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The Lantern wrote
How to survive sushi
Erin Pompili
4/4/07
The first time I went to a sushi bar, I did everything wrong. I sat at a table, was scared of wasabi and did not order nearly enough rolls, thus forcing a follow-up trip to Taco Bell. The more I went out for sushi, however, the more comfortable I felt ordering eel, using chopsticks and mixing wasabi into my soy sauce.
With an increase in sushi restaurants comes an increase of first-time sushi experiences. Many college students who swore they would never eat raw fish are finding themselves sitting in a booth and wondering what they should do with the unidentifiable lump of green paste sitting on their plate. To cut back on the confusion, here is a guide to surviving your first sushi experience.
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The Lantern’s Guide to Surviving Sushi
By: Walker
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I’m impressed – that’s actually a really good write-up/intro to eating sushi for beginners. From the LANTERN no less!
Not really much use to me, since I’ve been eating sushi for years now, but it’s all stuff that’s good to know, and that *I* surely would’ve liked to know before trying it the first time.
I have actually never been to a sushi bar, so I can evaluate that article from the opposite perspective, and I can say that a fair amount of that was stuff that I did *not* know and would have felt awkward even asking about in any hypothetical maiden voyage to a sushi joint.
I never knew it was okay to eat at the sushi bar with your hands on the larger rolls.
Not sure if anyone ever watched the show East meets West on the food network with Ming Tsai, but he would always says its ok to eat sushi with your hands.
Yeah, my first encounter with sushi was a pretty bad one, as I was taken to a restaurant by a seasoned pro and my first taste was of a giant chunk of sashimi (i think it was tuna), which as the article mentions, is not the way to start out. I’m still hardly a sushi pro, but after a several-year hiatus I managed to give it another shot and enjoy a lot of different types of rolls.
I’ve still not gone back to sashimi yet, but I assume I’d probably have more of a taste for it now, because in the meantime I’ve become a fan of good tuna tartar. It’s really good at Latitude 41. 8)
You know that seared tuna at Spice Bar is actually pretty good too!
I really like nigri (the strips of fish on a wad of rice), but I’ve never really gotten into sashimi. For some of the especially good fish it’s not bad, but for the most part I think it just doesn’t hold the soy/wasabi as well without the rice to sop-up a little.
I like variety when I’m eating sushi, so unless I’m with a group where we can split a bunch of rolls, I usually order a little opposite of the article – one maki roll, and 5-6 pieces of nigri… which is actually pretty similar to the “sushi regular” or “sushi deluxe” combo platters that most places offer, and those tend to come w/ soup and salad as well, so win-win.
After my trip to Charleston (where I had amazing Tuna TarTar every evening … and we always ordered another round) … I have become obsessed/ addicted to Tuna TarTar.
Walker – your post is from April 2007. Since Lat 41 changes its menu so often, I am not sure if they still offer it.
Does anyone know of a killer place to get some super fresh, unadulterated Tuna TarTar?
THANKS!!!
CU Sushi Dinner Meet up!
THANKS!!!
Yup. Charleston. :wink:
Ah but where?
Ah but where?
Anywhere! I need to find the good sushi places!
Yoshi’s
Akai Hana
or one of the places downtown
time for sushi wednesdays!
Does anyone know of a killer place to get some super fresh, unadulterated Tuna TarTar?
Chef Tony told me that they get their tuna flown in from a very specific fisherman he knows in Hawaii, and the availability of it can change daily. I’m not sure if it’s still a regular item on their menu, so your best bet might be to call them in the morning and see if they have any for the evening.
I’ve always liked it at Morton’s too. There’s a bourbon tasting there on Monday, and I’m sure they’ll have it along with many other great hors d’oeuvres and small dishes.
Does anyone know of a killer place to get some super fresh, unadulterated Tuna TarTar?
Chef Tony told me that they get their tuna flown in from a very specific fisherman he knows in Hawaii, and the availability of it can change daily. I’m not sure if it’s still a regular item on their menu, so your best bet might be to call them in the morning and see if they have any for the evening.
I’ve always liked it at Morton’s too. There’s a bourbon tasting there on Monday, and I’m sure they’ll have it along with many other great hors d’oeuvres and small dishes.
Thanks, Walker. Tony Miller is f*ing awesome.
I also have been lucky enough to meet Chef Dean James Max as well. Awesome dude … super talented.
I will definitely call them in the near future to get my tartar fix.
No problem! Let us know what you think of it when you try it. :D
sushi en. yum.
my first experience was awesome. i went with a guy that really knew his stuff and where to go. i’ll try anything and even now when i go i make the other person order for me.
my first experience was awesome. i went with a guy that really knew his stuff and where to go. i’ll try anything and even now when i go i make the other person order for me.
Yes indeed – Sushi En is some seriously good stuff.
When they have the fresh Toro available oh my goodness that is some good food.
:lol: This video was effing hilarious. Thank you.
I am disappointed that the Lantern article didn’t address chopstick etiquette at all. I’ve seen people at restaurants doing things with their hashi (chopsticks) that are considered rude, morbid, or even obscene. The thing about the oshibori (damp hand towel) was a bit off, too.
It also did not address the proper way to eat nigiri, namely to dip the fish and not the rice into the soy sauce (sort of like in the parody video, actually — at least how that part starts out). But I don’t think that the way someone assembles the elements of their meal is as important, because I figure if someone enjoys piling the ginger and wasabi on top of their mackerel and soaking the rice in soy sauce, then that’s the way they like it — there is no point in criticizing someone for their tastes.
It’s easy enough to make tuna tartare at home, you just need to get the right kind of tuna. Sushi-grade tuna runs about $30/pound at Tensuke Market.
I’m not so much a fan of tartare as poke (pronounced poh-keh). I have been wanting to make a batch of it, but just can’t justify spending that much right now.