Poll of the Day > Going to a sushi bar this week. What do I need to know?

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Its Japanese.

Cacciato posted...

Its Japanese.

/topic
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Sushi < sashimi < rolls

Gyoza are the bomb. Don't drink too much sake.
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Other than how to read a menu, not much.. Maybe how to use chopsticks.. But not required.

Sushi = pieces fish over rice
Sashimi = peices of fish, no rice
Rolls = Fish and other ingredients rolled in rice and seaweed.. Probably the easiest things to order.
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Make sure you let them know if you have a shellfish allergy...
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If you are feeling adventurous, my favorite dish is Chirashi. It's a bowl of sushi rice with all kinds of fish on top with avacado, fish roe, and maybe some other house items.

Good stuff, but may be too much for some people.
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I want to eat sushi more often but it's too expensive!!
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wednesday and thursday are the best days to go. don't get sushi on monday or tuesday. Eel is awesome, so is egg.

sea urchin is expensive and doesn't taste that good. octopus and squid are super chewy. The really small fish eggs can get caught between your teeth, and its really annoying.
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waterdeepchu posted...

wednesday and thursday are the best days to go. don't get sushi on monday or tuesday.

Why?
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When they bring you your sushi they should give you a little serving dish of ginger. It looks like little redish slivers of veggies. You eat is as a pallet cleanser and it's not ment to be added to any of your food.

So eat a little sushi first then eat a little ginger to cleanse your pallet before you eat another piece of sushi.
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Sensual_T_Rex posted...

So eat a little sushi first then eat a little ginger to cleanse your pallet before you eat another piece of sushi.

Do you do that only between different sushi pieces. Like only when you switch to a new flavor or whatever?
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If they have it, I'd recommend uni and bluefin tuna nigiri. Uni is sea urchin and the good ones are smooth and taste delicious. The bad ones are gritty and taste like seawater. Bluefin tuna has kinda a rich and more bold flavour compared to other fishes. My personal favorite besides these two are unagi (eel), salmon roe, mackerel, otaro (fatty tuna), yellowtail, seared tuna, and tamago (egg). The mackeral has a strong taste to it so be warned and the tamago is a little sweet so I kinda treat it like a dessert to end my meal with.

LinkPizza posted...

Do you do that only between different sushi pieces. Like only when you switch to a new flavor or whatever?

Personally I'd say it depends on what you ate previously and what you're eating next. Strong flavour fish like mackeral might cover up the flavour of lighter flavour ones.

LinkPizza posted...

waterdeepchu posted...

wednesday and thursday are the best days to go. don't get sushi on monday or tuesday.

Why?

I think the book, Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain kinda covered this. Certain days of the week is when most restaurants get a new stock of fish. Based on what waterdeepchu's suggest, that would mean said restaurant would receive a new stock on Wednesday or Thursday thus the fish are at their freshest while fish served on Monday or Tuesday has been sitting in the fridge/freezer for almost a week.

AllstarSniper32 posted...

I want to eat sushi more often but it's too expensive!!

Certain all-you-can-eat places serve decent quality of nigiri, sashimi, and rolls. Prices usually are around $25-30 in Los Angeles at least.

Peterass posted...

Sushi = pieces fish over rice
Sashimi = peices of fish, no rice
Rolls = Fish and other ingredients rolled in rice and seaweed.. Probably the easiest things to order.

Technically I think sushi is any raw fish served with vinegar rice. Nigiri is the one with raw fish served over the rice. Depending on what you want TC, I would advise against rolls because some of those tend to have a lot of non-fish filling (i.e. cucumber, imitation crab, etc.). If you want mostly the fish, go for nigiri or sashimi. If you don't like raw fish that much, then go for the rolls. There are some cooked rolls like scallop.
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I dont care if people would consider them low brow or anything, tempura rolls slap
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InfestedAdam posted...

Technically I think sushi is any raw fish served with vinegar rice. Nigiri is the one with raw fish served over the rice.

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.
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InfestedAdam posted...

Personally I'd say it depends on what you ate previously and what you're eating next. Strong flavour sushi like mackeral might cover up the flavour of lighter flavour ones.

So, what about if you eat a mackerel sishi piece, and youre going to eat another. Would you still palate cleanse?
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InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.
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Don't feel pressured to use chopsticks. You can use a fork or even your hands to eat
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LinkPizza posted...

So, what about if you eat a mackerel sishi piece, and youre going to eat another. Would you still palate cleanse?

Like another piece of mackerel? No point in it I'd say. Personally I just drink water to clean my palette before eating lighter flavour of fishes.

SunWuKung420 posted...

Rolls are listed as rolls.

I'd imagine that is to avoid confusing patrons since the average non-regular might not be familiar with the term "nigiri" and "maki". Like instead of listing both a spicy tuna roll (which I'd say is sushi) and listing a California roll (which I'd say isn't sushi), they just list them both as rolls instead of sushi rolls. Before we continue this discussion I'm going by the Japanese definitions and not "Western-style" sushi.

EDIT: Looking at the Wiki, I believe I stand corrected. The vinegar rice is a key ingredient in sushi but it can still include non-seafood ingredients so even a cucumber roll can still be defined as sushi.
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You have a shallow bowl to put soy sauce in for dipping. Stir a little wasabi paste into the soy sauce.
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TheSlinja posted...

I dont care if people would consider them low brow or anything, tempura rolls slap

Agreed. I really like Volcano Rolls whenever they have them too

SunWuKung420 posted...

InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.

In Japan, theyre called rolled sushi (makizushi). So yes, they are sushi.
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Sarcasthma posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.

In Japan, theyre called rolled sushi (makizushi). So yes, they are sushi.

Daaaaaaamn, he just told you to shut the fuck upppppp

Sarcasthma posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.

In Japan, theyre called rolled sushi (makizushi). So yes, they are sushi.

They are all forms of sushi but most restaurants break them up into their respective categories. In America, if you ask for tuna belly sushi, you'll get nigiri. If you want tuna belly sashimi, you need to order sashimi. If you want a tuna belly roll, you need to order a roll.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

Sarcasthma posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.

In Japan, theyre called rolled sushi (makizushi). So yes, they are sushi.

They are all forms of sushi

Good. This is what we were making sure you knew.
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Apology @pipebomb_phil for derailing your thread. If you like raw fish and is comfortable eating it, I'd say just go for the nigiri or sashimi. If you're not comfortable with eating raw fish, go for the rolls as they have more cooked/non-raw options. I think the only cooked nigiri are unagi (eel) and tamago (egg).

SunWuKung420 posted...

They are all forms of sushi but most restaurants break them up into their respective categories.

I don't mean to nitpick but I do not believe sashmi is sushi since there is no vinegar rice. As you said earlier. Sashimi is just sashimi. I could be mistaken but the way your wrote our your statement, seems you're lumping sashimi as being sushi.
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Sarcasthma posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Sarcasthma posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

InfestedAdam posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

Nigiri is listed as sushi and sashimi is listed as sashimi.

Aye. Both nigiri and rolls would be sushi while sashimi is just sashmi. I think even a chirashi bowl would be considered sushi but I could be wrong there.

Rolls are listed as rolls.

In Japan, theyre called rolled sushi (makizushi). So yes, they are sushi.

They are all forms of sushi

Good. This is what we were making sure you knew.

And a hotdog is a sandwich.
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Okay?
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InfestedAdam posted...

Apology pipebomb_phil for derailing your thread. If you like raw fish and is comfortable eating it, I'd say just go for the nigiri or sashimi. If you're not comfortable with eating raw fish, go for the rolls as they have more cooked/non-raw options. I think the only cooked nigiri are unagi (eel) and tamago (egg).

SunWuKung420 posted...

They are all forms of sushi but most restaurants break them up into their respective categories.

I don't mean to nitpick but I do not believe sashmi is sushi since there is no vinegar rice. As you said earlier. Sashimi is just sashimi.

I wasn't arguing semantics, I was helping a newbie order.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

I wasn't arguing semantics, I was helping a newbie order.

Fair point. Peterass already covered that by using the typical terms used in the States. Twas my fault for starting this whole argument about the proper term that honestly most people won't even care about.
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@pipebomb_phil

Wasabi is delicious.
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SunWuKung420 posted...

@pipebomb_phil

Wasabi is delicious.

It is, although most of the stuff served at restaurants in the US (and kaitenzushi restaurants in Japan) is just horseradish and spicy mustard.
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Sarcasthma posted...

It is, although most of the stuff served at restaurants in the US (and kaitenzushi restaurants in Japan) is just horseradish and spicy mustard.

Can't say I've had the real stuff either. Friend of mine said the real stuff have strands of the root fiber in them from the wasabi plant being grated.
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I have another question. So, Im allergic to shellfish, so the once or twice I got sushi, I got the kind without shellfish. What I want to know is if you can get certain ones that have shellfish, but without shellfish. Like how you can get a burger, and say no tomato. Could I get a certain type of sushi with shellfish and say no crab or whatever?
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Thanks for the replies.

I'll prob go next week. A friend said he's down to go.

And I don't think I've ever had real wasabi.
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LinkPizza posted...

I have another question. So, Im allergic to shellfish, so the once or twice I got sushi, I got the kind without shellfish. What I want to know is if you can get certain ones that have shellfish, but without shellfish. Like how you can get a burger, and say no tomato. Could I get a certain type of sushi with shellfish and say no crab or whatever?

I doubt you could, sushi is usually only 1 or 2 things other than the rice and seaweed, its less lile asking for no tomatoes and more like no patty
youd be better off sticking to the inherently non shellfish rolls
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InfestedAdam posted...

Sarcasthma posted...

It is, although most of the stuff served at restaurants in the US (and kaitenzushi restaurants in Japan) is just horseradish and spicy mustard.

Can't say I've had the real stuff either. Friend of mine said the real stuff have strands of the root fiber in them from the wasabi plant being grated.

Yeah, you have to make sure to do a good job grating it. The flavor is surprisingly mild, but Ive only had it a few times since its pretty expensive and Im fine with the horseradish version.
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The wasabi isn't actually wasabi, it's horserradish colored green. Real wasabi is a rhizome native only to Japan, and is very expensive ($160 per kilogram) because it has a short shelf-life. Once it's prepared, wasabi is only good for like, 4 days -- that said, shipping it overseas is out of the question.
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Flappers posted...

The wasabi isn't actually wasabi, it's horserradish colored green. Real wasabi is a rhizome native only to Japan, and is very expensive ($160 per kilogram) because it has a short shelf-life. Once it's prepared, wasabi is only good for like, 4 days -- that said, shipping it overseas is out of the question.

Wasabi is grown in the Pacific Northwest, too.
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Sarcasthma posted...

Flappers posted...

The wasabi isn't actually wasabi, it's horserradish colored green. Real wasabi is a rhizome native only to Japan, and is very expensive ($160 per kilogram) because it has a short shelf-life. Once it's prepared, wasabi is only good for like, 4 days -- that said, shipping it overseas is out of the question.

Wasabi is grown in the Pacific Northwest, too.

Well I'll be a son of a bitch.
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