How to eat sushi and sushi bar etiquette... that's what this document
is about. Its target
audience are non-Japanese people who enjoy sushi but aren't familiar
with the customs and traditions that make for an outstanding dining
experience. If you enjoy sushi, or if you think you'd like to give
sushi a try, or if you want to learn what sustainable sushi is about, this document is for you.
Many sushi eating subcultures have developed outside of Japan,
particularly in the United States. Sushi etiquette is not complicated,
but it's rich in traditions that you may want to become aware of. When a custom is discussed this HOWTO chooses the
"Japanese way" of doing things over "the local way". The most important thing to remember is that sushi is just fast food! If it gets too fancy, or too expensive, it's probably not that good.
Note: Most sushi chefs (itamae) are male
because of traditions dating
back to the time of the samurai. This document assumes adherence to
this tradition and uses male pronouns to refer to the sushi chef and
his actions. This document was updated on 20.June.2011.
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Table of Contents
About
the Author
Eugene Ciurana became fascinated with sushi after his first
dining
experience in 1988, when he was around 21. He's developed a taste for
all things
sushi since then, and goes out of his way to sample new dishes wherever
he can find them. He then tries to enrich this HOWTO with those
experiences.
When he's not at the sushi bar, Eugene likes to practice
skydiving, Muay Thai kickboxing, motorcycle riding, and writing.
His latest novel, The
Tesla Testament, has received great reviews and is
available from all major on-line booksellers in the United
States, Canada, and Europe.
Choosing a Sushi
Restaurant
Many people I'm met told me that they don't like sushi; upon pressing the
matter, I learned that the place where they ate it was far less from
ideal. It's sad to think that many people cannot enjoy sushi because of
a bad first experience. The usual culprit for this is a combination of
lack of tradition in the place where they ate and poorly prepared fish.
All fish swim in the ocean, but not all fish are suitable for sushi
because how the fish is handled, from the water to the sushi bar,
influences its quality.
The Japanese word for sushi restaurant is sushiya.
- Eat only at the best place you can find. Many sushi bars
are a bit expensive, but quality usually sucks, so price is no
indicator of quality. Ask Japanese people where they go to eat sushi
and go there.
- Stick to one or two good places once you find them.
Regulars get better sushi and better overall service than casual
patrons.
- The best sushi places I've been to in San Francisco, Mexico
City, Zürich, Manhattan, Beverly Hills, Waikiki, Guadalajara,
Paris, Moscow, Boston, Columbus OH (yes, you read that correctly),
London, Amsterdam, Dallas TX, Milano, Toronto, Chicago, and Oslo have
one
thing in common: They have a very small sushi bar, i.e. they seat fewer
than 12 people at the bar.
- A good Japanese restaurant is most often not a good sushi
place. A good sushi place is usually
a good Japanese restaurant.
- Count the number of Japanese sitting at the sushi bar. The
more Japanese people eating there, the better the sushi.
Remember: Japanese people are manic about quality.
- Most often than not, avoid the restaurants with little
boats of sushi parading along a large sushi bar. It's a great gimmick,
but remember that those restaurants are to sushi what McDonald's is to
prime rib.
Warning signs that you probably won't get good sushi
- The fish and other seafood are not on display at the sushi
bar
- The fish and other seafood on display look dry
- The sushi chef or (worse) a food server wants to take your
order for
all sushi items at once
- The sushi chef doesn't give you a chance to order "one or
two pieces at
a time", Japanese style
- The restaurant advertises "all you can eat sushi" for a
fixed price
- The menu items are not listed in Japanese followed by a
translation;
they appear only in the native language
- The menu consists mostly of rolled sushi with names like
California
Roll or Oriental Delight
- More than half of the available ingredients are cooked
- The sushi chef hasn't the vaguest idea of what you're
talking about if
you ask for kazunoko, shiso, inago, chirashi, or yama gobo
- The morsels of fish atop nigiri pieces are so large that
you can barely
see the rice underneath (some people think that the
sushi place is good because you get big pieces of fish); big pieces of
fish are good as long as the fish quality is good.
- The sushi rice is flavorless; sushi rice must have a
delicate aroma and
flavor
- The restaurant is part of a chain or franchise
If four or more of the conditions above are met, head to a different restaurant.
How to Order Your
Food and Drinks
Eating sushi is not about filling yourself with raw fish. Eating sushi
is an experience--some say a ritual--that involves all your senses.
Serious
sushi can only be eaten at the bar because that's the only
place where you'll see the colors, inhale the aromas, share the
laughter, and taste the food fully immersed in the environment. Plan on
a one and a half to two hour meal.
- Eat at the sushi bar.
- Greet the other people at the bar and start a conversation
with them;
sushi is about community.
- If you cannot eat at the bar, walk to it and check the
quality of the
fish before ordering.
- Greet the itamae
(sushi chef) even if you don't eat at the
bar. He'll
recommend special stuff if he recognizes you as a regular and/or
someone who truly knows how to eat sushi.
- Remember that itamae are not just "cooks". They have
traditions dating
back to the time of the samurai. These same guys fed the meanest
leanest macho hombre warriors of Japan. Be respectful and you shall
enjoy the best sushi.
- Order all sushi items from the itamae, everything else from
the food
servers.
- Order sashimi (selection of fresh fish slices) first; ask
the sushi
chef for his choice of fish. He knows what's fresh today better than
you. "Please prepare what you think is freshest," is the best way to
order. Let him be creative.
- Order one kind of sushi at a time, maximum three if the bar
is busy.
That could be nigiri, maki or temaki. Big plates are for the table
only.
- If you are a regular, let the itamae decide what you're
having and at
what pace it is served.
- Don't rush through your meal. Eat at McDonald's if you want
to eat
fast.
- If
you're at the bar and in a bit of a hurry (i.e. have a
half hour to
eat or so), order a chirashi, a small lacquered box with a
bed of sushi
rice, a bit of sugar, some pickled veggies and a chef's selection of
fish and mollusks. This way you'll get all your sushi at once in a
single serving and then leave. Eat it with chopsticks.
- Pickled vegetables, sprouts, and some things like ankimo
(monkfish
liver) are OK to order from the sushi chef if you see them advertised
at the bar.
- Don't be afraid to ask for things not listed in the menu.
Chances are
the chef has them under the counter for those people (like you) who
truly know what they're doing. Kazunoko, inago, hebo and idtakko fall
in this category.
- If the bar is busy and you feel like you can't wait, order
some edamame
(boiled soy beans), suimono(clear broth) or chawanmushi (egg custard with shiitake, ginko nuts, and seafood) to keep you busy until the sushi chef can take care of you.
- Eat sushi with moderation. More than 10 kinds of fish,
crab, and clams
are too much because your palate numbs.
- Drink beer, cold sake, or green tea with your sushi. Soft drinks
spoil the
taste and white wine is for tourists. Remember there are more than 300
kinds of sake, so at least one will be better than the cheap Chardonnay
they offer by the glass.
- If you're drinking sake, keep in mind that not all sake is
heated for
consumption. Nigori
(unfiltered) sake looks like milk; drink it cold.
For hot sake, ask for Sho Chiku Bai. Ask the itamae for
more exotic
drinks like gold
sake (with real gold flakes in it!)
- If the sushi is excellent and you're having a good time,
offer to buy a
drink for the itamae and his assistants. You will discover that most
Japanese itamae drink Budweiser (as observed in San Francisco, Beverly
Hills, Chicago, New York, and Moscow). Don't offer to buy drinks during
lunch; this is an evening tradition.
- Don't be surprised if your itamae pours you a glass of the
special
reserve sake he keeps under the bar if he realizes that you know your
sushi and how to order it. Thank him, raise your glass and toast by
saying "kampai!".
- Tips: The itamae
and rest of the staff are tipped
separately unless you
pay the bill with a credit card. The bulk of the tip must go to the
itamae. Note that this applies only in the US! There is no tipping in Japan. Adhere to local customs in other countries.
Types of sushi
- Sashimi: Raw
seafood served chilled and sliced, and
elegantly arranged. It's usually prepared with fish fresh
from the
water, refrigerated but never frozen. How to slice the fish for sashimi
is one of the most rigorous skills to learn during the itamae's
training. Fish cut too thick or too thin make a different impression on
the taste buds, and different fish require applying different
techniques. Depending
on what was served, you will be handed soy sauce,
ponzu, or red pepper to dress it.
- Nigirizushi: Nigiri means
something like "hand pressed".
This type of sushi is the most common type at the sushi bar: A small
oval made with rice, with an expertly cut slice of fish on top, and
with a dab of wasabi on it. Most types of nigirizushi are meant to be
dipped in soy sauce, and must be eaten in one bite, slowly. Close your
eyes and feel the different textures in your mouth while you eat every
piece.
- Gunkan: Battleship sushi. This looks like a nigiri piece wrapped once in seaweed. It's called "battleship sushi" because it resembles the cylindrical sail of a submarine or battleship. Most caviar sushi (e.g. uni, tobiko, ikura, masago) are wrapped in the gunkan style.
- Makizushi: Maki means
"rolled". This kind of sushi
consists
of fish (or crab) and vegetables rolled in a sheet of nori (roasted
seaweed) and rice. Makizushi is usually served sliced into bite-size
portions. In some restaurants it will be listed as norimaki (seaweed
roll) in the menu. Makizushi is an excellent choice for those venturing
into the sushi bar for the first time, particularly if they are
squimish about eating raw fish. The taste and crackling texture of the
the seaweed, the visual delight from its appearance, and the
combination of salty seaweed, sweet rice, and delicate fish and
vegetables soon win even the most reluctant experimenters.
- Temaki: Te = hand. Temaki
describes the hand rolls,
something like a Japanese nori taco, that you bite into. Many of the
ingredients you'll find in makizushi also exist in temaki.
- Kansai-style sushi is not
covered here because it's not
very
common in western countries. Osaka-style sushi, made with more vinegar (or some times pickled fish), and set in a box. See the photo for details. Its history and
tradition require a whole chapter contrasting it with Edo-sushi, the
one you'll find at most western sushiyas.
The Details of
Enjoying Sushi
Mechanics
- The
waitress will bring you an oshibori(hot towel) as soon
as you seat down. Wipe your hands with it before touching the food;
some restaurants leave the towel throughout the meal for you to wipe
your hands; others take it away before your sashimi arrives. Either way
you'll get a napkin for your lap.
- Your wooden chopsticks will come joined at one end;
separate
them and feel them lengthwise. Rub them together only
if you feel
splinters. Never rub high quality, smooth chopsticks; you will insult
the restaurant if you do.
- You may eat sushi with your hands or with chopsticks,
whatever is more comfortable (See? That's why you want to keep the oshibori).
- Use chopsticks to grab morsels from a shared plate,
holding
the end that you put in your mouth with your fingers so that only the
opposite end touches the food. You may use your fingers after
depositing the sushi piece on your plate; turn your chopsticks around
to grab it if you're using them.
- Some sushi bars have a small canal with thin springs of
running water between you and the itamae; use these to rinse your
fingers.
- Never ask for a spoon to eat your soup; simply grab the
bowl
with one hand and dig the bits of tofu, seaweed, or mushrooms with your
chopsticks as you bring it to your lips. It's perfectly polite to
slurp, specially if the soup is hot. Ignore the patrons glaring at you from the other side of the bar; chances are they
haven't read this HOWTO nor been to Japan.
- Never dip the sushi rice in soy sauce; turn your piece so
that only the fish or whatever you have on it touches the sauce.
- Never dip in soy sauce something that already has a sauce
or
decoration on it, like unagi (fresh water eel served with some Teriyaki
sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds). If it looks elaborate or like
it has some sauce on it, ask the itamae whether you should dip it.
- Always dip your sashimi or nigiri if they don't appear to
have anything on them.
- Your
plate will have some gari, or pickled ginger, on
it.
Eat a little bit of it in between sushi pieces to clear your palate.
Eating gobs of it is bad form.
- Ask for some oshinko (various
pickled roots like radish)
if
you don't like pickled ginger.
Meal Order
- Sashimi
first
- Fresh fish and molluscs (nigiri or maki)
- Exotic stuff because it tends to have a stronger flavor
- Spicy anything like hand rolls (temaki) should be last
- Exception: Fugu
(poisonous
blowfish)
should probably be your only course if you eat it - explanation in the section living dangerously
- Edamame, and oshinko may be ordered and enjoyed at
any time during the course of your meal
- Cooked stuff like unagi (grilled fresh water eel), and/or California rolls*, tempura, etc. go at the end because these things tend to coat the tongue and numb the taste of other things. If you must have it, wait until the end.
- Miso soup (shiro miso, nameko miso, etc.) is enjoyed at the end of the meal; you drink it off the cup, and feel free to slurp it if it's too hot. Feel free to ignore the spoon if one is provided (in fact, it's better etiquette to pretend like that spoon isn't there).
*People who know how to eat sushi don't order California rolls. They're
for wimps who can't handle raw fish. Rule of thumb: if it has
mayonnaise or tomatoes, or if it's cooked and lacks an exotic name like
ankimo, it's probably not real sushi.
Omakase
Omakase is a dining style in which the itamae picks the sunomono, sashimi, nigiri, makizushi, etc. in the order, variety, presentation, etc. that he deems appropriate. Omakase works best if you're a more adventurous patron. It's not unusual for the itamae to go exotic on you and serve things like odori (dancing, live shrimp), for example... some people tend to dislike when their food is staring them back from the plate.
Skip to What to Order
Living Dangerously: Fugu
Fugu sashimi is so special that it's often eaten as a main course.
Fugu is a blowfish from Japan. In the United States, I found only one
or two restaurants in New York City that serve it. All other states
prohibit (as far as I know) its consumption. This blowfish is so
poisonous that minimal amounts of venom are enough to kill a large,
healthy adult, in less than a half hour. Its effects are similar to
those of curare, a nerve poison used by the natives in the Amazonas. If
fugu isn't prepared correctly, chances are good that you'll die of
respiratory and cardiac failure.
Here are some tips on how to best enjoy fugu:
- Always call the restaurant in advance and make a
reservation; a skilled itamae who knows how to prepare fugu is hard to
find, and may come to the restaurant just to prepare the fugu for you.
- Beware of a restaurant that will prepare fugu for you
without a reservation unless you're a regular patron.
- Plan on eating fugu sashimi and little else for that meal;
don't worry, fugu sashimi is rather abundant, usually enough for two
people.
- Never eat fugu if you're sitting at a table. Order it only
if sitting at the sushi bar where you can watch its preparation.
Watching the preparation is part of the fun.
- The itamae will hand you a large plate with very thin
slices
of fish arranged like flower petals, and a small mound of fugu skin
will be piled in the centre. It will be decorated with chopped
scallions and spicy radish (not wasabi). A small halved sudachi
(Japanese lime) will be somewhere on the plate or handed to you
separately.
- When adding the Japanese lime, add only a few drops. This
isn't ceviche.
- Eat fugu s-l-o-w-l-y with your chopsticks. Enjoy its
delicate flavor. Your lips and tongue should tingle, like after a
sensuous kiss, making every bite taste better than the previous one.
Drink smooth sake every two or three bites to cleanse your palate.
- Can you feel your tongue? No? Stop eating and
call the ambulance.
- Alternate between eating the flesh and the skin.
- Never dip fugu in soy sauce. If the sushi chef recommends
a
sauce, it will be a very mild ponzu sauce (sudachi and soy sauce
dilluted with a bit of sweet sake and rice vinegar) and he will give it
to you without asking.
- Take your time after eating fugu before ordering anything
else. It's better if you just let it settle. Skip dessert.
- Tip the itamae generously. You will notice that he is much
older (and presumably experienced) than other sushi chefs you might
have run into. In fact, avoid eating fugu from a itamae who looks
younger than forty. Experience is a friend of caution in this case.
Skip to What
to Order
What is Wasabi?
People think that wasabi is a form of horseradish or Japanese
mustard. It is neither, though it is a distant relative to the mustard
green plant.
Wasabi (wasabia japonica) is a plant that
grows almost
exclusively in Asia. It became a sushi dressing in the mid-1800's when
the sushi preparers noticed that people who took small amounts of
wasabi did not get sick. It turns out that one of wasabi's best
properties is killing parasites in the fish. Its delicate aroma and
sweet undertones enhance the flavor of the fish with which it's eaten.
Studies in the United States and Japan confirm that wasabi
inhibits microbes, prevents or aids treatment of blood clotting,
asthma, and it's helpful with some forms of cancer (J. A. Depree, T.M.
Howard & G.P. Savage, Food Research International Vol 31, No5,
pp.329-337, 1999). At least one study indicates that it may also help
prevent tooth decay (Hideki Masuda, Ph.D. 2000).
Good Japanese restaurants offer fresh
wasabi; the best buy
the
plant and grind it in the premises. Most restaurants outside
of Japan
will give you horseradish with food colouring; ask for real wasabi and you will get it in most cases. Once you try the real
thing, however, you will be able to discriminate its delicate flavor
and benefit from its many properties. The image next to this paragraph shows the difference between fake and real wasabi. The real thing is noticeably "greener".
If you manage to get some real, fresh wasabi, it's probably OK for you to bring it to the sushi bar for the itamae to prepare it for you. The itamae will either produce a traditional wasabi grater made with shark skin, made of steel called oroshigane (like the one in the enclosed photo), or made of porcelain and called oroshiki. Both oroshigane and oroshiki have fine grating slots, and they are used for wasabi, daikon, or gari (ginger). If the opportunity arises, try fresh wasabi with your sushi. The good news is that you're in for a fantastic treat. The bad news is that at some point you'll end up eating crappy wasabi substitutes and you'll be able to tell the difference.
For information on where to get real wasabi in the US, contact
Pacific
Farms (this HOWTO is not
affiliated with Pacific Farms in any
way).
Skip to What
to Order
Kinome and Sansho: Beyond
Wasabi
If you want to try something beyond wasabi, kinome and sansho
are for you.
Kinome
is the leaf of the prickly ash. This plant is native to
eastern North America and has prickly twigs and folliage similar to the
unrelated ash tree. Itamaes use the young leaves as a decoration and
edible condiment. They taste like a combination of mint, basil, and a
hint of anise. It goes well with any nigiri and replaces wasabi as a
condiment. Eat only a tiny leaf at a time or its flavor will overwhelm
everything else.
Sansho
are the peppercorns of the kinome plant. Bite half of
one before eating delicate morsels of sushi (i.e. hamachi, tai, suzuki,
waloo, etc.) and wait a couple of minutes before you put the fish in
your mouth. The sansho peppercorn (or berry as some itamaes call it)
will explode in flavor, almost numbing your tastebuds, but then it'll
create a tingling sensation on your tongue and palate. Eat the sushi
when the tingling starts. The best wasabi taste won't come close to how
delicious sushi with sansho is.
Sansho and kinome have similar medicinal properties to wasabi.
It's used as an antibacterial and for anti-candidiasis. It's known to
reduce swelling and it's thought to aid in dealing with colds and
coughs.
Skip to What
to Order
Why the Rice Tastes So Good
The white rice used for making sushi is cooked differently than the
rice you eat with other Japanese food. Sushi rice is made with:
- Short-grained rice
- Water
- Rice vinegar (different kinds produce different colors)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Konbu, a form of kelp specifically
used for sushi rice
- Some itamae add a bit of sake
Good sushi rice must have a delicate, sweet flavor that complements
fish and clams without overpowering them.
Sustainable sushi
The demand for seafood increased to the point of driving some fish close to extintion. Overfishing is a problem that could affect our ability to continue enjoying delicious sushi in the future. Try to order fish caught or farmed using environmentally friendly practices. This will empower all of us to promote healthy and abundant oceans.
The Sushi Eating HOWTO uses the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation's Seafood Watch Guide to help you identify the best seafood choices you can make during your meal. Each entry is now tagged with one of these icons:
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Best Choice most fish caught in the Pacific, with the exception of Oregon and California salmon; it includes anything that is environmentally sustainable and isn't overfished. |
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Good Alternative many fish caught in the Pacific; none of these species are in imminent risk at this time, but given a choice, try something else. |
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Avoid most seafood coming from the Atlantic; sad, but this ocean is so overfished it could become an aquatic desert. |
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Don't know - help the Sushi HOWTO identify the appropriate sustainability category! Click on the blue fish to update it. |
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Not applicable - some things listed here aren't seafood! |
So... what do you do if you see more than one fish icon next to the description? Simple - ask your itamae where that item came from, and avoid the ones at risk. Enjoy the sushi!
What to Order
Nigiri and Gunkan Sushi
|
Shake (SHA-kay) |
Fresh salmon |
Some restaurants use smoked salmon; others offer it
fresh and smoked. Eat it fresh if they have it. Avoid eating any farmed salmon (bad environmental impact) and any from the Atlantic (low stocks). |
|
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Toro |
Fatty tuna |
Delicious but expensive; expect to pay up from $10 per
piece. Avoid Atlantic tuna. |
|
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Maguro |
Blue fin tuna |
Avoid Atlantic tuna. |
|
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Kampachi |
Japanese yellowtail |
A bit hard to find; not every restaurant offers it. |
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Waloo |
Hawaiian angel fish |
Incredible, melt-in-your-mouth texture and complex
flavor; an excellent choice to try if you're new to sushi. |
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Suzuki |
Japanese seabass |
|
|
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Tai |
Red snapper |
May appear in some menus as pargo or huachinango
(Mexican names). Avoid imported tai. |
|
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Saba |
Mackerel |
|
|
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Binjo or
Shiromaguro |
Fatty albacore |
Delicious when eaten with ponzu sauce and some green
onion. Avoid the imported kind, favor fish caught trolling in the US or British Columbia. |
|
|
Iwashi |
Sardine |
Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor; the
itamae will usually deep fry the sardine's skeleton and serve it
alongside the iwaashi. |
|
|
Ebi |
Cooked shrimp |
Avoid imported shrimp. |
|
|
Masago |
Capelin caviar |
Tiny, tiny fish eggs; do not confuse with tobiko,
though the flavour is similar; tobiko eggs are larger. Favor the masago from Iceland. |
|
|
Tobiko |
Flying fish caviar |
Masago and tobiko are bright orange and delicious; the orange colour isn't natural. You may find green masago or tobiko -- either one tastes the same. |
|
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Ikura |
Salmon caviar |
Ikura (salmon caviar). This one also has a quail egg and a bit of shiso. The flavours combination is exquisite - an improvement over having only the salmon caviar in the roll. |
|
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Mentaiko |
Spicy cod caviar |
Bright red, spicy with added pepper; originally from
Korea, now part of every well-stocked sushiya |
|
|
Aji |
Spanish mackerel |
|
|
|
Katsuo |
Bonito |
A special kind of migrating tuna; delicious and a bit
expensive, and available only in a few place throughout the
summer |
|
|
Hamachi |
Yellowtail |
|
|
|
Kohada |
A silvery, small fish, like a sardine |
Very tasty |
|
|
Hirame |
Halibut |
Don't eat hirame from the San Francisco Bay; rumor has
it that you get your yearly dosage of mercury out of a couple of nigiri
pieces. Avoid imported/Atlantic hirame. |
|
|
Unagi |
Fresh water eel |
One of the most delicious fish you ever tasted; served
grilled, with a bit of teriyaki sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. |
|
|
Anago |
Sea water eel |
Similar to unagi but with a richer, tastier flavour. Most people prefer unagi but either one will do the job. |
|
|
Takko |
Octopus |
|
|
|
Ika |
Squid or cuttlefish |
|
|
|
Mirugai |
Long neck white clam |
|
|
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Akagai |
Red clam |
Harder to find nowadays outside of Japan |
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Awabi |
Abalone |
Hard to find and expensive; if possible, eat in sashimi
instead of nigiri |
|
|
Hotate |
Scallop |
Eat it only if it's fresh; ask the itamae |
|
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Kani |
Crab |
For all that's holy and good on this earth, please don't eat imitation crab under any circumstances. It'll spoil your dinner and a kitten will die somewhere. Think of the kittehs and ensure that your kani is real crab! Avoid all imported king crab; stick to dungeness, blue, stone, or snow crab. |
|
|
Ka-Kani |
Hairy crab |
Exotic and expensive; hard to find outside of Japan. |
|
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Tamago |
Hen egg omelette |
Eat only if made in-premises; you'll give your itamae a
chance to show off; sushi chefs pride themselves on making good tamago,
and each has his own "special recipe". |
|
|
Amaebi no tama |
Raw fresh shrimp (fresh = alive just seconds before
being served) and its caviar |
Seldom found; the roe is raw, unlike ikura or tobiko
which always undergo some preparation. |
|
|
Engawa |
Halibut fin muscle |
Very hard to find. One of the most delicious
fish you can order; some people find it a bit on the chewy side,
although it's not as chewy as takko (octopus). Avoid hirame from the Atlantic. |
|
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Tobiwo |
Flying fish |
Somewhat hard to find; it has a very delicate flavor. |
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Ni hotate |
Cooked scallop |
Easy to find in Japan, not easy to find in the US. |
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Wu ika |
Squid body |
Common in Japan, somewhat hard to find elsewhere;
similar to idtakko but with a more delicate flavor and softer
consistency. |
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|
Suke maguro |
Seared blue fin tuna, marinated for several days in a
shoju and sake |
One of the most delicious treats at the sushi bar; eat
it
without dipping it in soy sauce and after clearing your palate with a
bit of gari. Avoid tuna from the Atlantic. |
|
|
Tai kobujime |
Tai with skin and seaweed |
Hard to find in Japan or elsewhere, but very tasty. The special seaweed makes it salty and fresh. Highly recommended. Avoid tai from the Atlantic. |
|
|
Grilled engawa |
Halibut fin muscle, grilled |
The grilled portions of the fish are so tender that they'll melt upon touching your palate. The inner fish still has the delicious texture of engawa. Dressed with a bit of teriyaki sauce. Avoid hirame from the Atlantic. |
|
|
Sayori |
Needle fish |
Shown here in nigiri, with a dab of pickled ginger on top. |
|
|
Hamaguri |
Grilled clam |
|
|
|
Uchiwa ebi |
Fan tailed lobster |
Shown here grilled, with tobiko and almonds on top. |
|
|
Shima aji |
Striped mackerel |
|
|
|
Kue |
Grouper |
|
|
|
Kamazu |
Barracuda |
Seared with a cooking torch in this photo. May also be eaten raw. |
|
|
Idtakko |
Baby octopus |
|
|
Makizushi
All ingredients are listed from the inside out.
|
Futomaki |
Pink fish powder, egg, gourd, vegetables, rice, and nori |
|
|
|
Tekkamaki |
Tuna, rice, nori |
Originally invented as a snack eaten at gambling
parlors (tekka); think of it as a distant Japanese cousin of the
sandwich |
|
|
Kappamaki |
Fresh cucumber, rice, nori |
Named after Kappa, a water goblin in the Japanese
mythology; Kappa is very fond of cucumbers |
|
|
Oshinkomaki |
Pickled yellow radish, rice, nori |
|
|
|
Unakyu |
Unagi, rice, nori |
|
|
|
Umekyu |
Cucumber, plum paste, rice, nori |
Eat it as the last entree because of the pungent
flavour of the plum taste |
|
|
Walmartdotcomaki |
Maguro, shake, suppo, hamachi wrapped in fresh turnip |
Simple, delicious roll found in the last place on Earth
where you'd expect to find amazing sushi |
|
|
Dynamite roll |
Maguro, spices, rice, nori |
|
|
|
Special roll |
Unagi, mango, avocado, rice, goma (sesame seeds),
shake/maguro/hamachi, tobiko, two kinds of chef-made mayonnaise, a few
bacon bits on the plate; shoyu and mayonnaise make the splash pattern
on the plate |
Nobody knows for sure what goes into this one; found at
Sushi House in San Bruno, CA; one of the most delicious rolls ever;
careful if you find it, though: it's a meal in itself so
don't plan on eating much else if you order it |
|
|
California roll |
Crab, mayonnaise, avocado (some times), nori, rice,
sesame seeds, tobiko |
Why eat this when there's good sushi available? |
|
|
Rainbow rolls |
All kinds of ingredients |
Each itamae has his own recipe |
|
|
Caterpillar or dragon roll |
Similar to rainbow roll but the ingredients are on the
outside |
Both of these rolls usually involve avocado; avocados,
not tomatoes, became part of the sushi tradition via its California
newfound roots; avocados are now used on both sides of the Pacific Ocean |
|
|
Spider roll |
Soft shell crab, rice, nori |
|
|
|
Spicy spider roll |
Soft shell crag, organic multi-grain rice, nori, ink
soy paper, and a fried river crab as decoration |
Specialty from Juni in San Francisco - not found
elsewhere |
|
|
Tempura roll |
Shrimp tempura, rice, nori |
The wimpy version of the spider roll; order only if the
spider roll isn't available |
|
|
Ankimomaki |
Monkfish liver pate in a roll garnished with several
different types of seaweed. |
Exotic and delicious, this isn't something that you'll
find on the menu; ask your itamae. |
|
|
Eclipse |
A San Francisco treat: black caviar and
tobiko wrapped in a thin slice of maguro and topped with a quail egg |
Crazy non-Japanese gunkansushi but quite tasty. Found only in San Francisco's Sunset District. |
|
|
Masago daikon gunkan |
Capelin caviar wrapped in sweet radish |
Itamaes make these special rolls some times to honor the patrons at the table with a little creativity. |
|
|
Kappa maki |
Cucumber roll |
A classic. |
|
|
Moro kui |
Cucumber and red miso salad |
Ask and you shall receive; usually not on the menu but your itamae will probably oblige. |
|
Temaki
- Dynamaki, dynamite roll, spicy roll: maguro or hamachi
mixed with either a hot spicy sauce or with hot ground chilli peppers.
If possible, try hamachi instead of maguro.
- Salmon
skin roll: the name says it all. Eat it while it's
still hot.
- Negi
toro: toro (fatty tuna) with green onion (negi) - a great way
to end a sushi meal.
Eat temaki promptly after it's served to you. The nori may
absorb some of the moisture from the rice, loosing its crunchy texture.
Other Things You
May Find at the Sushiya
|
Mozuku |
Seaweed, a bit of vinegar, and a raw quail egg |
|
|
|
Sunomono |
Scallop, crab, octopus, cucumber, a bit of vinegar, and
sesame seeds for decoration |
Appetizer; normally offered by the itamae |
|
|
Kobe gyutataki |
Kobe beef, one of the most delicate of all beefs in the world,
seared and nice and red in the center of each morsel |
Expensive and usually available in the autumn or winter |
|
|
Shishamo |
Grilled capellin |
Eat it whole, starting with the head; normally full of
delicious caviar; summer fish of the north Pacific and Atlantic,
related to the smelt |
|
|
Tekka donburi |
Slices of red tuna served atop a bowl of sushi rice |
A snack common at tekka gambling places |
|
|
Sawagani |
Fried river crab |
Itamaes keep them alive at the restaurant and cook them
on-demand when you order; eat them alone on a bed of seaweed salad or
atop a spider roll |
|
|
Oshinko |
Burdock, radish, and other pickled roots |
Various roots, pickled, in addition to gari (ginger). |
|
|
Nakaochi donburi |
Tuna scrapings served atop a bowl of sushi rice |
Similar to tekka donburi but much, much tastier.
The itamae scrapes the tuna flesh off the regions next to the
fish's spine. This tuna is very tasty and very, very tender.
Dip each morsel in soy sauce. |
|
|
Zukemaguro don |
Slices of marinated red tuna served atop a bowl of sushi rice |
Special request if sukemaguro is available. Eat it early in the meal. |
|
|
Kuki wasabi |
Fresh wasabi leaves, chopped and served gunkan style. |
Ask for it if you are aware that the sushiya has fresh wasabi behind the counter. |
|
|
Ika tonbi |
Fried squid mouths |
Crispy and delicious, much better than the best calamari you ever had. According to lore, the best tasting ika tonbi is made with
the virgin mouths of female squid that never kissed a boy squid. |
|
|
Hirame tamago nabitashi |
Halibut caviar cooked in its own broth |
Served as an appetizer; special delicacy not always available. |
|
|
Grilled tai skin yakitori |
Grilled red snapper yakitori |
|
|
|
Oroshiae |
Grated radish mixed with stuff; in this case, it's mixed with tai (red snapper) |
Red snapper was rather abundant during the photo sessions for this guide update (20100530) |
|
|
Chawanmushi |
Egg custard chicken boullion, ginko nut, shii mushrooms, and chicken or shrimp |
|
|
|
Черная икра |
Black caviar gunkan style, wrapped in cucumber |
Seen in Russia |
|
|
|
|
Grilled fish skeleton - very crunchy and tasty! |
|
|
Mawa ebi |
Fried river shrimp |
Seldom available; try them if the itamae has any. Eat the whole shrimp, shell and all. |
|
Vegetarian Sushi
Vegetables have always been an important component of sushi, and many
traditional varieties are mostly or completely vegetarian. There is no
excuse for vegetarians or vegans to not join you at the sushi bar. From
kappa maki (cucumber roll) to sophisticated nigiri ensembles, itamaes
always figure out a way of creating some interesting and delicious
vegetarian sushi. If you're a vegan, join your fish-eating friends and
just let the itamae know about what you like. Most itamaes will go out
of their way to create custom
vegetarian sushi to suit your taste and
needs.
Becoming a Master: Beyond
Nigiri and Makizushi
There is one more level to the sushi experience. This is where you find
the most exotic sushi, the one that separates you from the rest. You
can really tell others that you know how to eat sushi after you've
experienced the delicacies in this section. Beware that most of these
are also on the pricey column of the menu.
|
Uni |
Sea urchin caviar (roe) |
It's considered one of the
most delicate pleasures at the sushi bar. Uni is a dark yellow mass
served on nigiri, with a strong nutty flavor coming from the iodine
found in the sea urchin. Always eat it fresh; the grossest thing you
can eat is old or previously frozen uni. |
|
|
Amaebi |
Fresh water shrimp |
Raw fresh water shrimp nigiri. The
head (and sometimes the shell) of the shrimp are fried and served
separately. Squeeze some lemon juice on them and eat them. Favor amaebi from BC. |
|
|
Odori |
Dancing shrimp or dancing langoustine |
Raw live baby langoustines.
There is nothing quite like watching your food move its antennas as you
eat it. Favor odori from BC. |
|
|
Namako |
Sea cucumber |
Often prepared in sunomono (namako-su) |
|
|
Fugu |
Poisonous Japanese blowfish |
It's the most delicate
and sensual of all sushi plates. Your lips and tongue literally tingle
while you eat it--and for at least a half hour afterward. The fugu
experience is like a long-lasting sensuous kiss. |
|
|
Kujira |
Rare whale |
Prepared and presented in a similar fashion to katsuo. Whale meat has a very tender
consistency that amost melts in your mouth; somewhere between filet
mignon and toro, with a strong beef-like flavour with hints of seafood,
and a very delicate aroma. Notice
that the center of the piece is raw, and only the thinnest
edge shows signs of grilling. Favor kujira from Norway. |
|
|
Kujira sashimi |
Whale sashimi |
Sashimi
is another delicious way of enjoy kujira the whale meat is raw and
fresh, and accompanied with an onion bulb and chopped green onion, miso
paste, ginger, and sprouts. The shiso buds add a very nice
flavour to it, and morsels are dipped in ponzu sauce. The
white speckles in the meat are connective tissue, but they aren't chewy
or unsavory in any way. |
|
|
Hebo |
Bee larvae |
Roasted in
honey, hebo will be served in
a
very small porcelain container. Pick one or two at a time, eating them
in between other types of sushi. Their flavor explodes in your mouth,
blending the hebo with the honey and flowers flavor. |
|
|
Inago |
Roasted grasshoppers |
Served in gunkan. The taste
like shrimp with a bit of lemon. |
|
|
Kazunoko |
Herring caviar |
Consummed as a traditional New
Year's sushi. Also known as "yellow diamonds" because of its texture
and exorbitant price in Japan. If you live anywhere from the Bay Area
to Mexico City, however, kazunoko is very reasonably priced: The best
kazunoko comes from the waters around San Francisco. |
|
|
Iidako |
Baby octopus |
Served atop nigiri, with each
octopus (head and tentacles) fitting comfortably on top of the rice. |
|
|
Ankimo |
Monkfish liver |
Think foie gras and you'll get the idea. |
|
|
Hamachi kama |
Yellowtail shoulder |
This consists of the
area
right behind the fish's head, served grilled on a plate along with some
shredded daikon radish and a bit of garlic. Squeeze a few lemon drops
over the fish, then carefully separate the meat from the skin and the
single bone. Pour some soy sauce (not too much) over the daikon.
Garnish each bite of fish with daikon. You will enjoy the most delicate
grilled fish you've ever eaten. Avoid this if it comes from the Atlantic. |
|
|
Tai kabutoyaki |
Red snapper grilled head, a delicacy from Western Japan |
Exactly what its name describes: a grilled
red snapper head, served on a plate along with some shredded daikon and
lemon. Kabuto is the archaic Japanese word for
the helmet that the samurai wore. See the hamachi kama preparation. Eat
all the meat around the
head, and pay special attention to the eye: it's delicious! To eat the
eye: remove the round white thing. Dig the eye out of the socket; it'll
have the consistency of jelly. Add a couple of drops of lemon juice and
pop it in your mouth... amazing! Avoid this if it comes from the Atlantic. |
|
|
Matsutake tobimushi |
Mushroom and seafood soup served in a teapot |
The
soup is
prepared inside the teapot. It contains mushrooms, shrimp,
fish
cake, a ginko nut, and plenty of kaiware. The broth is very
delicate to the palate. Open the teapot, add some sudachi
(lime)
juice, and stir lightly with your chopsticks. Let it rest for
a
minute or so, then pour the broth in the accompanying cup.
Fetch
some of the goodies from inside the pot at regular intervals.
Be
careful... this soup is very hot! You
may see detailed photos featuring these instructions in the
Sushi Eating HOWTO Companion. |
|
|
|
Miso soup with shrimp heads |
|
|
Nyotaimori: naked
sushi
Nyotaimori is the art of serving sushi atop the beautiful
body of a model. Very few places in the United States provide this
serving option. The history behind this Japanese custom is muddled by
legend and hearsay. Some sources quote it as a long-standing tradition.
Others claim it was introduced by the Yakuza gangsters.
Nyotaimori means
"served atop a woman" in Japanese. A nude woman, usually a model, lays
atop a platform or table dressed only with leaves in strategic places;
bare breasts are acceptable in some locations. Sushi is served atop the model, using the leaves as serving plates. The leaves are necessary to
insulate the sushi from the model's body heat, which would warm it up
and spoil its quality if it takes too long before it's eaten. The leaves are optional depending on the party.
Because this isn't an everyday occurrence at the sushi bar,
here is some additional information that you'll need prior to enjoying
this experience:
Mechanics
- The best place to enjoy nyotaimori is by invitation to a
private party
- The few restaurants in the US that offer nyotaimori are
too gimmicky, tend to wrap the model in cling wrap, and the sushi
itself will almost certainly suck; make some friends instead and get
invited to, or organize, a private party
- If you are in Japan or other parts of Asia, expect the
model to be Caucasian, usually blonde; if you are elsewhere expect the
model to be Asian
- Restaurants that offer nyotaimori have strict rules for
their patrons; adhere to them or expect to get kicked out
- The model should be dressed in nothing more than a tiny
G-string and perhaps a flower or leaf covering each of her breasts; if
she's got a layer of cling wrap as well, head for the sushi bar because
that defeats the self-indulgent pleasure of enjoying nyotaimori
- Don't try to be funny or to engage in conversation with
the model unless she starts; laying on that table without moving for
several minutes is hard work and some models prefer not having the
extra distraction; 'hello' and a friendly 'thank you' are the best way
to go
- Pick the sushi pieces off the model's body with your
chopsticks, not with your fingers
- Get consent from the host, other patrons or guests, and
the model before snapping any photographs or you run the risk of
getting kicked out and have your photo equipment confiscated
The last bullet is very important because most nyotaimori
events are at private engagements. Some patrons may not wish to be in
the photo and, if you wound up crashing a Yakuza party, the hosts may
be
rather stern in how they make you turn your camera over to them and how
fast they show you to the door, or surprise you with a show-and-tell of
what your own pancreas.
The Story of Sushi -
by Trevor Corson
This
guide explains how to eat sushi. Trevor Corson, a kindred
soul in
the realm of sushi, explains the process, end-to-end, in his fantastic
book The Story of Sushi (originally titled The Zen of Fish). From the biology of fish to the finer
points of itamae training, Trevor's best-selling book takes you on a
worldwide journey that presents the science and craft of sushi, from
the oceans to your plate. Learn about where the fish comes
from,
the trials that your itamae had to endure to become a skilled preparer,
and even about the ecological impact of sushi from this fantastic book.
The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice
by Trevor Corson
ISBN: 978-0-06-088351-5
Harper Collins
Learn more about this from
Trevor
Corson: The Story of Sushi.
How to Eat Sushi in
Japan
Japan is mecca for the sushi master. The
experience of enjoying sushi there can be either disturbing or
fantastic, depending on how you approach it. Have fun with
your sushi outings and learn from the experience.
How to Have a Great
Time at the Sushiya
- Memorize the names of the sushi before you get there, or
bring a copy of this HOWTO in your iPhone or PDA so that you
can look them up; it's unlikely that the itamae or wait staff speak
English/Spanish/Russian/French/Whatever unless you are in a tourist
trap. Try to learn some Japanese before your trip.
- Pace yourself and watch the itamae; order when he is not in
the middle of doing something else.
- Order tea, miso soup, only
from the wait staff, get your sushi from the itamae.
- The
number one secret to have the best sushi ever:
find an establishment at the Tokyo or Osaka fish market, and
eat there! The Tokyo fish market is at the Tsukiji
shijo metro stop; turn left as you exit the station
and make
another left at the entrance to the market (about 5 m / 15
ft).
- Find
a busy
sushi bar - the
more people, the better. Some
establishments are so good that they may have a line out the
door 20 to
50 people long. Go to those! The lines move quickly
and the sushi
will be amazing
- Remember that there is no tipping in Japan; your bill's
total includes service charges.
- Ask for the bill from the itamae, but ensure that you pay
the waitress or cashier directly.
- If you liked your meal, make a big show of thanking the
itamae; as you'll see in the next subsection, foreigners are not always
welcome at sushiyas. Be an ambassador of good will and open
doors for others to enjoy your experience!
The Japanese culture can be hard to grasp and reactions of the
sushiya owners can range from welcoming to downright rude and
dismissive when you visit. I've asked about the reasons for
the negative reactions and the explanations ranged from convenience to
the establishment (i.e. they aren't equiped to deal with non-Japanese
speaking foreigners) to bigotry. Avoid patronage of sushiya
where foreigners are unwelcome, visit the rest when you go exploring by
yourself or in a guided tour. Sucks that things are that way,
but that's the way they are.
Signs that You
Aren't Welcome at a Sushiya
- A prominent
sign indicates that only Japanese people are welcome
- The host or hostess makes a sign by crossing extended
fingers in front on your face (reminiscent of samurai crossing swords)
and shakes his or her head as you approach or insist in getting service
- They escort you to the door without explanation
- You manage to sit at the bar and the itame, wait staff, and
everyone at the bar ignore you
HOWTO Eat Sushi That Sucks
Malcolm Gladwell describes (in his book Blink) how, as a people's proficiency and expertise in some domain increase, our ability to distinguish subtleties and make quick qualitative and quantitative judgments also increases (blink! This is great sushi! you're able to tell just by glancing at the sushi bar). The downside of this increased awareness is that you'll begin to notice how most sushi isn't as good as it could be. Some restaurants don't have real wasabi. Some don't invest enough attention on the rice. The fish that day was just a tiny bit less fresh. And so on. Most of these quirks you'll be able to ignore if the rest of the experience is good. You may even take the opportunity to discuss this with the itamae in a non-accusatory way and gain his respect as a "true connoisseur" of sushi. The meal will be enjoyable, and the balance of the universe will continue. Sushi, miso soup, and dessert will all come to you, and you'll leave the restaurant with a smile on your face and a happy belly.
At some point, though, for whatever reason, you'll end up at some restaurant where the sushi sucks. It's horrible. You know the place.
Even before you really got into sushi you figured something wasn't quite right. The rice has no sushizu or konbu and it's as tasty as licking a sheet of paper. The rolls are wrapped in soggy nori.
The fish looks dry. The soy sauce is blended with lemon juice or (barf!) chopped Jalapeños "because our regular patrons don't like how regular soy sauce tastes."
And you won't be able to escape because you may have a business or personal reason for being there that's unrelated to eating sushi. You don't have the option to skip the meal because that would seem either weird or rude to whoever took you there. Or perhaps you live in, or are visiting Moscow, and some misguided soul took you to a "sushi" restaurant there (regardless of price, cheap or super expensive -- they ALL suck). And you know that the meal will really, really, really, really, really blow. What do you do?
Ordering Sushi In A Restaurant Guaranteed To Suck
- Don't sit at the sushi bar; it'll be hopeless; there will be no interaction with the itamaes and, possibly, no attractive sushi display; find a nice table instead
- Avoid turning sushi into your main meal; instead, make it an appetizer so that you minimize how much you have to endure
- Go for the grilled/cooked makizushi or gunkan varieties
- Stick to rolls! Rolls have a distant second place in good sushi places - in the bad ones, though, they are your best bet at having an edible meal; if there was ever a place for you to try California rolls and other non-traditional sushi, this is it! This is probably a good place to try philly rolls (yuk), cajun rolls (WTF? Raccoon?), MexiRolls (no kidding - I saw those in Atlanta, Georgia; you do the math), volcano rolls... you get the idea.
- Tempura should be part of your meal; the oil will coat your tongue and the panko/batter will fill you up faster
- Order whatever you can from the kitchen - tempura, sukiyaki, or a bento box tend to work well
- DO NOT order anything spicy; moving bad, old, pungent fish is easier if it's so spicy and it has enough garlic that you can't feel its flavor; ask yourself before you order a dynamite roll, how old is this fish? Did they mix it with the spicy sauce in front of me, or was it already made?
- If possible, go to the Chinese buffet across the street - your meal may be better
Special tip for denizens of Bentonville and Rogers Arkansas
Try the Panda Chinese Restaurant on Walnut Avenue, almost across the street from Walmart Store no. 1. They have multiple transcultural buffet lines with Chinese, Sushi, ribs/corn bread/corn on the cob/salads, and Mexican food inside. You're bound to find something there that you like.
Bonus Recipe:
Yujimaki (aka Amigomaki)
Yujimaki
is a temaki developed over a period of seven years between the
author and Yoshi The Man in San Francisco. It's a spicy roll on
steroids. How spicy you want it is really up to you; we came up with a
loose scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 = very mild and 10 = as spicy
as possible. If you like spicy food, this is for you.
Ingredients:
- Hamachi or kampachi (don't use maguro if you can help it)
- Sriracha
HOT chili sauce (http://www.huyfong.com/),
possibly
the tastiest spicy sauce in the world
- Tobiko
- Kaiware (radish sprouts)
- Yama gobo, pickled burdock root that
looks like a long and
pencil-thin carrot
- Sushi rice
- Roasted nori
Preparation:
- Mix hamachi, hot sauce and tobiko in a small bowl.
- Estimate how much sauce in an imaginary scale from 0 to
10, where 0 = one drop of sauce, 10 = so spicy that the white hamachi
flesh turns bright red. Let it rest for 2-5 minutes.
- Toast a sheet of nori in a toaster or electric oven for
one to two minutes so it's crispy.
- Apply a layer of sushi rice to one side of the nori sheet.
- Scoop the spicy hamachi onto the nori sheet on top of the
rice.
- Add a stick of yama gobo and a small bunch of kaiware.
- Roll the nori and eat immediately.
Ensure that all the ingredients are fresh, and that you use Sriracha
spicy sauce. It's not as tasty when made with other sauce brands (this
HOWTO does not have any relationship with Sriracha sauce, its
manufacturers or importers).
About alt.food.sushi
This USENET group is frequented by many people who really know their
stuff. Stop by if you have questions. Don't be intimidated by a few
posters who take themselves too seriously (like me) and who like to
posture and lecture; that aside, it's probably the best resource of
sushi information on the 'net.
Odds and Ends
This section covers a couple of points that caused quite a stir when
discussed in the USENET.
Why Tip the Itamae and the Waiters Separately?
In some Japanese restaurants the food servers must share their tips
with the sushi bar. In some others the policy is more draconian: All
the tips from people eating at the sushi bar go to the itamae
regardless of whether the food consumed came from the sushi bar or from
the kitchen. Tipping the itamae and waiters separately, specially if
you are a regular, guarantees that you'll get excellent service from
both camps. It doesn't leave doubts on anyone's mind as to how much of
the tip was meant for whom.
If you don't like this advise, or getting involved in your restaurant's
politics, tip whichever way you feel is the most comfortable. It's your
money.
How Much Wasabi?
Put as much as you like, directly on the fish or mixed with soy sauce. Beware that wasabi mixed with soy sauce loses its flavor within 10 minutes or so. Trust your itamae regarding how much wasabi should go with your morsels.
Acknowledgments and
Copyright Information
This document wouldn't have been possible without the patience and
training from all my friends who enjoy eating and preparing sushi.
Special thanks to:
- Luis Dumois for taking me on my first sushi outing in 1988
- Michael Zogg for showing me the only place with good sushi
in Zürich
- Greg Gilliss, Kolya Colt and Bob Lippman for sharing their
sushi moments with me.
- Abe at Takara - you rock
- Ken Kubo - thank you very, very much for helping with the spellings and transliterations of the items that you'd identified in this HOWTO. My Japanese language skills suck, I know
- Yoshi and José
- Yuki (Takara Restaurant, SF)
- Katsu (excellent scallops! Matsuhisa Restaurant, Beverly
Hills)
- Shige at Sushi Ota, San Diego - one of the best omakase (lots of uni!) dinner's I've ever had
- Sizuko (Japanese court at the Slavyanka Radisson Hotel,
Moscow)
- blogdex.com and foodsiteoftheday.com for featuring this
HOWTO for their readers.
- Fish Toys icons by: FastIcon.com - used with permission.
This web page and photos © copyright 2002, 2003,
2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 by Eugene Ciurana. All rights reserved. Feel free to
reproduce it
in whole or in part as long as this copyright notice and a link to it or
its URL are provided.