Teach me about Sushi!

[Dasquian Belargic]

A new sushi restaraunt has just opened up in my city, so a couple of friends and I have decided that we are going to visit this week and have our first sampling of sushi. It's not a food that I've ever tried before, so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for what's good?

If you want to see what's going to be available at the restaraunt, check out: http://www.yosushi.com/experience.php

[Aurelias Kazaar]

I normally go for tuna and prawn. Squid is good too.

[Tess Abrahams]

If it's your first time eating sushi, I'd go for a hand roll. That smoked salmon one looks goooood. :yum

[Mu Satach]

mmmm yummy...

I like california rolls and salmon, just go easy with the wasabi you're first time. :)

and miso soup is very tasty way to start off the dinner.

[Crystal]

I don't recall ever eating sushi with fish in it, just crab. I know it's delicious though.. so get crab sushi!

[Jaime Tomahawk]

Ask for the dolphin and whale

[JediBeldarine]

Mmmmmmm. Sushi is THE BEST.

Couple of quick things to know:

1. Sushi is the generic term for rolled pieces (also called maki) -- usually involving seaweed, but better sushi chefs can make rolls just using rice. Some sushi rolls are cooked (such as the California roll), but most fish rolls (salmon, tuna, etc) are not.

2. Nigiri is the term for a hunk of fish on rice

3. Sashimi the term for just fish, no rice and no roll.

Green tea is always my preferred accompaniment because of its light flavor that pairs well with sushi, but some prefer sake. Personally, I think sake takes (and smells) like nail polish remover... so I tend to avoid it like the plague. One of my favorite salads is the basic Ginger salad -- lettuce and cucumber served with a ginger dressing. Yum.

My personal favorites are tuna and salmon -- I'll take them any way you can make them, sashimi, nigiri or sushi. I don't care, as long as they're raw. Spicy tuna rolls and philadelphia rolls (salmon with cream cheese and a cucumber) are always good. My husband likes eel, but I can't stomach it. It's always worth a try (eel is always cooked). The best thing to pair sushi with is a small side of soy sauce mixed with wasabi (the green paste). Be careful with the wasabi -- it's VERY hot and extremely strong... What I do is mix a bit of wasabi into the soy sauce and taste it. If I need more wasabi, I'll add it... but be cautious on your first try. Oh, the orange dots on the rolls are fish roe (eggs), but don't let that freak you out too much.

Also, there's no graceful way to eat sushi. I have a small mouth and I just have to shove the whole thing in. I've tried to only eat half and that simply creates a humongo mess.

Essentially, just play around. With sushi, it's really hard to go wrong. Heck, my 18 month old son loves sushi... so it's not that big of a deal (the raw part anyway). There's also no right way to eat it -- I had an extended conversation with two sushi chefs at my favorite sushi joint about the correct way to enjoy wasabi. One agreed with me -- put the wasabi in the soy sauce -- the other believed it was best to put the wasabi paste right on the roll (I think this overpowers the delicate flavor most fish has). Who's right? It doesn't matter.

Man, now I want sushi. :(

[Dasquian Belargic]

and miso soup is very tasty way to start off the dinner.

That's good to know, since you can get unlimited miso for £1.

There are 5 or 6 of us going, so I'm hoping we'll each get a different dish to try out. I really like the look of the teriyaki. :)

[Hartus Kenobi]

Spicy Tuna, Shrimp tempura, and Dragon. Can't go wrong with that.

[Fieron Marzullo]

*looks at menu* Wicked turny pages, yo.

Mmmm...ramen...*drools*

Uhh...anyhow. Ooh... Agedashi tofu!! So yummy. Well, at MY local sushi shop, Azuma Sushi, it is. Not sure if they make it the same way at that place, because the picture on the menu seems to say they don't. But yes, it's something I eat almost every time I go there. As well, I usually get some edamame.

Honestly, I have a love for japanese food, so I tend not to be terribly picky, but when it comes to sushi, I don't go for California rolls. I'll take raw anyday. I love crab, so that is generally at the top of my list.

A little off-topic, but the best crab i've had recently was when a friend of a friend did it thai. Now, I swear I just crave seafood in general since then, nearly all the time.

[Morgan Evanar]

I adore eel. So try it :)

[Dasquian Belargic]

Mmm... I likes the sushi.

To start, miso soup and crayfish salad. Then some chicken katsu and chicken gyoza. Then for dessert, some mochi, dorayaki and a chocolate brownie. I had a little bite of a futomaki, but that wasn't too my tastes.

Overall, it was a tasty experience.

[Rhianna Evanar]

I can't believe I missed this before you went! :(

I'm glad you gave it a try. :) I love sushi, I'm with Morg, I love eel, tuna, salmon, california rolls... actually I think the only thing I don't like sushi wise is octopus, I don't mind the taste, it's a consistency thing, too chewey or something. LOVE miso.. Love salad greens with ginger dressing, in fact I think there is little Japanese cuisine I don't like. :lol (or Chinese, or Thai.. or.. -list goes on and on.....-)

Anyways, glad you likey! :D

[Parsideon Denix]

Maki with albacore
Nigiri with sesame ginger eel

You can eat other stuff, but these are really the only ones that matter.

[Abomination]

Nigiri with sesame ginger eel



Oh yes. Unagi is my favorite to be sure. And miso is amazing. Lucky!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

If your eyes aren't tearing up you haven't put on enough wasabi :)

[Parsideon Denix]

Nonsense. Wasabi should accent your sushi, not be all that you taste. Be sensible with it's use. If you are just jonesing for something that tastes all wasabi, all the time, eat some wasabi peas.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Don't listen to Charley. Both myself and Morg learned our lessons the hard way :p

[Razielle Alastor]

Personally, a smidge of wasabi floating in soy sauce with a ton of ginger is my way to go. :)