Sushi Night!

Let me start off by saying that this post may not appeal to everyone. I know that not everyone is a fan of Japanese food, especially sushi. I also know that many people are very particular about their sushi, such as what are & are not acceptable ways to eat sushi. However, this is just me talking about what I enjoy. I am not here to change anyone’s opinion or say that your way is wrong. If you love sushi, great! If you don’t, also great. To each their own.

I never used to like sushi. I was always disgusted by the idea of “eating raw fish”. I would see sushi in anime & think “blech, so not for me!” But, much like everything in life, I wasn’t going to completely knock it until I tried it. I started off with California rolls at the request of a cousin of mine who said “It’s beginner sushi. Plus, you love crab so just try it.” As I recall, I dunked it in soy sauce & loved it. However, I also just love soy sauce, so I can’t be certain which I actually developed the taste for that day.

After a few years of getting the occasional California roll with other food at a variety of Asian restaurants, I was content with saying, “Sushi is okay.” I had only tried one type, but it was good, so I was good with the general idea of the food. Then, I found a local restaurant that featured “great sushi,” according to friends. I tried some of their rolls, specifically salmon rolls and Philadelphia rolls. I suddenly realized that there was more to life (and sushi) than just kani (crab). I was ready to try more, but not at that price. 

It wasn’t until about a year ago that I found a particularly nice Japanese restaurant in our area which featured an All-You-Can-Eat sushi menu. Now, the “golden rule” of sushi is not to get all-you-can-eat because they tend to sacrifice quality for quantity. I had bargained with this type of sushi before at a local buffet in my hometown & though the sushi was edible, it was neither fresh, nor something I cared to get an entire plate of. Still, I saw sushi chefs at a sushi bar & figured for the lunch price, it seemed worth it. Even if I stuck with California rolls, the price was still fair. So I took a chance & I am grateful that I did. It was the best sushi I had ever eaten, including a fancy Dragon roll from the very highly praised restaurant that my friends had urged me to try before. The sushi is made fresh, I watched them prepare it from my seat at the little sushi bar & I was able to try a few new roll options without fear of the cost. Now, there is an additional cost for ordering too much & not finishing it, but I’ve successfully eaten on average about three plates with probably six to eight rolls on each plate & still found room for a Tomago (sweet egg) or Masago (roe) nigiri (when they put the fish on top of the rice 🍣) too. Even my spouse, a self-proclaimed sushi-phobe, tried the sushi & loved it. It is now a special date night location for us when we have the extra cash & had a super light lunch. Actually, one of those date nights was tonight, hence why sushi is on my brain.

While not everyone cares for the “all-you-can-eat” sushi, & believe me I have eaten at the bad ones too, sushi itself is just a special treat for me. It’s different, a little healthier if you don’t get the deep fried or cream-cheese filled options, & is a cultural food that I wish was more readily available in the U.S. In fact, one of my main reasons for Japan being on my bucket list is to try sushi, specifically the more unique options that are only available in Japan. If you have yet to try sushi, but still sort of want to, I recommend finding some friends who eat it & getting their recommendations on where to go. Also, Yelp is always a great option if you have seen a sushi place in your area, but aren’t certain how good or bad it might be. 

• Are you a fan or foe of sushi?
• What is your favorite roll? Least favorite?
• What other dishes that are specific to a particular culture have you tried or that you want to try?