellar reputation for high-quality food using the freshest locally sourced ingredients. Their marrying of flavors and textures shows off their true love of the craft and their supercool hot mess décor and home-grown backyard garden patio show off their unassuming and approachable chill vibe.
Plus growing your own stuff…to use in your own restaurant…is pretty darned cool and a nod toward sustainability.
I’ll admit I’m not a connoisseur of sushi, however, I have been recently enjoying it with my go-to’s being “mostly cooked” and then “a little raw”. So I was excited about trying Wrench and Rodent due to their sincere passion for the ingredients they use and what they put on your plate.
And that passion carried over to the team. As it happened the night I visited I saw that the co-owner Chef Loren was one of three chefs at the helm. Not only was he present on location, but he was right there with Chef Amy and Chef Alex elbows deep creating works of art for us patrons to enjoy.
After getting seated and looking over their menus I had some ideas of what I might want to order but relied on the expertise of LeAnn, my waitress for the evening. She did an excellent job of listening to my choices, likes, and dislikes and then suggesting items. Kudos to her, she did a great job!
She said the Omakase (a multi-course meal) is highly sought-after but understood that I was there alone, and it would be a lot of food for me. Hopefully, I can enjoy the experience with family and friends on my next visit.
I ended up ordering a roll, which I always do because I love the seaweed and rice, and you get only a smish of other ingredients. It came with the usual wasabi and ginger, but can I just say, Wrench and Rodent have the VERY BEST ginger…EVER!
I started off with my Wrench Rolle—the Hedgehog Roll which was krab, shrimp tempura, topped with seared yellowtail, garlic, and truffle oil. This one was a fantastic choice tipping my scales more toward the raw than cooked and was absolutely delicious! And have I mentioned the ginger?!
Next came my La Paz Kampachi which was topped with pickled cabbage and chimichurri arugula and then the chefs sent out a mystery dish with Dead Man’s Finger, spicy celery, pickled blueberries, seared wahoo sashimi, and Nori. It was like a dive into the ocean…who comes up with this stuff? A culinary delight!
After that came my Wings of the Sea and then another surprise dish which was Bluefin Tuna Nigiri with Uni Butter—SO delicious and buttery I could feel it melting in my mouth.
Although everything was excellent, the biggest surprise of my night was the “Wings of the Sea”. Even though LeAnn described them to me, I still wasn’t 100% sure and wanted to order something different.
And then the dish came out with almost literal “wings”. My first thought was, “ut-oh, what have I gotten myself into? And I was sitting smack in front of the chef’s station…yikes!
Turns out it was incredible. The Wings of the Sea (Hamachi Koma) actually present like big chicken wings, but they are in fact yellowfin tuna, the collar of the yellowfin tuna to be exact. Such a light crispy outside with a mild, flakey, and delicious inside.
It was the perfect combo. Any kind of sauce would have definitely spoiled the fantastic taste. Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub really knocked it out of the park with this one. Still blows my mind.
I would like to extend my thanks to all three Chefs, as well as LeAnn and Giovanni who were all beyond excellent. I will definitely be back!
And if you haven’t been to Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub then you’ll want to put it on your list.
Vibe
This funky sushi joint has an unassuming and approachable chill vibe that is great for everyone.
Their back patio is delightful with all kinds of herbs, vegetation, trees, lights, benches, tables, chairs, and tchotchke—rustically shabby chic and super chill…like being on your own patio, but way cooler.
With super friendly staff and amazing chefs, Wrench and Rodent offer sushi dining zen style.
Wrench and Rodent: Menu & Drinks
Their standard menu is divided into sections (besides the Omakase): Nigiri & Sashimi, Introductions, Entrees, Wrench Rolls, and Rodent Rolls.
- Nigiri and Sashimi are raw fish choices like tuna, salmon, anchovy, whitefish, Japanese yellowtail, scallop, etc.
- Nigiri is fish served atop a little loaf of rice (as pictured) and sashimi is fish only. In this section is also a Power Bowl which is 9 pieces of sashimi (chef’s choice) served with rice and multiple weeds. (Love that! Weeds!)
- Introductions contain a couple of salads, roasted cauliflower, and baked scallops, which are topped with root beer teriyaki and spicy aioli. Creative!
- Entrees are sweet chili, teriyaki, and Yakisoba served with your choice of chicken or tofu.
- There were 8 Wrench Rolls with names like Chronic, Green Lantern, and Holiday in Cambodia (spicy tuna and cucumber topped with daily whitefish, Thai fish sauce, and scallion)
- And 3 Rodent Rolls, which are all plant-based and named Deadites, Patrick The Great (crispy sweet potato inside topped with avocado, pickled cabbage, and sweet ‘n spicy citrus soy), and The Wombat.
Besides their standard menu, Wrench and Rodent offer a Nightly Special Menu so there is always something new and interesting to try.
And to compliment your meal they offer five different varieties of Sake, beer, red wine, and white wine as well as non-alcoholic beverages, hard Kombucha, and hand-crafted cocktails.
- I recommend the Wrench 75 (Gin Soju Spirit, Elderflower Cordial, Sparkling Prosecco with a twist of lemon)
- Or the Seoul Mule (Gin Soju Spirit, Cherry Cordial, Japanese Yuzu, Ginger Beer with a twist of lime)
Local Tips
- Forks (full range of utensils) are available upon request, but I say live a little and try to master chopsticks!
- The menu goes subject to change due to the availability of seafood and ingredients.
- If you want to ask endless questions and get the most attention, get there early. Regardless the staff is incredible.
- Their menu is not vegan or gluten-free, so if you have severe allergies make sure to let the staff know. They will try their best to accommodate.
- Parking is a challenge in the parking lot unless you get there earlier than peak hours. Heads up there are four spots on the side and a few in the back alley of the restaurant.
- There is plenty of on-street parking though, on all sides and all around the restaurant. Just remember to pay attention to any parking limit signs and/or restrictions.
- There is a secret side entrance from the parking lot that puts you in the backyard patio area. Make sure to check in with the hostess up front.