posted
I've decided to broaden my gastronomic horizons. I want to try sushi, but have no idea where to start. I'm thinking about buying some to try at home before venturing to a sushi place.
Where's the best place to get sushi? Does Trader Joe's carry it?
What's the best sushi to try first? Would I be better off trying vegetable rolls before moving on to sushi with fish?
Finally, can you tell how fresh it is by looking at it?
Thanks for the input.
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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The ones around here do, so I'd imagine yours might as well.
quote:What's the best sushi to try first? Would I be better off trying vegetable rolls before moving on to sushi with fish?
I adore California rolls. They have fish, but it's not raw. Same with salmon skin rolls. You might want to try something like that first.
quote:Finally, can you tell how fresh it is by looking at it?
Any legit place should make it fresh every day. TJ's date-stamps theirs, I think. (Not sure, as I don't buy theirs -- not kosher.)
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
You can't tell by looking at it, but you can by smelling it. It should have little to no fishy smell at all.
The best sushi can be purchased from restaurants, where it is made fresh. Make sure it's not a buffet, if you want really good sushi. Buffet sushi's kind of *meh*. Like most things, they go in for quantity, not quality.
I like nagiri sushi, personally. It's usually a strip of fish (salmon, for example) on a log of sticky rice.
Jump into fish. I don't see much point in vegetable rolls.
Sushi may be an acquired taste. Try different kinds several different times before giving up.
Eat sushi with friends. Without fail, it's more fun to eat new foods with people you know and trust, and who you can make fun of when they spit out the quail egg.
posted
Don't buy sushi at a store, you MUST buy it at a restaurant. Store sushi has sat there too long.
Start with a california roll and move on to ebi (boiled shrimp) Unagi is also really good, is cooked and comes in a sort of bbq sauce.
But the purpose of sushi is to act as a vector for the soy sauce and wasabi. Start light on the wasabi at first and add more to taste. It's hot (and likes to hide under the ebi sometimes) but it's a horseradish type of hot, not a ruin your meal type of hot.
posted
Any restaurant that sells sushi most likely makes it fresh. You can't really get instant sushsi, it has to be made fresh.
Personally I find its the filling that is the most important. Rice and seaweed are going to taste the same either way, so examine whats in the middle and decide how the texture and taste grab you for that particular meal.
I wouldnt suggest making it on your own until you tasted what sushi SHOULD taste like.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
My advice is actually to go to the best sushi restaurant you can find. Not that expensive = good, but look up restaurant reviews and ask around if anyone has a favorite place. Quality makes a different in the taste, even if it is all fresh.
I adore sushi, but it has to be done well. My first experience was with relatively cheap places and they tasted very fishy. Then a date took me to a place in Richardson near Chinatown, and it was a sushi awakening. It can be amazing, but the quality and therefore the taste can vary.
My favorite is the spicy tuna roll. The meat has a great texture - about like a good pear - and it is a little sweet and very mild, so it goes great with the nori (spell?). My second favorite is the spicy salmon roll.
In my general experience, the more stuff put ON the sushi - sauces and things - the weirder it tastes. It appeals to me because it is so clean-tasting.
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I love sushi. I first had it in a place in Montreal. I took some of my friend's. It was the best stuff ever. I like Nigiri salmon best and tobiko.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I second the advice on going to the best (probably fairly expensive, but price does not necessarily equal quality) place you can find. Read up on it but also ask for recs from friends. Then go with a couple nice people to that fabulous reataurant, and sample what they get, ask the waiter what's good. etc. I think you will enjoy it very much! Warning: sushi is addicting. Yumyumyum, sushi, mmm . . . hungry now . . .
Posts: 471 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
One of my favorite sushi is eel sushi, and that's also a variety that tends to be pretty decent even storebought.
Another of my favorite sushi is tuna sushi, but that tends to be pretty questionable even in many sushi restaurants, as the tuna needs to be really fresh not to have lost the right flavor and color.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Unagi is eel, by the by, and it absolutely the most amazing thing. It's cooked, and it's just delicious. In fact, now I'm craving some. Spicy tuna is also very good, as are california rolls. I'm also going to disagree with Scott and say that some of the vegetable rolls are amazing. Oshinko (pickled something, though apparently what's picked tends to vary--thanks, Google!) is very good, and asparagus tempura is out of this world. Even cucumber rolls have a lovely fresh taste.
And I agree with everyone that says go to a restaurant. Store sushi is what you get when you don't have tons of cash and need a quick sushi fix. In order to really enjoy it, you should get it at a restaurant where someone has JUST made it.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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I love the stuff. Especially salmon and salmon skin and salmon roe. I'd swim upstream to get some!
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Do not EVER get sea urchin. It is one of the more foul things I've ever ingested. Also, stay away from the quail eggs.
Other than that, pretty much all sushi is good. I like to start people off with Philadelphia rolls, because most people recognize the taste of cream cheese, even though the texture can be a bit off-putting.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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There used to be this great sushi place near us- drive through sushi. Cheap fresh, yummy. Total dive by look. Unfortunately they did so good that they bought an upscale restaurant, increased their prices and somehow lost quality. It was sad. But, good cheap sushi can exist- you just need to find it. And hopefully by recommendation cause bad sushi can be really bad. I would not get store sushi if you actually want to like it. Personally, I like rainbow rolls. Basically, it is a California roll with different types of fish on top- so kinda a combination of a roll and nagiri.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I wasn't gonna tell him that unagi was eel until after he tasted it and liked it.... the idea of eating eel is pretty gross... until you've tasted it =)
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Yeah, beware the sea urchin. I love sushi, but that one is not anywhere near my list. I second what almost everyone else has said - especially about the california rolls and unagi. Kani (crab stick) is another easy starting point (though many places use a cooked fish substitute for the crab).
I'd also suggest flying to Vancouver or somewhere on the west coast with a large japanese population. The sushi in Vancouver put everything I've had on the east coast to shame.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
If you're feeling particularly adventurous and have a good source of fresh fish, you can make your own. I like Tuna nigiri and sashimi. Mmmm...
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I've eaten all manner of bizarre things, so eating eel never phased me at all. They're just another species of fish, after all.
That said, unagi is heavenly. I'm also a big fan of most of the raw fish sushi- forget the rice, go straight for the sashimi!
Incidentally, if you find that you don't like wasabi or ginger, it's still very possible to enjoy sushi. I don't like spicy food, and only like ginger in very small doses, so the only seasoning I put on my sushi is soy sauce (or whatever soy-based dark sauce the restaurant offers). It's divine. Posts: 1321 | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
I seventh or eight the recommendations to start with eel and tuna.
------------
Regarding Scott's comment:
Vegetable rolls are great for when you want to make sushi at home but either can't afford or don't have a great source for raw fish.
The ingredients my wife and I like to include (in one combination or another) in homemade sushi rolls are:
Avocado, cucumber, smoked salmon, carrot, daikon (Japanese radish), spinach, asparagus and beet (this is surprisingly good -- the beets add great color and a nice earthy taste).
Hmmm. There's a Japanese store where we can get cooked eel. We should pick some up next time we make sushi.
Also: One of the best children's books ever is about sushi -- Yoko by Rosemary Wells.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I hate ikura. I am lucky to live near cambridge where there is a sushi bar that is relatively cheap and it's not so bad.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Do you have Bristol Farms out there? No, I guess that's just a SoCal thing, probably. *goes to look it up*
Yup. All SoCal, except one new one in San Francisco. Too bad, they're known for their good sushi. I personally don't like even good sushi. But I like theirs more than I like bad sushi. And my dad and brother adore it. My dad likes Trader Joes' okay. It's not stellar, but it's better than what you'll find in your standard grocery store and therefore MUCH better than what you'll find in (heaven forbid) 7-11.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Tarrsk: Incidentally, if you find that you don't like wasabi or ginger, it's still very possible to enjoy sushi. I don't like spicy food, and only like ginger in very small doses, so the only seasoning I put on my sushi is soy sauce (or whatever soy-based dark sauce the restaurant offers). It's divine.
posted
Pix, I've never actually been to a sushi restaurant that didn't label the maki version of unagi as simply "Eel roll." That's why I mentioned it up front.
Random derailing anecdote:
The first time I had eel was not as a part of sushi. I was in Chile, with a touring group, and since the food was already all paid for by the group, nobody got to choose their own food (unless they had dietary restrictions). At one restaurant, they set this plate of fried fish and vegetables down in front of me, and, since I'm generally ok with fish, I ate it. It was wonderful, the best fish I'd ever had, ever. I raved about it, and then asked a Chilean friend what it was, so that I could somehow get it again somewhere. And she told me it was eel.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Hmm.... no one here has suggested tomago. It's cooked egg on rice, held together with seaweed. It's like eating a sweet-scrambled egg on rice. I think it makes a good beginner sushi, even if it doesn't have any fish.
Also, I concur that California rolls, spicy tuna, and eel are all good choices, too.
Posts: 353 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I don't know anything about where to get sushi in the states, but remember to try out different kinds - there's quite a variety.
Nigirizushi is the most famous, which are the clumps of rice with the sashimi on top.
Makizushi is sushi wrapped as a cylinder in seaweed, like California rolls.
Chirashizushi is just rice with the other ingredients mixed in or arranged on top, to be mixed in.
Inarizushi is rice wrapped in bean curd.
I'm Japanese myself and I don't like a lot of them. Chirashizushi, and maguro nigiri are my favourites. I also like temakizushi with natto, but that's something you either love or hate. Usually outside of Japan, it's hate, which is fair enough.
Posts: 1762 | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
Thanks for all the advice. Is all sushi served with wasabi? What, exactlty is it? My understanding is that it's Japanese horseradish. How spicy is it?
I go to work and this thread grows from 14 to 29 posts. Unfortunately, my sushi adventure will most likely have to wait until my next day off. Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
I like to take a little bit of wasabi and blend it into the soy sauce. I don't dig super spicy - the mixing makes it just enough kick and not too salty, to me anyway.
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Wasabi is a green paste that comes as a condiment on the side, usually along with ginger (the ginger is for cleansing your palate, although some people ahve been known to devour all of theirs and then start eating everyone else's. Shh . . .). Straight wasabi is VERY spicy, and does indeed taste like horseradish. The typical way to use it is to mix a bit into your soy sauce to taste. But be careful about mixing thoroughly - getting a chunk of wasabi can be an eyewatering and nose running experience. But I love the flavor in moderation, personally.
Posts: 471 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by FlyingCow: I'd also suggest flying to Vancouver or somewhere on the west coast with a large japanese population. The sushi in Vancouver put everything I've had on the east coast to shame.
I was gonna say I'd never had bad sushi, but then, most - 99%+ - of the sushi I've had was in Vancouver where there's a sushi restaurant on every other corner, more common than Starbucks even. Sushi there is pretty cheap - enough for one person's dinner for about $5, or was three years ago anyway.
Mmmmmm, I love me some sushi.
Yeah, go easy on the wasabi until you know your own personal limits. Me, personally, I tend to ask for extra. And extra ginger, too. I love me the stuff.
posted
I don't know that I would call the heat from wasabi spicy. It's a cool heat. It's also a reason to not get cheap sushi. The wasabi that comes with cheap sushi is often bitter.
And no need to hold back -- I like to spread a thin layer on with a knife and then dip in soy sauce.
Also: Don't get sushi at Costco. The place has quality meats, including seafood, but that's still sushi that has sat out for at least a couple of hours -- and was mass prepared so the california rolls don't have the best crab content.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I wouldn't call wasabi spicy, either, but it does have the power to blow through any stuff up sinuses. And ears, too, for that matter. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
It doesn't take one too long to get into sushi. If you're going to like it, then by the third visit you'll be popping entire makizushi along with wasabi and slices of the ginger.
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Carrie: Do not EVER get sea urchin. It is one of the more foul things I've ever ingested. Also, stay away from the quail eggs.
Considering that I love uni (sea urchin) and uzura no tamago (quail egg), I'd like to offer the opinion that instead of never getting those two items, work up to them instead. As everyone has their own preferences, it seems a bit of a shame to pass by something that may actually taste good to you should you try it.
When fresh, uni has a very sweet taste that literally should melt in your mouth. Quail eggs are normally used as a topping over something else, like tobiko (flying fish roe) and adds a smooth counterpoint to the sushi.
The freshness and quality of the ingredients is a major reason why you should always go to a sushi restaurant with a good reputation (of having fresh stock on hand). Anything can taste bad if kept past its prime, so it doesn't hurt to do some research beforehand so that your experience starts off well. [Edit] An indication of a good restaurant is one with well informed sushi chefs. I prefer sitting at the sushi bar so that I can ask their recommendations for the day, as they should know how fresh each item is and refer accordingly.
quote:Originally posted by Zalmoxis: I don't know that I would call the heat from wasabi spicy. It's a cool heat. It's also a reason to not get cheap sushi. The wasabi that comes with cheap sushi is often bitter.
The "wasabi paste" served by most North American sushi restaurants and found in pre-packed sushi sets is actually not true wasabi as known in Japan. Fresh wasabi (wasabia japonica) is a green root highly prized as a culinary ingredient whose demand exceeds supply in Japan. What is sold in the US as wasabi paste or powder is mostly an imitation product based on horseradish, Chinese mustard and food colouring. (Food coloring is added as horseradish is of a white to cream color while wasabi is naturally green in color.) There are certain sushi restaurants that carry fresh wasabi outside of Japan, but they normally don't advertise the fact in their menus since wasabi root has an extremely short shelf life and is a bit expensive to import. A restaurant that I know of charges $4 for a pinch of it upon request.
The taste of fresh wasabi is different from the horseradish-based product. Fresh wasabi has a bite, yes, but with a smoothness that doesn't kick one in the tastebud as horseradish tends to do. For that reason, fresh wasabi compliments the delicate taste of sushi much better.
[Edit] Also wanted to mention that sometimes in nigiri sushi, the sushi chef adds a smear of wasabi in between the fish and rice, so the "kick" has already been added for you and all you may need further do is flavor with soy sauce (should you so choose) and eat it. If you don't like wasabi, ask politely that it not be included in any of your order.
The ginger is intended to cleanse your palate in between different orders of sushi so that you can taste each one without the former still in your mouth. But it is not necessary should that not be your thing.
posted
Am I the only one on earth who doesn't like soy sauce? I love wasabi and often put it on rice, pickled ginger is fine, but eww soy sauce is yucky.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
I love quail egg, but only with zarusoba (a type of Japanese noodle), which is another thing you might want to try. Nothing too adventurous - most people like it.
Posts: 1762 | Registered: Apr 2006
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Sushi there is pretty cheap - enough for one person's dinner for about $5, or was three years ago anyway.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
