The Sushi Thread

[private joker]

Sushi has been brought up a few times in the Ask El Diablo thread and other places, and of course there were suggestions that it be a thread of its own. Clearly that's the case.

Here are some initial points to discuss:

All you can eat/buffet-style vs. a la carte

The all-you-can-eat option is fairly popular among mid-tier sushi restaurants both in L.A. and Vegas, but usually not in the highest class ones for obvious reasons. AYCE is attractive if the price is right -- namely for example Todai at the Aladdin, which is a Japanese buffet for $16.95 lunch & $25 dinner.

The downside is I end up eating too much and feel fairly ill afterwards, when the rice is expanding in my stomach. I tend to eat more nigiri and fewer cut rolls in these situations.

A la carte can be less expensive and less filling, but I don't think sushi is a cuisine you eat in order to stuff yourself. This is why it's the best option, especially because it's all you have at the nicer places like Sushi Roku and Katana, etc.

Nigiri vs. cut rolls

A balanced sushi meal for me means a nice combination of nigiri sushi and cut rolls. For some reason, specific fish taste better as sashimi while others taste better in roll form. I don't know why this is. A typical order for me will be:

yellowtail sushi
albacore sushi
spicy tuna roll
california roll
salmon roll

I like my spicy tuna & california rolls to have the seaweed on the inside and rice as the outer layer, whereas I prefer the salmon rolls to be the opposite. I think this is standard, but I've seen exceptions.

Imitation crab rules

N/T

Wasabi & soy sauce

My routine here is to take a small portion of wasabi and put it in a clean dish, then pour low-sodium soy sauce over it, mixing it together with the chopsticks. I see a lot of people use too much wasabi, which usually overpowers the taste of the seafood and is generally a poor idea -- much like drowning your steak in tabasco sauce or ketchup. I also think the low-sodium presents a smoother soy sauce than the overpowering saltiness of the regular red-top version, which kills a lot of flavor, especially from milder sushi like imitation crab.

Drinks

For dinner I like alcohol, usually hot sake or Sapporo. Beer tends to go better with sushi IMO, though a very well-chosen sake, like the sampler at Katana in L.A., is quite appealing. Cold soda works well at lunch for me, even though Diet Coke + sushi isn't a very sophisticated match. For that, I choose to be unsophisticated.

I'd love to see this thread expand with far more issues than the ones I brought up.

[NorCalJosh]

i can't add to this discussion as i've never once eaten sushi, but i do plan on rectifying this straight away and will read this with great interest.



to add to this... my primary reason for not eating sushi at all earlier in life was that i hated sea food. as i've gotten older i've recently discovered that my palette has matured a bit as well, and have since tried several different fish i hadnt previously, as well as shrimp, lobster, etc. i did not hate any of these things, but was kinda meh about all of them. is there any reason that i SHOULD try sushi if this is still the case?

[kitaristi0]

For someone who's only experience with sushi has been some low-quality supermarket sushi that he didn't like at all, what kinds of things would people recommend as a gateway dish to the world of sushi?

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]
For someone who's only experience with sushi has been some low-quality supermarket sushi that he didn't like at all, what kinds of things would people recommend as a gateway dish to the world of sushi?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was once like you.

The gateway for most people is the california roll. Its only fish content is imitation crab, which is just alaskan pollock. It tastes good and is buffered in the roll by the cucumber, avocado, and rice. At any reasonably well-reviewed sushi restaurant, it will be a fine dish.

The next dish people graduate to after the california roll is the spicy tuna roll. Just give it a shot, if the restaurant is any good you won't be disappointed.

Novices also like edamame as an appetizer (soybeans) and you usually can't go wrong there either.

If you're then feeling adventurous but still want something that isn't gross, try unagi (eel). It comes with a sweet syrupy eel sauce that is quite delicious. And the eel is warm, so it doesn't taste as raw as other sushi cuts.

[kidcolin]

Your wasabi and soy sauce technique is popular, but looked down up by sushi snobs. Or that's what I've read, anyway. I prefer to keep them separate, putting a small dab of wasabi on one face of the roll, and dip the other face in the soy sauce. Depending on the size of the roll I often use my hands to eat, not chopsticks.

I generally prefer sashimi to sushi.

kit,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conveyor_belt_sushi

This is a fun and interesting way to try out a bunch of different sushi. There's a pretty good one in Japantown in San Francisco. I'm not sure about other major cities.

[kitaristi0]

[ QUOTE ]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conveyor_belt_sushi

This is a fun and interesting way to try out a bunch of different sushi. There's a pretty good one in Japantown in San Francisco. I'm not sure about other major cities.

[/ QUOTE ]

That looks like it could be fun, though I don't know whether they have one here (York, UK). Maybe instead some type of sushi buffet would work, though I always worry that the quality of the food isn't very good in a lot in buffet type places.

[gumpzilla]

I had a great roll recently. Mackerel (I love mackerel sashimi), ginger, scallions and apple. Really good. I would not have thought of the apple, but it really added something.

EDIT: In terms of general form, private joker and I are as one.

[mason55]

I like spicy tuna but a lot of lower end places it can come out like cat food. I think your suggestions are good for novices, but I would question someone who called themself a sushi lover who went out and ordered a California roll, a spicy tuna roll, and a salmon roll.

100% agree on the low sodium soy sauce

[private joker]

There are two good conveyer belt sushi places in L.A., too. One is on Olympic and Sawtelle (I think it's called Daichan), the other is in Pasadena -- Afloat Sushi. Both are extremely cheap and tasty.

I should mention that sushi snobs (also the type who look down at people who use chopsticks, since many like to just use fingers) are often insufferable and I hope they don't permeate this thread too much. I'm just a guy who likes to go eat some sushi.

[WillMagic]

Generally I avoid the all-you-can-eat places because the worst thing ever is low-to-medium quality raw fish. Not that I think Todai or places like it are trying to poison me, but when you are running an all-you-can-eat place you have to make some compromises on quality in order to put out such a large quantity of food.

I try to find hole-in-the-wall, quiet, sit-down joints, and just order whatever sashimi combination is on the menu. My basic philosophy is that I am going to the joint to eat great raw fish, so there's no reason to mess up a good thing by adding rice.

[Noo Yawk]

Hi PJ,

I prefer not to do the all you can eat sushi, as you tend to end up eating way too much rice. I prefer Chirashi Sushi, which is basically nice size pieces of fish on top of rice, served in a bowl. It usually is offered for the same price as most of the all you can eat, but with more fish.

As for rolls, I prefer hand rolls to cut, as again, you tend to get more meat than rice.

I agree with lite soy sauce, and Hot Sake for winter months, sapporo for summer.

[The DaveR]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a pretty good one in Japantown in San Francisco. I'm not sure about other major cities.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to live two blocks away and wander down there for a quick bite. The noodle shop in Japantown is pretty good too.

[thirddan]

i think the key to mixing wasabi/soy sauce is to make sure you end up with a paste consistency, rather than soy sauce with clumps of wasabi, this will ensure that all of your dips are consistent and delicious...

place yoru desired amount of wasabi in clean dish, add a small amount of soy sauce, mix until you have a very thick paste, add a small amount of soy sauce, mix again...continue adding small amounts of soy sauce until you get the desired consistency/strength...enjoy...

this takes longer than normal, but is definitely worth it...

[ImprovinNewbie]

everything sushi is my neighborhood of eating.

one difference from joker is a like spicy mayo on the side and in large quantities on my rolls and ponsue sauce on my nigiri. great thread! if you're in boston Jaes is the best for sushi i think and now i can't help it... going to get sushi.

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
I should mention that sushi snobs (also the type who look down at people who use chopsticks, since many like to just use fingers) are often insufferable and I hope they don't permeate this thread too much. I'm just a guy who likes to go eat some sushi.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dont take my comment about your choice of rolls as snobbery, I just think that there's soooo much variety out there and good sushi chefs are doing so much with crazy different flavors that it seems silly to stick to the blander choices of rolls.

[skunkworks]

Unagi is very palatable, as it tastes something like teriyaki fish on rice. I don't know if that's the best way to ease into raw fish though, since, well... it's not raw fish. I think regular tuna is a good starter since it's pretty neutral tasting. Go to a half-decent sushi place and the tuna won't smell fishy. Yellow tail would be okay too.

Sushi is awesome -- just don't get weirded out by the texture of the raw fish and you'll be all right.

[NoSoup4U]

[ QUOTE ]
Its only fish content is imitation crab, which is just alaskan pollock.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some brands (usually the ones from Japan) use bream or croaker.

[ QUOTE ]
And the eel is warm, so it doesn't taste as raw as other sushi cuts.

[/ QUOTE ]

It also doesn't taste raw because it is always cooked /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Other cooked items that might seem safer to people who don't want to venture too far afield include shrimp, which is also almost always cooked. Most places will also have rolls that feature tempura cooked items.

[kidcolin]

thirddan,

That seems like WAY too much wasabi. Really thick? It seems like the wasabi would completely dominate.

[Oranzith]

listen, the rule for soy sauce is NOT really the ratio, make that to your own test. but please, everybody start using 1/3 the amount of each you are currently using. your soy sauce mixture should NOT be covering the entire bottom of the sauce tray.

also, never leave your chopsticks sticking in any food (this is only done for diseased) NOR hand food chopstick to chopstick between people. it is the same as dumping food from your spoon onto someone elses food.

lastly, get some money, go to a NICE sushi bar and literally just let the chef make you things for a night. the biggest deal for sushi is to get to know your chef well, you will begin to see real dividends. when you are being given special cuts (tuna gills, $100/piece) just for your friendship you will be happy.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]

Dont take my comment about your choice of rolls as snobbery, I just think that there's soooo much variety out there and good sushi chefs are doing so much with crazy different flavors that it seems silly to stick to the blander choices of rolls.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true, and if a place offers a good spider roll (soft shell crab) or something then I'm all about it. It just depends on the place -- each one has their own specialty, etc. I just go with those bland ones as a default, especially since I eat so much sushi at mid-tier places (I love the stuff and I can't afford to eat at really nice places often enough to satiate my appetite) and need to have go-to, trustworthy rolls. It's hard to mess up a spicy tuna roll.

As for cooked fish, like the above poster mentioned, some places will do a cooked albacore on top of a california roll, and that's fairly great. I don't like tempura.

[faded]

bbq freshwater eel rolls are delish as well, really got me into sushi.

[KJS]

The best sushi tip I ever got was from the older hostess at Maneki, Seattle's oldest and (IMO) best sushi restaurant. She pointed out that most people dip their sushi in soy rice side down and put it in their mouth fish side up. That means the first taste experience is that of soy and rice, by no means the superstars of sushi eating.

One addition re: AYCE. In my experience, the reason to go is only convenience. I can go to a more quality place sushi restaurant and order, say $20 worth of food, and be full. So, for me, almost all sushi is AYCE, because I don't like to eat much more than the cost of an AYCE place, even when I go to a menu-oriented sushi place. I would venture a guess that this is true for a lot of people. But if I am in more of a hurry I will try them.

KJS

[Six_of_One]

I'm a sushi snob, so keep that in mind when reading this...

[ QUOTE ]

All you can eat/buffet-style vs. a la carte


[/ QUOTE ]
I don't think there exists on earth an AYCE sushi place that's worth going to. I've tried a few, but end up just eating California Rolls because it's pretty hard to screw up fake crab meat and avacado. Definitely stay away from the spicy tuna rolls at a place like this, as it tends to be low grade/not fresh fish, made spicy so you can't tell the difference.

A la carte is the only way to go.

[ QUOTE ]

Nigiri vs. cut rolls


[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not a big fan of cut rolls...if you're at a place that serves a lot of fancy cut rolls, it's almost a guarantee that the nigiri won't be any good. They're trying to appeal to the people who mostly eat sushi because it's popular, not because they actually like the taste of raw fish. If I'm at one of those places, then I will eat cut rolls, because usually they'll taste decent with all the fancy sauces and stuff...not really sushi, though, IMO.

Nigiri is the way to go, though hand rolls can also be very good...I love a good blue crab hand roll, for example.

[ QUOTE ]

Wasabi & soy sauce


[/ QUOTE ]
I agree that the low sodium soy sauce is better. As for Wasabi, you're really not supposed to add it to the soy sauce...I think it really takes away from the flavor of whatever you're eating. Of course, at many sushi places, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

A couple other things I should mention:

At a good place, Omakase (chef's choice) is the way to go...you'll be sure to get all the best stuff that way. Also, if you want to get the best treatment you generally have to become a regular somewhere...most sushi chefs tend to give preferential treatment to their regulars.

To the OP, there are a lot of great places in LA you should try, though it would require a change from your normal routine (they typically don't serve California Rolls, Spicy Tuna rolls, etc.). Sushi Zo, Sasabune, Echigo, Nozawa, Sushi Gen...the pinnacle is Urasawa, though not everyone is willing to drop that kind of cash on dinner.

[thirddan]

[ QUOTE ]
thirddan,

That seems like WAY too much wasabi. Really thick? It seems like the wasabi would completely dominate.

[/ QUOTE ]

it will of course depend on personal taste...i said that the first pass should be thick to prevent people from overdoing the soy sauce which causes the clumping...you don't ahve to use a lot of wasabi as long as you end up with a nice consistency in the mix so that each dip gets wasabi and soy sauce...which is unlikely to happen if you don't mix them well...it will of course become less thick each time you add soy sauce...

[El Diablo]

pj,

Sushi Groove South is my favorite and most regular sushi joint in SF. It is a nice place, but not extravagant. Kind of a chill SF vibe, a little on the dark side, a little bit romantic, DJ spinning, etc. They have great fish and a lot of tasty rolls, but most of the rolls are not super complicated.

Blowfish Sushi is another place I go to a fair amount. This is more of a party atmosphere. Blaring music on weekends and crazy anime on the TVs. Hot bar scene too. They also have incredible fish. They have some more intricate rolls, really delicious.

Sakana is a no-frills cheaper place that is excellent. Nice and clean, but definitely not the high-end ambience of the two above. The real focus here is on the fish rather than rolls. Usually I'll just focus on some nigiri and some sashimi here, maybe we get one spider roll.

Ace Wasabi and Tokyo GoGo. These are Marina and Mission versions of the same place. Very good, both a little sceney. But excellent. Ace is often too crowded to deal with. Tokyo GoGo is pretty easy to get into. Tokyo GoGo does these special sashimi trio plates which sound good but are not really that great imo. I'd stick with all the great sashimi, nigiri, and rolls.

Ebisu is a more traditional place out near the park, 9th and Irving or something. Very good stuff, again more focus on the fish as opposed to tons of complicated rolls, but everything is very good here.

Kyo-Ya. This is a really expensive place South of Market in the Palace hotel. Great stuff, but super pricey. Lots of Japanese businessmen go here.

Ozumo. This is a sorta pricey place South of Market near the Ferry Building. It has a pretty cool bar and a great happy hour w/ sushi and drink specials. They also focus more on having lots of hot food as well. Highly recommended, but a little on the expensive side.

Mas Sake. This is a party atmosphere sushi place on Lombard. Way too loud and the service is so-so, but there are alwyas lots of cute chicks there. They do an all-you-can-eat sushi night here which actually features really good fish. I find the place a little annoying though.

Nama. This is my neighborhood sushi place. Unfortunately, I think it kinda sucks. The fish is not as good as the other places listed. They are great at frying sh*t up, though. Great tempura and great unhealthy rolls with fried up tempura and spicy sauces. They have multiple sections of various permutations of special spicy/crunchy/tempura rolls. That's all I eat when I go here, not really sushi.

OK, that's the ones that come to mind off the top of my head. I've probably been to at least 10 more sushi places in SF, likely more.

When going with one other person, we usually get 4 orders of nigiri and 3 rolls. Standard would be one order shiro maguro (albacore tuna, prob my favorite and often almost as good as the way pricier toro), one sake (salmon), one hamachi, and one unagi (eel) or maguro (tuna) or whatever else. For rolls, usually one fried roll like a spider roll. One spicy roll like a dynamite roll or spicy tuna. And one other roll, often something a little unique. Usually start w/ miso soup and seaweed salad, sometimes some edamame. Sometimes replace some of the rolls or nigiri w/ some sashimi. Sometimes we'll get a couple more nigiri and rolls. Tea, beer, and/or sake, depending on the mood. At Sushi Groove South, this runs $35-45 depending on what we have to drink and whether or not we have dessert. Sushi is really an incredible bargain compared to other nice meals out.

[J.A.Sucker]

Diablo,

Kaygetsu in Menlo Park is the best sushi in the Bay Area. Trust me. Unfortunately, it's been discovered and now you need reservations 2 weeks+ in advance. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sushi Groove South is fun and good, though.

[mason55]

Something I've always wondered about, in relation to what I mentioned earlier in the thread.

Do the high end/trendy sushi restaurants in Japan do crazy things with their rolls the way we do in America (ie non-traditional ingredients) or do they keep things traditional over there?

I'm also curious about what people's favorite non-traditional rolls are. Most of mine involve jalapenos because I love spicy food but I can't think of anything great I've had recently.

[The Yugoslavian]

[ QUOTE ]
Unagi is very palatable, as it tastes something like teriyaki fish on rice. I don't know if that's the best way to ease into raw fish though, since, well... it's not raw fish. I think regular tuna is a good starter since it's pretty neutral tasting. Go to a half-decent sushi place and the tuna won't smell fishy. Yellow tail would be okay too.

Sushi is awesome -- just don't get weirded out by the texture of the raw fish and you'll be all right.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where should I go to eat Sushi near Irvine? /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I went to that place at the block...or whatever it's called in Orange....that was good but I dno wtf I'm doin'....

Yugoslav

[Aloysius]

[ QUOTE ]
To the OP, there are a lot of great places in LA you should try, though it would require a change from your normal routine (they typically don't serve California Rolls, Spicy Tuna rolls, etc.). Sushi Zo, Sasabune, Echigo, Nozawa, Sushi Gen...the pinnacle is Urasawa, though not everyone is willing to drop that kind of cash on dinner.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice list - I would add Asanebo (Studio City) and just went to and enjoyed Sushi Go 55 (Downtown).

I generally prefer sashimi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimi) to sushi. Because of this, the quality of the fish is pretty important for me.

Of sashimi cuts, O-Toro >>> Chu-Toro >> Yellowtail > Maguro is my line. O-Toro is very expensive but I am a huge fan (the blocks they sell at say Mitsuwa market can be good also, and much cheaper option to just buy and cut at home).

I do like rolls (say a tempura roll or something) every now and then, though I believe sushi purists shy away from this stuff? For good hand / cut / lots of moving parts / atraditional rolls, I like Katsu-ya (Studio City).

-Al

[kidcolin]

Diablo,

I look forward to convincing my sister to go to Sakana with me with this Saturday. Thanks for the recommendations.

[Los Feliz Slim]

My favorite places for sushi in Los Angeles:

1. Saito's Sushi - In a sketchy strip mall at the corner of Fountain and Sunset in Silverlake/Los Feliz. It's a tiny hole in the wall with two employees, but has the freshest, simplest sushi in a neighborhood atmosphere. This is not a place to go for your fancy rolls with all manner of stuff in them. Favorite dishes: albacore salad, spanish mackeral sushi, snapper sushi, spicy tuna hand roll, toro sushi.

2. Sushi Nozawa on Ventura in Studio City (I think). Also knows as the "Sushi Nazi". When you sit at the bar, don't ask for a menu or you'll be told to go sit at a table (where you also shouldn't ask for a menu, but you won't get booted). Instead, just take what he gives you and be glad. Also, Nozawa is a proponent of the commandment "SUSHI ONE BITE". This means you put the whole piece of sushi into your mouth at once. He's adamant about this. Also a pretty simple affair like Saito's. Strangely, not open on weekends. Favorite dishes: whatever he gives you.

3. Katsu-ya (3 locations). I list this only because I'm often forced to go with my wife, who is physically addicted to the baked crab roll. This is a distinct departure from my top #2, in that Katsu-ya is famous for it's more creative dishes like the baked crab roll, tuna with jalapeno on crispy rice, etc. You need to make reservations a couple of weeks in advance and will probably still wait for your table. I called last Tuesday to get a table for two Saturday night and they laughed at me. I'm bitching because it's such a scene, but the food is delicious.

On the sake discussion, hot sake tastes like medicine water to me. I go with cold unfiltered sake and I'm very happy with it.

[El Diablo]

Sucker,

Have you been to Sushi Ran in Sausalito? If so, how would you compare the two places? Sushi Ran is pretty damn good.

[El Diablo]

All,

Hot sake? No. Gross.

[n.s.]

[ QUOTE ]
I also think the low-sodium presents a smoother soy sauce than the overpowering saltiness of the regular red-top version, which kills a lot of flavor, especially from milder sushi like imitation crab.

[/ QUOTE ]

One thing that I tend to when eating nigiri is to turn the fish sideways and try to dip just the fish in the soy sauce, not the rice. The rice side will absorb the sauce too quickly, so by dipping the fish side the piece won't taste too salty. There's something I find really off-putting about low sodium soy sauce.

[ QUOTE ]
For dinner I like alcohol, usually hot sake or Sapporo

[/ QUOTE ]
Not to be a snob (although this is 2p2, right?), but usually only low-quality sake is served hot - serving drinks hot or chilled usually masks some of the taste (think about why good scotch is never served chilled). You might want to try a more expensive sake that is served at room temp or a little cold. A good "starter" type of sake is nigori - it's unfiltered and looks milky, and it's always served cold. It's sweeter (and something of a girly drink for those in the know), but it's pretty tasty. My current favorite type is junmai, which has a dryer and more complex taste, but can sometimes be pretty expensive. (junmai and nigori are types, not brands - think porter or ipa).

[ QUOTE ]
lastly, get some money, go to a NICE sushi bar and literally just let the chef make you things for a night.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, do this - it's awesome. It's called Omikase - you basically pay a fixed price and the chef makes you interesting things all night, usually based on what's fresh and good that day. The times I've done it it was a mix of different things - some of it was traditional nigiri and maki rolls, but also a bunch of other good stuff like seaweed salad or tako yaki (octopus balls).

For those in the seattle area, there's an awesome place in West Seattle called Mashiko. Their omikase is like ~$40 / person and was really, really awesome.

[Tron]

Some reviews of Los Angeles area sushi places I already posted in OOT:

Katana, Sushi Sushi, Zip Fusion, Boss, and Matsuhisa (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=3954058&an=&page=0&v c=1)
Koi (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=4947025&an=&page=0&v c=1)

Obviously Koi isn't the most legitimate sushi restaurant, but the sushi was actually pretty good, the non-sushi offerings were very good, and it was filled with some of the most ridiculously attractive girls I'd ever seen. Holla!

[octopi]

[ QUOTE ]
Drinks

For dinner I like alcohol, usually hot sake or Sapporo.

[/ QUOTE ]

What? No tea?

Also; thoughts on appetizers? Sometimes I like some edamame, and sometimes my gentleman courter gets sunomono, but usually you have to save room for maximum sushi intake.

[J.A.Sucker]

[ QUOTE ]
Sucker,

Have you been to Sushi Ran in Sausalito? If so, how would you compare the two places? Sushi Ran is pretty damn good

[/ QUOTE ]

Haven't been to Sushi Ran, but I'm willing to take Kaygetsu up against anywhere blind. It truly is divine. I'll tell you what - sometime soon you come down my way for sushi and then we get cigars and drink Zacapa 23 year rum at the Cuban joint. If you think the other place is better, then I'll come up there and we'll do it up.

[MaxxDaddy]

PJ, I pretty much agree with you on all the points you made. There's a Todai in NYC, and whenever I'm in the mood for all-you-can-eat sushi, I head there.

In terms of eating at local Japanese restaurants, I tend to have two or three rolls along with two or three pieces of nigiri. On the nigiri side, I generally get a piece of unagi and a piece of salmon. Can't get enough of either of those. At least for my palate, salmon + wasabi and soy sauce = heaven.

It seems to me that while rolls are generally the way to go when ordering sushi, sometimes there's just so much going on inside that you can't fully appreciate the flavors of the individual players. When reading the menu sometimes, I can't help but feeling that they just try to stuff as much fish and other things into rolls as possible so as to have the "super deluxe" roll that of course has the premium price tag associated with it; the "more is better" mentality.

As far as appetizers go, I'm a big gyoza and shumai fan. These are probably the popular choices along with edamame. Can anyone recommend particularly good sake to go with dinner? I'm much more of a beer person myself, but I'm always looking to try something new.

[FUJItheFISH]

joker

since i was a kid my favorite has been the conveyor belt sushi joints. in japanese they are called "kuru kuru (koo roo koo roo)" sushi. kuru kuru basically means around-around. i enjoy these places because it is great for competition in seeing who can stack their plates the highest.

stuffing myself silly with sushi is one of my favorite hobbies. i can also enjoy eating sushi in small portions as well but i prefer eating lots whether it is AYCE or just a la carte.

[RichC.]

I'll add this, having lived in Japan for a little over a year, sushi is merely OK in the states for the most part. Even the sushi-go-rounds (Daichan, or on a conveyor belt) are great there.

I still have managed to find a couple of places in my area that serve very good sushi, but nothing beats getting it in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and many of the smaller villages even. So yeah, I guess in a way, I am a snob about sushi, but not really.

~Rich

[El Diablo]

Sucker,

Sounds like a great plan. Not sure how significant this really is given all the controversy about the selection process here, but FWIW Sushi Ran did get a Bay Area Michelin star.

[ethan]

One resource people may find helpful is chowhound.com (http://www.chowhound.com/). They've done well by me as far as recommendations both locally (LA) and in most any other major city. Even if you're not looking for local restaurants, you may find interesting content.

[edtost]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
lastly, get some money, go to a NICE sushi bar and literally just let the chef make you things for a night.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, do this - it's awesome. It's called Omikase - you basically pay a fixed price and the chef makes you interesting things all night, usually based on what's fresh and good that day. The times I've done it it was a mix of different things - some of it was traditional nigiri and maki rolls, but also a bunch of other good stuff like seaweed salad or tako yaki (octopus balls).

For those in the seattle area, there's an awesome place in West Seattle called Mashiko. Their omikase is like ~$40 / person and was really, really awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]

anyone know a good place for omakase in nyc, besides the hyper-expensive (though i'm sure excellent) masa?

[El Diablo]

ethan,

I'm a big fan of chowhound.com. Yelp.com and Citysearch Best Of guides (just click on any Best Of guide and you can then get to a bunch of categories) are pretty good too to get a quick idea, but I think the reviewers generally suck hard compared to chowhound reviewers.

[punkass]

[ QUOTE ]
Unagi is very palatable, as it tastes something like teriyaki fish on rice. I don't know if that's the best way to ease into raw fish though, since, well... it's not raw fish. I think regular tuna is a good starter since it's pretty neutral tasting. Go to a half-decent sushi place and the tuna won't smell fishy. Yellow tail would be okay too.

Sushi is awesome -- just don't get weirded out by the texture of the raw fish and you'll be all right.

[/ QUOTE ]

I love sushi, and I'm pretty open to all new things sushi. I had sea urchin for the first time the other day, and while I won't go out of my way to get it, it was definitely a new taste and texture. Favs of mine are salmon and tuna (obviously the fattier the better). I prefer nigiri vs rolls because I like just tasting the fish.

I have a question to a friend of mine who is new to sushi. She eats the cooked rolls when we go, and she has reservations on the texture of raw sushi. I advised that when she was ready to go past the cooked salmon/tuna/scallops she gets now, I picked a tuna roll as her first experience into raw fish, since it has a mild flavor and ok texture. Any other suggestions?

[offTopic]

All you can eat/buffet-style vs. a la carte

I don't dig AYCE. The best experience I've had with one of these places was at Todai in San Diego because it was packed, and everything was pretty fresh. A la carte costs more on a per-piece basis, but IMO the quality is worth it.

Nigiri vs. cut rolls

We generally don't order rolls at our regular haunts, but my family makes futomaki every new year's and my wife and I have made both California Roll (with king crab from Costco) and spicy tuna handroll (with negitoro from Mitsuwa marketplace, mayonnaise, and togarashi) at home. We also recently did up spicy hamachi handroll with fresh hamachi...I cut up most of it into sashimi, and then went at some of it with a cleaver to make the spicy handroll filling. It was good. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

At a place with good fish, I much prefer nigiri, and will, once in a great while, get chirashi.

Imitation crab rules

Really, really, really disagree. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Wasabi & soy sauce

No wasabi, unless eating sashimi. The chef is supposed to put the proper amount of wasabi on the nigiri, and at one of the regular places, we trust him to do so. I don't think it's being pretentious to recommend dipping fish side down and then eating it fish side down...it makes a big difference in tasting the fish.

Drinks

I prefer either beer or hot tea. My brother-in-law is a sake snob. Too much beer affects my fish consumption, though.

I would also add:

Favorite fish

I am a big kanpachi fan, and the Masked Man is right: When you get some fresh shiro maguro (albacore) it's right up there with most types of toro!

Damn. Hungry for fish, again...

[traz]

I only eat All-you-can-eat with my friends. It seems to be a more social thing, and since we're young, it's alot more bang for your buck. Also, most of them couldn't tell good sushi from crap sushi anyways. Regularly, with my family or with a select few people, we'll go to a real sushi house and have the good stuff.

I'm a huge fan of unagi when it's done well, pretty much my favorite. I love salmon and toro...mmmm.

I hate ginger/wasabi, and only use soy for my sashimi. Everything else I eat plain. ahhh, I really want sushi now.

[fmxda]

I am a really big fan of sashimi done in the Korean style, served with a sweet, vinegary and definitely spicy sauce.

[NoahSD]

Anyone who's never had albacore or toro,
Try it.

I also like just going to Whole Foods and buying myself a sashimi grade raw tuna steak, cutting it up, and eating it with soy sauce... sometimes just plain. The quality of fish at the Whole Foods near my house is amazing considering it's just a supermarket.

[Howard Treesong]

My favorites in LA are Roku (on Third, just east of the Beverly Center) and Koi (on La Cienega, just north of the Beverly Center). Mrs. Treesong, who hails from Hawai'i and lived in Japan for some years, is convinced that restaurants use slightly older tuna to make spicy tuna rolls because the flavoring can hide imperfect freshness. Because my sense of taste is quite poor, I argue with her on this point for fun, without any basis whatsoever.

Thus far, I have not found a good sushi restaurant in Minneapolis.

[El Diablo]

Howard,

I would not be surprised at all if Mrs. Treesong is absolutely correct about the spicy tuna rolls.

[Howard Treesong]

El D,

Nor would I, but I'll never admit it.

[russellmj]

I'm mostly a mid-tier guy. The main reason is selection. I do AYCE w/ friends, but these places tend not to have things like Ikura (salmon roe) or Albacore. Two of my favorites. I tend to eat more nigiri than rolls.

For those who like the spicy tuna: Upgrade to spicy Yellowtail. You escape the chance of getting the cat food grind Mason mentioned because they'll have to hand chop the yellowtail.

A place I like to get rolls is King's Fish House in Rancho Cucamonga. They do good quality rolls well.

Also, IMO: Ponzu > Soy sauce

[nation]

i've only had sushi a few times and liked it, but let my friends order for me.


this is a really embarrassing question...but what's the difference between nigiri, sashimi, and sushi?

[kidcolin]

Nation,

When people are referring to sushi, they usually mean a sushi roll. Nigiri is sushi where rather than in a roll, the fish lies on a bed of rice. Sashimi is just a cut of fresh, raw fish. The wiki entries for them are pretty informative.

Guys,

I was going to post pics to help nation out, but instead I saw this work of brilliance. It's from a site called sushi-competition.com (I didn't check it out).

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6500/ph1pz7.jpg

[cwsiggy]

It's all about our friend the Mackeral ...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/cwsiggy/sushi_saba.jpg

What do people think about buying the chef a beer as a tip?

Some Manhatten recommendations (besides the obvious Nobu) - Yama and Monster. Not on par with Nobu but still delicious.

[turnipmonster]

ed,
there are tons of places, my current favorite is ushiwakamaru on houston. sasabune is omakase only and supposedly very good, haven't tried it yet but def plan on it.

[PITTM]

guys, here is the question ive always wanted answered.

for me, i can eat like 5 pounds of maguro sashimi. where can i just buy one of those raw tuna strips i can cut up, dip in soy sauce and eat? theres a giant wharf in santa cruz which sells tons of fish, how do i know if what im getting is suitable to eat raw? is there some kind of test for this?

also, mackeral is like the only raw fish i dont like. my underdog favorite sushi meat is octopus.

http://www.sakaesushi.com.sg/images/sashimi-MaguroSashimi.jpg

I WANT SASHIMI NOW! /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[russellmj]

PITTM, if you're buying right off the boat you should be good to go. A simple test for other environments is to lightly press the fish with your finger and it shouldn't leave a dimple.
A general rule for raw fish is: Saltwater, okay. Freshwater, cook.

[Aloysius]

Diablo / OT:

[ QUOTE ]
Standard would be one order shiro maguro (albacore tuna, prob my favorite and often almost as good as the way pricier toro)

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
When you get some fresh shiro maguro (albacore) it's right up there with most types of toro!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is good to know, thanks. Gonna get me a block of shiro maguro next trip to Mitsuwa / fish market.

-Al

[Acein8ter]

You can also try a Chirashi bowl if you like Sushi. Sometimes the chef will make one even when it's not on the menu.

It's basically a bowl of sushi rice with an assortment of fish and seafood on top. It is different at every resturant as it is usually up to the chef regarding what choices are in the bowl.

[cbloom]

Somebody tell me about "Omakase" ; what's the etiquette? What do you usually get?

Also, how do you pronounce sake (salmon) vs. sake (the drink) ?

[M2d]

the AYCE places are pretty sketch. i'm not a huge fan of consuming raw anything that's been sitting on a block in the middle of a restaurant for who knows how long. if you're in vegas, better you should find one of those AYCE made to order places (sushi factory, sushi on tropicana, etc). good quality fish (and the chef will tell you if something's especially good/bad that day), great selection of rolls/nigiri, chef's willing to make special orders and ayce for 24 bucks or so. also, the entire menu's in play (except sashimi, i think), so hot food's good to go as well.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]

This is good to know, thanks. Gonna get me a block of shiro maguro next trip to Mitsuwa / fish market.


[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure why, but they don't have this at the Mitsuwa in Saratoga, CA. Stumped. There are fishing trips where ordinary people can run out of Monterey and, at times, Half Moon Bay, where you can catch albacore, but they don't appear to sell it at Mitsuwa. Not sure if it's a seasonal thing or what...

[FUJItheFISH]

[ QUOTE ]
It's all about our friend the Mackeral ...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/cwsiggy/sushi_saba.jpg

What do people think about buying the chef a beer as a tip?

Some Manhatten recommendations (besides the obvious Nobu) - Yama and Monster. Not on par with Nobu but still delicious.

[/ QUOTE ]

man mackarel is nasty. do you eat rats too? mackarel is the rat of the sea STAY AWAY.

[2461Badugi]

Diablo:

[ QUOTE ]
Have you been to Sushi Ran in Sausalito? If so, how would you compare the two places? Sushi Ran is pretty damn good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sushi Ran is pretty good, but I prefer Fukusuke, which is (or at least was) just down the street from it.

Treesong:

[ QUOTE ]
Thus far, I have not found a good sushi restaurant in Minneapolis.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's because there isn't one, really. Fuji-ya in Uptown is acceptable. Ichiban on Nicollet has its moments but is high variance (and is primarily kind of a sorry teppanyaki place). For sushi in the twin cities you really want Sakura in downtown St. Paul.

[GuyOnTilt]

I have very little experience eating at all-you-can-eat sushi joints, mostly because the concept weirds me out a bit. The idea makes me feel like I'm not getting very good quality fish, which may not be true for every buffet-style sushi restaurant, but from my limited experience it has been and I'm now very reluctant to go to these type of places. Same with the conveyer belt model. I'm willing to admit that at least part of my experience at these places might be due to preconceived notions, but even so, sushi is just one of those things that I don't really want to go cheap on I guess.

This has already been mentioned, but I think it deserves repeating:

Do not dip your sushi into your soy rice-side-down. I used to do this because I never thought to do it any other way, but once I changed technique it made a WORLD of difference to my sushi experience.

Step 1 : Turn sushi sideways and pick up with chopsticks, one stick on the fish side, one on the rice side.

Step 2 : Dip into soy holding dish thingie, letting only the fish touch the soy and not any of the rice. The reason I guess is that sushi rice is already cooked to be perfectly complimentary to the fish flavour with the ideal amount of vinegar and messing this up is bad. I have no clue on the details; that's just what I heard, but it does make a not insignificant difference in the taste to me from my old way of dipping the rice.

Step 3 : Insert sushi into mouth making sure the fish is the first thing to touch your tongue. You don't want your pallette overwhelmed with soy-soaked rice.

Step 4 : Yum.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
All,

Hot sake? No. Gross.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't mind warm sake, because it makes me feel all warm on the way down. I don't know much about sake at all, but I've noticed a difference between normal sake that places just heat up to make warm and wake that is designed to be warm and is only served that way. I don't know if that's more indicative of the quality of the particular sake I've happened to have those times or because it was made to specifically be served warm though.

These days I almost always order cold unfiltered with dinner, but still get warm with lunch lots of time.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]


I should mention that sushi snobs (also the type who look down at people who use chopsticks, since many like to just use fingers) are often insufferable and I hope they don't permeate this thread too much. I'm just a guy who likes to go eat some sushi.

[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe you should make a steak thread for A1 lovers too. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Semi-joking of course, but really, you seem like a guy with good tastes and sushi is something worth getting into and learning about. I don't know a lot myself, but talking with people who do has improved my sushi-eating experience a lot.

PS. I love me some sushi.

[El Diablo]

GoT,

Unfiltered is sorta gross too. Try some delicious cold filtered sakes next time.

Regarding the rice/soy, I think the main issue is just that the rice so quickly soaks up a large amount of liquid.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
GoT,

Unfiltered is sorta gross too. Try some delicious cold filtered sakes next time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've had a handful of cold "normal" sakes and have enjoyed them, but I really have a soft spot for unfiltered. At lunch I get cold filtered if I'm not craving that warm fuzzy feeling of warm sake, but at dinners it's usually unfiltered if they offer it.



[ QUOTE ]
Regarding the rice/soy, I think the main issue is just that the rice so quickly soaks up a large amount of liquid.

[/ QUOTE ]
You mean this is a good thing or a bad thing?

[bottomset]

[ QUOTE ]



[ QUOTE ]
Regarding the rice/soy, I think the main issue is just that the rice so quickly soaks up a large amount of liquid.

[/ QUOTE ]
You mean this is a good thing or a bad thing?

[/ QUOTE ]

bad thing

[El Diablo]

GoT,

Do your friends make drinking semen jokes? Those never stop being funny! Anyway, I prefer the cleaner, crisper taste of filtered, but yeah nothing wrong w/ unfiltered. I've been to a couple of places that make some pretty tasty fruity cocktails w/ unfiltered sake.

And as bottomset said, bad thing.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]

GoT,

Do your friends make drinking semen jokes? Those never stop being funny!

[/ QUOTE ]
Not about me drinking unfiltered sake, no.

[ QUOTE ]

And as bottomset said, bad thing.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that's a big part of it I gather. The reason being because the rice they use for sushi is already ideally balanced with vinegar (and maybe something else too?) to go perfect with the fish and adding any soy makes it way more bitter than you want. Someone told me once that some of the more touristy sushi joints in Japan have started making their sushi rice stiffer and with a different flavour to compensate for their overseas customers dipping the wrong side in soy.

[P Chippa]

I have a sushi comment/question. As a sushi rookie I too started on the grocery store packages. At the store where I buy it there is a person making sushi upon request while he stocks the cooler with misc. packages of a variety of items.

I've gone to a few sushi houses since becoming a fan, and one thing I really dislike is the temperature of the dish in the sushi house. I know that in the store the container has been sitting in the cooler for at least a few hours, but at the restaurant, the rice is warm/room temperature. This is not appealing to me. I still chow it down, and the flavors are good, but does anyone else share the dislike of the non chilled sushi? Is this just a noob thing or personal wierdness? FWIW, I also steer clear of most of the tempura selections for this reason.


Here's a pic of my grocery store prepackaged goods.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5210/sushicc6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[NoahSD]

It's hard to tell.. but that fish really doesn't look very fresh, even for supermarket sushi.

[P Chippa]

[ QUOTE ]
It's hard to tell.. but that fish really doesn't look very fresh, even for supermarket sushi.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think my cell cam doesn't do it justice. It looks & tastes really good IRL, and there are no signs of funk.

[pocketjesuits]

I eat sushi almost every day. So far my favourite place in NYC is Sushi Seki on 1st & 63rd. The omakase is simply brilliant.

If I have my choice I will eat almost exclusively nigiri. Favourite pieces are salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, and toro.

[Los Feliz Slim]

[ QUOTE ]

This is good to know, thanks. Gonna get me a block of shiro maguro next trip to Mitsuwa / fish market.

[/ QUOTE ]

Al,

Next time you are headed to this mythical place where I can buy sashimi-quality fish to prepare at home, please call me. Do they allow a big whitey like me to shop there? I will also need some lessons on preparing sushi at home (although you said you prefer sashimi, which is pretty easy). I've always been slightly frightened by the idea of preparing raw fish at home, but if the quality is high this could be an exciting turn in the cooking life of me.

LFS

[Kneel B4 Zod]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always been slightly frightened by the idea of preparing raw fish at home, but if the quality is high this could be an exciting turn in the cooking life of me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I only did it once, with subpar results. I had gone to a neighborhood fish market (this is in the North End, lfs) a couple days in a row, and each day they told me that no new tuna had come in. the third day, some had come in that morning, so I bought 1/2 pound or so. I knew it was fresh, so I felt good about that.

I also bought some sushi rice, and walked all the way over to Savenors in Beacon Hill to get real wasabi.

but I didn't have anything to make rolls, and I had no other fish or sides, so my sushi meal was a hunk of raw tuna, some rice, and soy/wasabi. Less than stellar.

(this is a common fault of mine. like when I grill, I often will just buy a big steak, and perhaps some corn or tomatoes, and voila there is my meal.)

so I had all this tuna, and it was fresh and delicious, but I ended up eating too much of it and feeling sick.

cliff notes: buy small amounts of a few different fishes. get some sides, I'd imagine edamame is pretty easy to make. get some contraption that will help you make rolls, and get ingredients for those rolls.

or, just go out, it's, easier that way /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[punkass]

[ QUOTE ]
so I had all this tuna, and it was fresh and delicious, but I ended up eating too much of it

[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds like an awesome meal to me.

[NoahSD]

Not sure if this is appropriate in this forum, but this thread is making me really want some good sushi. I'm in London in the Bloomsbury area. Anyone know of anything good that's less than 50 quid per person?

[RichC.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]



[ QUOTE ]
Regarding the rice/soy, I think the main issue is just that the rice so quickly soaks up a large amount of liquid.

[/ QUOTE ]
You mean this is a good thing or a bad thing?

[/ QUOTE ]

bad thing

[/ QUOTE ]


All,

Not sure if this was covered, but, you are not actually supposed to put the rice into the soy. You should be dipping the fish piece in there. Basically, flip it, then dip it and enjoy, repeat. To each his own of course, but, that is what I learned while living in Japan.

[AquaSwing]

First time I had sushi I was with a seasoned pro and his hangout. He did omakase and four of us got a plate with about 80 pieces of nigri. It was the most awful crap ever.

Fast forward a couple months and we're at a conference in Salt Lake City. I was with the other two people who were at that first experience and not the pro. They both got excited about sushi and I displayed my reservations. They sat me down and held my hand through the tame stuff- california roll, salmon and avocado roll, spicy tuna roll. Wow. What a difference. Over the following months they eased me into nigri and eventually I was looking forward to the salmon roe with the quail egg. Yum.

That was 12 years ago!

A couple years ago I befriended an total sushi nut who lived in an apartment building with a sushi place with a crazy chef on the first floor. He ate there almost every day so they bonded rather quickly and that lead to the craziest sushi night I've ever had. Three of us plopped $100 on the sushi bar and for the next four hours all of us, including the chef, proceeded to get completely wasted and ate everything he gave us. many different types of tuna, a long piece of eel that was draped over three pieces of rice, sweet shrimp with the deep fried shrimp head, monkfish liver, etc. As the night wore on we learned of the sushi chef's total disdain for making rolls. Every time an order with just rolls came in he would wave his knife at the patrons and yell some incoherent japanese words in disgust.

The wife and I have been getting take out from a local place every weekend and this $80 pop each week is killing us!

[Chimp]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

This is good to know, thanks. Gonna get me a block of shiro maguro next trip to Mitsuwa / fish market.

[/ QUOTE ]

Al,

Next time you are headed to this mythical place where I can buy sashimi-quality fish to prepare at home, please call me. Do they allow a big whitey like me to shop there? I will also need some lessons on preparing sushi at home (although you said you prefer sashimi, which is pretty easy). I've always been slightly frightened by the idea of preparing raw fish at home, but if the quality is high this could be an exciting turn in the cooking life of me.

LFS

[/ QUOTE ]

LFS,

Mitsuwa market downtown (3d and Alameda) has phenomenal fish. I bought a box of uni and some chu-toro for my fiance's birthday meal last weekend...it was as good as any I've had at SushiGo55 or Echigo. Really fresh stuff. The key there is that the store has such a high turnover in their fish dept that it's easy to find great quality stuff.

As for preparing sushi at home...make the rice, make the vinegar, slice the fish. It's easy, man! Let me know if you need some recipes for the rice and vinegar....

[Insp. Clue!So?]

This video should address some of the concerns of you sushi newbies:

http://www.jumpingpixels.com/sushibehavior.html

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]

I've gone to a few sushi houses since becoming a fan, and one thing I really dislike is the temperature of the dish in the sushi house.

[/ QUOTE ]

Chippa, you might be going to bad places. One of the key elements to top nigiri is getting the temperature right. The rice should be room temperature, not warm, and the fish should still be slightly chilled. This is why the sushi chef has to act fast and touch the fish as little as possible. When it's served you should eat it quickly, not let it sit around.

One of my pet peaves is sushi places that will bring all your nigiri orders to the table at the same time. I'd much rather have them brought little by little as the sushi chef makes them.

Also this is why in Japan they think women can't make good sushi - supposedly their hands are too warm.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I've gone to a few sushi houses since becoming a fan, and one thing I really dislike is the temperature of the dish in the sushi house.

[/ QUOTE ]

Chippa, you might be going to bad places. One of the key elements to top nigiri is getting the temperature right. The rice should be room temperature, not warm, and the fish should still be slightly chilled. This is why the sushi chef has to act fast and touch the fish as little as possible. When it's served you should eat it quickly, not let it sit around.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think the rice temperature is a part of a specific style in some cases, though. The Nozawa -> Sasabune -> Echigo protege "chain" all serve warm rice. I've only been to Echigo, but it was very good.

[Insp. Clue!So?]

[ QUOTE ]
One resource people may find helpful is chowhound.com (http://www.chowhound.com/). They've done well by me as far as recommendations both locally (LA) and in most any other major city. Even if you're not looking for local restaurants, you may find interesting content.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, chowhound.com is a great resource. I post over there as broncosaurus sometimes.

I think the difference between stuff like Cali rolls and nigiri is pretty much night and day...you're practically eating two different foodstuffs, like chicken McNuggets vs. Chicken Marsala. A california roll is sorta crunchy and maybe a bit tasty, perhaps a good way to be introduced to "sushi". But a nice piece of fatty tuna on some rice can be pure heaven on the tongue.

Caveat: never have sushi on a Monday (due to fresh fish delivery issues)

In LA I like Sushi-Go 55, Sushi Gen, Echigo (great lunch special for $12). Someday I'll spring for Urasawa at $200 a head for Omakase I guess, but I'm not in a hurry.

(Omakase is where the chef picks what HE wants to serve you, judging from the finest cuts he has in front of him at the moment. You can burn through $100 very easily at the higher joints but you'll get a lot of fish and other things perhaps).

For store-bough sushi, it's mostly bland or overly-sugared I've found, but if you go to one of the Mitsawa Japanese supermakets you'll find some very good deals and fresh rolls and nigiri boxes. These are already pretty cheap and they discount the remaining ones in the evenings.

Favorites:

eel
tuna
salmon
shrimp

all nigiri

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always been slightly frightened by the idea of preparing raw fish at home, but if the quality is high this could be an exciting turn in the cooking life of me.


[/ QUOTE ]

cooking without cooking. LFS will be the Bruce Leroy of the culinary world.

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]

I've gone to a few sushi houses since becoming a fan, and one thing I really dislike is the temperature of the dish in the sushi house. I know that in the store the container has been sitting in the cooler for at least a few hours, but at the restaurant, the rice is warm/room temperature. This is not appealing to me. I still chow it down, and the flavors are good, but does anyone else share the dislike of the non chilled sushi? Is this just a noob thing or personal wierdness?

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably a little of both. Sushi rice should not be piping hot, but by no means should it be chilled. Chilling it hardens the rice, and also kills its flavor.
[ QUOTE ]

FWIW, I also steer clear of most of the tempura selections for this reason.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wait, you don't eat tempura because it's hot? That's just weird. Tempura should be eaten as soon as it comes out of the fryer as the more time that passes, the soggier it gets (that probably goes for all things breaded and fried). Tempura should be piping hot and the breading should still be crispy and eaten having been dipped in the sauce provided.

[Aloysius]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

This is good to know, thanks. Gonna get me a block of shiro maguro next trip to Mitsuwa / fish market.

[/ QUOTE ]

Al,

Next time you are headed to this mythical place where I can buy sashimi-quality fish to prepare at home, please call me. Do they allow a big whitey like me to shop there? I will also need some lessons on preparing sushi at home (although you said you prefer sashimi, which is pretty easy). I've always been slightly frightened by the idea of preparing raw fish at home, but if the quality is high this could be an exciting turn in the cooking life of me.

LFS

[/ QUOTE ]

Let's do it. I just got a new Shun Santoku, and while it's not a sashimi knife, it is extremely sharp and I want to cut some raw fish with it!

I have actually seen some white people at the Mitsuwa downtown, but to be safe make sure to bring dark sunglasses (uh and something to make you look less tall).

-Al

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]

also, never leave your chopsticks sticking in any food (this is only done for diseased) NOR hand food chopstick to chopstick between people.

[/ QUOTE ]

DECEASED, my friend, not diseased (although the deceased could be diseased, in which case...play on). Both of these actions (chopsticks standing up in rice, and passing food to another person chopstick to chopstick) should only be done at funeral gatherings.

[cbloom]

I've also heard you should use the back-end of the chopsticks for picking things up from communal platters. ?

[BWebb]

El D,

That list is awesome and will come in very handy. I have been to Mas Sake but not to eat. It was a weekend night, very crowded but an absolute ton of hot chicks throughout. Ace Wasabi has been recommended to me but I haven't been there yet. I have been to two places in Cow Hollow (Skipjack Sushi on Union and Osome on Filmore). Both places were okay but nothing spectacular. Your list will keep me busy over the next few weeks. I'll throw a trip report together afterwards.

[punkass]

[ QUOTE ]
I've also heard you should use the back-end of the chopsticks for picking things up from communal platters. ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard this as well.
Don't dip rice in soy sauce.
Don't use the wasabi on the plate.
Don't put the wasabi in the soy sauce.
You can use your fingers to eat sushi.

These are all things I've learn from Alton Brown on Good Eats.

[kokiri]

[ QUOTE ]
I've also heard you should use the back-end of the chopsticks for picking things up from communal platters. ?

[/ QUOTE ]

yup it's the proper way to do it, but probably a little formal i.e. might get you laughed at if you do it with Japanese friends.

There are lots more anal chopstick rules, pretty much none of which should really be given a second thought.

Top 3 Sushi standards:

#1 Hotate (Scallops?)
#2 Squid (if good, taste like chewy soap if not)
#3 Tuna

The fish market, Tsukiji, is a top Tokyo tourist site, although it involves getting up pretty early in the morning to catch the action. In a Tokyo sushi restaurant a large part of what you're paying for is the chef's ability to pick the best fish on offer that day, so the number one best thing to do in a Sushi restaurant is to ask for the 'o-susume', or chef's recommendation. For this reason, Chirashi-sushi, a bowl of sushi rice with fish piled on top is best, imo, as you get a plate full of the chef's best pick.

Other meats you can get sashimi-style in tokyo: Horse and Chicken, both of which are pretty good...

[KJS]

There is a good place right next to Tottenham Court Rd tube. Entrance is down the stairs practically next to the tube entrance. I forget the name. It seemed pretty popular though, shouldn't be hard to find someone who knows it.

I also liked Asukusa in Mornington Cresent, if you are ever in that area. There were some mid-range places in Chinatown that were pretty good for the price too.

KJS

[DrNo888]

Can someone recommend a place in South Bay with omakase?

[P Chippa]

Cbloom - Since the store bought is my original point of reference, I've been uncertain of the way the temp is supposed to be. I like the chilled through better but I may grow into traditional style with experience. Nigiri isn't too bad with this IMO because the cold and room temp is very separate. (like a bonehead I instantly think of the McDLT, hot side & the hot cool side.....yada yada)

Tik - I love tempura, but my "the sushi should be cold" thing makes tempura rolls somewhat a turnoff to me. I've never ordered it for myself, but have tried it off a communal plate with friends. The firmness of the rice doesn't bother me at all. Does the flavor of the rice really vary that much between hot and cold?

I think part of my liking the cold better is the firmness of the raw fish when it's cold versus the "mushyness" of it when it turns less cold from being in contact with the rice.

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]
I love tempura, but my "the sushi should be cold" thing makes tempura rolls somewhat a turnoff to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, I thought you were referring to tempura in general, not tempura rolls.

[ QUOTE ]
The firmness of the rice doesn't bother me at all. Does the flavor of the rice really vary that much between hot and cold?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just as higher temperatures act to enhance flavors, cold tends to mute them. Sushi rice is generally flavored with vinegar, salt and sugar (mixtures vary depending on sushi chef), much of this flavor is lost when the rice is chilled.

[ QUOTE ]

I think part of my liking the cold better is the firmness of the raw fish when it's cold versus the "mushyness" of it when it turns less cold from being in contact with the rice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fresh fish shoud not be mushy. I think that could just be the quality of fish that is used in the sushi you've had. Fish used in sushi is usually stored in countertop refrigerators until the moment of preparation, and the rice should be cooled to body-temperatureish. Granted when refrigerated, fish is firmer than without refrigeration, it should by no means be mushy.

[Oranzith]

If you live in the Bay Area, please go try Akane in Los Altos. Easily some of the best sushi in the country. Eat at the Sushi Bar. Owner is credited for "creating" the Dragon Roll so popularized around the country.

Other opinions ?

[Oranzith]

[ QUOTE ]
Diablo,

Kaygetsu in Menlo Park is the best sushi in the Bay Area. Trust me. Unfortunately, it's been discovered and now you need reservations 2 weeks+ in advance. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sushi Groove South is fun and good, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kaygetsu is less than a mile from the house. The owner ran a restaurant on El Camino a few years ago, and started this new restaurant at Sharon. It is too expensive for the quality, and frankly, his chef's cuts of fish are sub-par. The quality of fish no doubt is top tier, but being a sushi chef is its own art, and frankly their cuts alter the texture of the fish IMO for the worse.

Akane in Los Altos, try them in the same week and get back to us. Divine? Have some of their toro

[glengarry]

Good lists for LA. Nozawa and Sasabune are my faves. A great date place if you're in the area is Azami on Melrose -- sushi is very good, but more importantly it's run by chick sushi chefs, and the women do dig that.

Jonathan Gold, for my $ one of the great food writers, wrote an LA sushi column 2 yrs ago:

http://www.laweekly.com/eat+drink/dining/raw-power/506/

I don't agree with all he wrote but worth reading, as are all his pieces if you live in LA. On chowhound, Gold posts as 'Condiment'. Kiriko on Sawtelle/Olympic has excellent fish but too often it's very very slow.

[2461Badugi]

[ QUOTE ]
#2 Squid (if good, taste like chewy soap if not)


[/ QUOTE ]

Thus the bane of my existence. It's far too difficult to find quality ika. It's almost as if there's some (extremely popular) school of sushi chefs who actually think it should be dull and mealy.

[Chimp]

[ QUOTE ]

I think the rice temperature is a part of a specific style in some cases, though. The Nozawa -> Sasabune -> Echigo protege "chain" all serve warm rice. I've only been to Echigo, but it was very good.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've wondered this too. I'd never had warm rice before Sasabune and Echigo, but I love it now. Does anyone know if it's a school or regional thing?

[Six_of_One]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I think the rice temperature is a part of a specific style in some cases, though. The Nozawa -> Sasabune -> Echigo protege "chain" all serve warm rice. I've only been to Echigo, but it was very good.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've wondered this too. I'd never had warm rice before Sasabune and Echigo, but I love it now. Does anyone know if it's a school or regional thing?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it is a style that is popular in a certain part of Japan (Kyoto, if I remember correctly), but not Tokyo. Personally, once I tried the warm rice style used at Sasabune, Echigo, Nozawa, and Urasawa, there was no going back.

[PITTM]

i just called stagnaro brothers, who own a few boats and have a fresh fish market on the end of the santa cruz wharf. he says that all of their fish is safe to eat raw and the tuna is like 16.95 a pound. ill probably stop by and pick some up on the way home tonight. yum yum chow meow.

[NoahSD]

[ QUOTE ]
There is a good place right next to Tottenham Court Rd tube. Entrance is down the stairs practically next to the tube entrance. I forget the name. It seemed pretty popular though, shouldn't be hard to find someone who knows it.

I also liked Asukusa in Mornington Cresent, if you are ever in that area. There were some mid-range places in Chinatown that were pretty good for the price too.

KJS

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks.. I'll check that out this weekend or so.

Ended up going to Miyama tonight (http://www.london-eating.co.uk/1983.htm). Was 85 quid for two people, and the fish was definitely the best I've had. Definitely gets my recommendation.

[M2d]

what kind of tuna are they getting out of santa cruz now? i know the boats out of san diego get down to baja and pick up bluefin and yellowfin, but I thought the tuna up here was all albies.

[Bodhisattva]

[ QUOTE ]
guys, here is the question ive always wanted answered.

for me, i can eat like 5 pounds of maguro sashimi. where can i just buy one of those raw tuna strips i can cut up, dip in soy sauce and eat? theres a giant wharf in santa cruz which sells tons of fish, how do i know if what im getting is suitable to eat raw? is there some kind of test for this?

also, mackeral is like the only raw fish i dont like. my underdog favorite sushi meat is octopus.





[/ QUOTE ]

Does anybody have an answer for this? I've thought of this same idea every time I eat sushi. I also agree on the mackeral, excessively fishy and unpleasant texture.

[Duck Rabbit]

It seems like everyone is saying that you are not supposed to dip the sushi into the soy sauce rice first. But how is this possible with rolls? You can't really dip just the fish in the sauce.

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems like everyone is saying that you are not supposed to dip the sushi into the soy sauce rice first. But how is this possible with rolls? You can't really dip just the fish in the sauce.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not dipping it rice first is with regards to nigiri-zushi. With rolls, it cannot be helped. Just dip one end briefly. Don't let it soak. You don't want the soy sauce to overpower the taste of the sushi.

[NorCalJosh]

As someone who used to have a deep loathing in his heart for all seafood and is just now coming to the point where i've been willing to try cooked seafood, is there any reason that i should even bother trying sushi? ive been meaning to do so, but if it will just be a waste of time and money and im sure to hate it, i guess theres no point.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
As someone who used to have a deep loathing in his heart for all seafood and is just now coming to the point where i've been willing to try cooked seafood, is there any reason that i should even bother trying sushi? ive been meaning to do so, but if it will just be a waste of time and money and im sure to hate it, i guess theres no point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you like Japanese food at all? If so, find a well-regarded restaurant that has a sushi bar, and just try a couple of pieces before you get your cooked dish. If you don't like it, you'll be out $6-8, and you can still enjoy your meal.

[PITTM]

i cant stand cooked fish but sushi is one of my favorite things ever to eat. whenever i was little my friends family was ALWAYS having grilled salmon for dinner since we live like a mile from the ocean, but i hated it. now i could sit and eat raw salmon for hours.

[RichC.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
As someone who used to have a deep loathing in his heart for all seafood and is just now coming to the point where i've been willing to try cooked seafood, is there any reason that i should even bother trying sushi? ive been meaning to do so, but if it will just be a waste of time and money and im sure to hate it, i guess theres no point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you like Japanese food at all? If so, find a well-regarded restaurant that has a sushi bar, and just try a couple of pieces before you get your cooked dish. If you don't like it, you'll be out $6-8, and you can still enjoy your meal.

[/ QUOTE ]

Best way to start IMO.

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]
As someone who used to have a deep loathing in his heart for all seafood and is just now coming to the point where i've been willing to try cooked seafood, is there any reason that i should even bother trying sushi? ive been meaning to do so, but if it will just be a waste of time and money and im sure to hate it, i guess theres no point.

[/ QUOTE ]

As a first experience, I would recommend making sure the place you go to serves very fresh fish, as I wouldn't want it to ruin sushi for you for the rest of your life. Start with the less fishy-tasting fishes (tuna, and the white-fleshed fish) until you get used to the taste and consistency.

What was the reason for your deep loathing? Consistency? Taste? Bad experience as a kid?

[NorCalJosh]

honestly i'm not sure, but i suppose i'd probably be more willing to try it in that setting. i suppose it's kind of ironic, but back in high school i dated a japanese girl who's dad imported or purchased or did some crap with high end fresh fish.

does anyone have any recommendations of decent japanese restaurants that might have a sushi sampler type thing in the bay area?

alternatively, would that be a bad introduction to sushi and put me off good?

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]

does anyone have any recommendations of decent japanese restaurants that might have a sushi sampler type thing in the bay area?

alternatively, would that be a bad introduction to sushi and put me off good?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are definitely things that could come on a sampler that would seem disgusting to a person who doesn't like fish, uni (sea urchin) for one. I would go with offTopic's suggestion of trying a couple of pieces before ordering a bigger cooked dish.

[NorCalJosh]

i think my loathing started because we would often go fishing and catch trout and cook it up. it was extremely... eh. gross. very heavy with what i've come to identify as a fishy taste. it kind of put me off all seafood in general. in the past couple months i've eaten halibut, salmon, sole, shrimp, crab, lobster, calimari (of course fried, so i'm pretty sure that doesnt count for much), and was able to stomache all of them. i didnt particularly fall in love with any of them however... i preferred the fish to the shellfish

[KJS]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There is a good place right next to Tottenham Court Rd tube. Entrance is down the stairs practically next to the tube entrance. I forget the name. It seemed pretty popular though, shouldn't be hard to find someone who knows it.

I also liked Asukusa in Mornington Cresent, if you are ever in that area. There were some mid-range places in Chinatown that were pretty good for the price too.

KJS

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks.. I'll check that out this weekend or so.

Ended up going to Miyama tonight (http://www.london-eating.co.uk/1983.htm). Was 85 quid for two people, and the fish was definitely the best I've had. Definitely gets my recommendation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Might be hard to beat in terms of quality. But the places I mentioned are quite a bit less expensive.

KJS

[El Diablo]

NCJ,

Most sushi places will have plenty of cooked food - some chicken/beef teriyaki, some tempura, dumplings, other apps. Some will have a bunch of full-on hot entrees or cooked meal combos. Go with some friends who eat sushi and make a meal out of that stuff. Then try a piece of some of the following to see what you think, these are some decent things to help break you in:

Spider roll: Fried soft-shell crab roll
Spicy tuna roll: Tuna w/ spicy sauce
Some sort of spicy/crunch roll - or any other fish roll that involves some tempura or frying
Unagi nigiri (nigiri = piece of fish on rice): BBQ'd eel
sake nigiri - salmon
shiro maguro nigiri - albacore tuna

After trying some of this stuff, you'll have a better idea of whether or not you're interested in trying out sushi now or maybe waiting on it a while.

[bottomset]

[ QUOTE ]
i cant stand cooked fish but sushi is one of my favorite things ever to eat. whenever i was little my friends family was ALWAYS having grilled salmon for dinner since we live like a mile from the ocean, but i hated it. now i could sit and eat raw salmon for hours.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd rather have raw salmon, but IMO salmon is great cooked

[punkass]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd rather have raw salmon, but IMO salmon is great cooked

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Many times I get some salmon nigiri, salmon sashimi, and a salmon roll of some kind. Man I love salmon.

[PrimogenitoX]

Great AYCE place in Dallas is Tokyo One. $30 dinner with excellent quality. I eat there 2-3 times a week.

[TheFaucet]

White people have no idea how to make sushi. Go to Japan if you want to eat good sushi, over there they actually train their sushi chefs.

[PITTM]

right. i was just thinking. man, in the little free time i have i wish i had better sushi. a little jaunt over to japan wouldnt be too expensive/time consuming.

[DrNo888]

PITTM & Offtopic,

Any recommendations for places that does omasake in South Bay?

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
PITTM & Offtopic,

Any recommendations for places that does omasake in South Bay?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know of any place that does omakase around the SJ area. In fact, the sushi down here is pretty weak, IMO.

There's a Blowfish in Santana Row, but my wife and I did not have a particularly good experience the two times we went there - the food wasn't bad, but the server was pretty clueless, they were out of a couple of menu items, and we really don't like the atmosphere all that much.

The places I would feel comfortable recommending that are close to SJ are Sushitomi on Dana St. in Mountain View and Yuki on Driscoll in Fremont. (Sushitomi is better than Yuki, again, IMO.)

Note that I haven't been to Akane (Los Altos) and Kaygetsu (Menlo Park) which were mentioned earlier in this thread, so this is not in any way discounting those restaurants.

Oh, and the best place in SF is Ariake on Geary. The rest of these guys are all nuts. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[PITTM]

no omasake recommendations from me either, never been. ive heard horrid things about blowfish in sj. i can second the sushi tomi recommendation though. ive been there three times now, all were delicious, at lunchtime there is a line out the door and they have toro and kobe beef as meats. i got the kobe beef nigiri the first time and it was really good. I hate when places put wasabi in their nigiri and this place does, just ask for some without it. Now when i go i get their sashimi lunch, which is a ton of maguro, salmon, octopus, some whitefish and something else with miso soup and rice for like 13 bucks, great deal imo.

[miajag]

[ QUOTE ]
right. i was just thinking. man, in the little free time i have i wish i had better sushi. a little jaunt over to japan wouldnt be too expensive/time consuming.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if there's a Japanese message board somewhere with guys saying stuff like, "Asians have no idea how to make cheeseburgers. If you want a halfway-decent burger you have to go to the US. If you actually like the burgers over here, you should seriously consider committing seppuku."

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
right. i was just thinking. man, in the little free time i have i wish i had better sushi. a little jaunt over to japan wouldnt be too expensive/time consuming.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if there's a Japanese message board somewhere with guys saying stuff like, "Asians have no idea how to make cheeseburgers. If you want a halfway-decent burger you have to go to the US. If you actually like the burgers over here, you should seriously consider committing seppuku."

[/ QUOTE ]

I was about to open a line of discussion about BBQ places in the SF Bay Area in that thread, but the specter of JTB and "BBQ outside of Texas is a waste of time..." is looming over me... /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[DrNo888]

Thanks.

I actually live right next to Santana Row and know about Blowfish. From what I've read, it's more of an atmosphere place for X-gens. We are looking for more authentic places I guess.

I've heard good things about Sushitomi and Tomisushi (next to Mitsuwa on Saratoga.) We'll probably try Tomisushi this weekend since it's closer to where we live. Hope to remember to bring a camera for a trip report. The week after, maybe Akane.

[pocketjesuits]

On my trip to AC this weekend I finally got my girlfriend to appreciate sushi. I had to stick to cooked fish, but she now has a few standard pieces she loves (shrimp & crab stick nigiri, tempura rolls, etc.)

This is awesome, as I have to eat sushi at least for times a week and she's gonna be living with me in april.


The sushi place at the top of Caesar's new pier is pretty good, although it was definitely the worst I've ever been served at a sushi restaurant. I left something like 11%. Rest of the staff was nice, but waitress was terrible.

[mason55]

Took a sushi virgin to A'Float Sushi in Pasadena last night. It was nicer than the other conveyor belt sushi restaurants I've been to (both in food and ambiance), such as East Sushi in NYC. Would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants conveyor belt sushi, or just wants sushi without dealing with the hassles of Sushi Roku.

[firstyearclay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For someone who's only experience with sushi has been some low-quality supermarket sushi that he didn't like at all, what kinds of things would people recommend as a gateway dish to the world of sushi?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was once like you.

The gateway for most people is the california roll. Its only fish content is imitation crab, which is just alaskan pollock. It tastes good and is buffered in the roll by the cucumber, avocado, and rice. At any reasonably well-reviewed sushi restaurant, it will be a fine dish.

The next dish people graduate to after the california roll is the spicy tuna roll. Just give it a shot, if the restaurant is any good you won't be disappointed.

Novices also like edamame as an appetizer (soybeans) and you usually can't go wrong there either.

If you're then feeling adventurous but still want something that isn't gross, try unagi (eel). It comes with a sweet syrupy eel sauce that is quite delicious. And the eel is warm, so it doesn't taste as raw as other sushi cuts.

[/ QUOTE ]

PJ,

This is EXACTLY how I started. After a few years of trying aebelone (spelling???) and Sea Urchin (BLECH!) I just cant get past the simplicity and overall heaven-ness of Ahi-Sashimi. I believe it is Tekka Maki (this may be a roll name though)

FYC

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
I believe it is Tekka Maki (this may be a roll name though)

[/ QUOTE ]
If it has "maki" in it, it's gonna be a roll. Tekkamaki is a thin-cut (hosomaki) tuna roll.

[AllinDan]

PITTM: new leaf market in SC has fantastic sashimi tuna. Over the summer I was living in santa cruz and went there every couple days for a pound or so that I kept around for snacks. Let me know how the fish is from the wharf.

Another good sushi place in the bay area is Sushi House in alameda. It's much bigger than most sushi places I go to but they have an amazing assortment of rolls and excellent quality sashimi. Expect to wait 1 hour+ if you come btw 6-8 pretty much any day of the week, any other time is fine.

Tonight I went out for sushi at a new place and sat at the bar as usual and talked with the chefs a bit, but they gave me a bunch of extra dishes in addition to my sashimi dinner. Some kind of deep fried fish, some deep fried salmon skin, and a few other things I was totally unfamiliar with. They just prepared a little extra of whatever they were making for other tables- I'll definitely be going back to this place.

[Duck Rabbit]

Do people really eat sashimi with their hands?

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
Do people really eat sashimi with their hands?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never seen this in a restaurant. Bear Grylls did it during the Alaska episode.

Unless I missed it, the references in this thread are to eating nigiri with your hands.

[El Diablo]

oT,

"I don't know of any place that does omakase"

At many places that don't have set price offical omakases on the menu, if you sit at the sushi bar you can have the sushi chefs just hook you up, either giving them price guidance or not.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
oT,

"I don't know of any place that does omakase"

At many places that don't have set price offical omakases on the menu, if you sit at the sushi bar you can have the sushi chefs just hook you up, either giving them price guidance or not.

[/ QUOTE ]

I may have to give that a shot, though still not in SJ.

All,

Our place in SF has an item called "Firecracker". This is probably a pretty ubiquitous name, so here, it's a shiso (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla) leaf topped with chopped tuna, spicy mayonnaise and topped with a little bit of tobiko and seaweed salad. If your local has something like this, I highly recommend it as an entry dish.

I've even started making these at home...they're fun and very tasty!

[DrNo888]

[ QUOTE ]

Tonight I went out for sushi at a new place and sat at the bar as usual and talked with the chefs a bit, but they gave me a bunch of extra dishes in addition to my sashimi dinner. Some kind of deep fried fish, some deep fried salmon skin, and a few other things I was totally unfamiliar with. They just prepared a little extra of whatever they were making for other tables- I'll definitely be going back to this place.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to do this at Midori's on El Camino in Sunnyvale. The chef would tell the waitress to bring us all kinds of freebies. Even beer! Too bad he moved to LA. Or maybe he got fired for giving away all the free food. I've only been back once since he left and they have amateurs making sushi now.

[Insp. Clue!So?]

[ QUOTE ]

This video should address some of the concerns of you sushi newbies:

http://www.jumpingpixels.com/sushibehavior.html

[/ QUOTE ]

This was a satire, btw. Well, I thought it was funny anyway.

[Los Feliz Slim]

Based on the suggestions in this thread, this evening the wife and I tried SusgiGo55. Safely among the best sushi I've ever had, if not the best. We had salmon, mackeral, wild salmon, snapper, unagi, broiled eggplant, and albacore. Everything was kickass (especially the salmon). Saw them prepare spicy tuna, looking forward to having that, scallop, toro, and maybe some other rolls next time.

A+

[Aloysius]

[ QUOTE ]
Based on the suggestions in this thread, this evening the wife and I tried SusgiGo55. Safely among the best sushi I've ever had, if not the best. We had salmon, mackeral, wild salmon, snapper, unagi, broiled eggplant, and albacore. Everything was kickass (especially the salmon). Saw them prepare spicy tuna, looking forward to having that, scallop, toro, and maybe some other rolls next time.

A+

[/ QUOTE ]

LF Slim - I was actually going to go with 3 friends tonight! It was a last minute decision though, and when we called around 8pm they told us no seats, so we went to Sushi Gen instead /images/graemlins/frown.gif But good to hear you and the wife enjoyed it!

-Al

[Insp. Clue!So?]

I've always enjoyed Sushi-go 55 as a better, cheaper alternative to Sushi Gen (which often has a long line). Also, they used to sell gift certificates at a 10% discount over by the cashier but it seems this practice has been discontinued. Easy parking for downtown, too.

Trivia note: I'm told it's named after the ballplayer, number 55 (name escapes).

[Acein8ter]

Here is a typical Chirashi bowl. Pretty good grinds for the $$$ if you can find the right place. Instead of paying $25+ for sushi, you can usually get one of these for $15-$20. http://www.geocities.com/citynite/ChirashiDon.JPG

[oneeye13]

[ QUOTE ]
I go with cold unfiltered sake and I'm very happy with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

i like this too

[Josem]

If you are ever in the Australian country town of Raymond Terrace, you will (like me) unfortunately discover that there is not a single place in the whole town that sells sushi.

[MrMon]

I like sushi but will be the first to admit I have no idea what I'm eating. But I've learned a few tricks along the way to get something edible, something all beginners can use.

Being in the Midwest, this is not exactly sushi country. Oh, they make a fine sushi, but fish has to be flown in, so sometimes things are not as fresh as they should be. That's the first rule for any sushi restaurant, anywhere, even on the coast - not everything is at it's best on the day you are there. Don't get set on anything before you ask how it is. Your best friend in the sushi world is a waitress or chef who tells you you don't want something that particular day. Value this person forever.

Rule number two if you want the best there is is to find a place with staff you can trust and put yourself in their hands. Tell them to bring you whats good that day, and a good chef or waitress will lead you exactly where you want to be. You can set rules about saying what you like or don't like, but maybe something special is in that day that isn't on the menu. Being a know-it-all won't get you that item. Be willing to try what they offer, you might be in for a nice surprise.

Sushi restaurants and sommeliers are the two best times to put yourself in the hands of the experts. They almost always know far more than you, and if they don't, you're in the wrong place.

[DrNo888]

Went to Tomisushi tonight. It is sister one of Sushitomi in Mountain View.

They had omakase sushi on the menu so I ordered that. They also had omakase sashimi, but I didnt feel like having that tonight.

The omakase comes with 12 pcs of Nigri, a roll, a few pieces of crab leg, and a bowl of soup using the bones from the fish from what it looks like.

My wife got 6 pcs of sake, 2 pcs of hamachi, and 2 pieces of unagi. We also shared a spider roll.

The only pic I got is of the omakase plate since we had our 1.5 year old and he was a pain in the ass. He wouldnt sit still for one minute. I had to hold him with one hand the whole time we were eating.

ED: edited huge image to link. (Next post has resized image).
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/1467/dscn0084uu8.jpg


I wasnt sure what I was going to get as long as there was no squid. I just dont like raw squid.

I didnt recognize quite a few of these. Here is my guess as what the pieces were.

Top roll from left to right:
Toro - OMG!!!! I almost got another separate of toro it was so good. Literally melted in my mouth!
Snapper - couldnt tell what kind, but it's kind of chewy and from my experience, I am guessing it's snapper.
Salmon - Love the fat stripes. However, it was tougher than I expected. Had better at other places.
Not sure what this one is since I've never seen it before. It's kinda chewy. The waitress couldnt tell me in English what it was.
Yellowtail - I've had better
Real crab meat from a leg - nothing special here
Halibut - sweet and also melted in my mouth, will definitely get this separately next time

Second row from left to right:
Some kind of clam - it was sweet crunchy. A little bit fishy
Abalone - same as the clam but not fishy
Some kinda of tuna - almost as good as the toro!
Uni - nothing special here. Like the other times I've had this, I like the initial flavor but dont like the after taste
Anago - I thought this was uncooked, but it actually was. Less fishy and I softer than unagi.

The roll was Tekka Maki, but I think the tuna itself was the same as the one in the second row. The tuna was chopped but it gushes out as soon as I bit down. It's really good!

The bowl at the bottom had pickled cucumber and seaweed topped with king crab leg bits. Nothing special here.

I didnt get a pic of the fish soup as that was brought after I put away the camera.

My wife like all her items. We both agreed that the spider roll was dissappointing. It may be b/c they were getting ready to close as we came late. Couldnt really taste the crab at all.

Overall, I thought it was an ok experience. I would probably only go back for the Toro ($12 tonight) and the tuna in the second row.

['Chair]

offTopic - ever tried "Sushi on the Run" (114 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA)? It's a mom/pop-8-seat place w/ delicous cuts.

millionDollaz - if you see this thread, we are going to a sushi place when I'm out there next week. Hopefully I'll get something better than a ghey little PT convertible this time.


for those on laptops...
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7818/dscn0084uu8gz2.jpg

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
offTopic - ever tried "Sushi on the Run" (114 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA)? It's a mom/pop-8-seat place w/ delicous cuts.


[/ QUOTE ]

Never been...I think I may have heard of it, though...is that the really small place that has the menu written backwards on the wall facing the bar, and a mirror above the bar so the customers can read the menu?