Sushi Otaku

Sushi has been a popular item in the west for a few decades now and as with anything that makes its way across cultures, it has readily changed to better match western palates. But unlike noodles and soybeans, sushi has not merely changed to fit our preferences; it has begun to shape how we view our foods in the west as well. Recently, I have seen what I believe to be the pinnacle of intrusion, the actual supplanting of traditional western food culture with an Eastern import, in an unlikely place. And due to this, sushi has become more than, or perhaps less than, just sushi, and I am not yet sure what this might mean. Allow me to elaborate…

I was at an Italian restaurant the other evening with friends, a rather upscale establishment started by a well-known celebrity chef (since New York needs more of these restaurants). Looking for great seafood and not having eaten there yet, it was a perfect choice to meet, and we were all eager to try it out. The menu was enticing, varied, and upon reflection, strange. The appetizer list had a section of raw fish, some ceviche style, and some purely raw, but some of the items were not listed by their Italian names (what I expected) nor their English names (what I also would have expected), but by their Japanese names. I ended up ordering hamachi sashimi in a somewhat upscale Italian restaurant, and it became one of many sushi items I had that evening. The fish was not sliced in the same manner as sushi would be, nor was it the same cut (portion) of the fish that is normally used to make sushi/sashimi. It was also not served in the manner of sushi or sashimi. Yet it was labeled as such. It was quite tasty, but I cannot fathom why they would list it as hamachi instead of yellowtail. It seemed odd to find an item referred to in the third party language without context in an Italian restaurant.

When Italian restaurants list items under their Japanese names, and sushi is available at 7-11 stores, I start to wonder what has changed. While there is certainly no rule that sushi and sashimi must remain in a Japanese restaurant, and that the terms be restricted to such use, it seems more than out of place to find such a dish, and the use of the terminology, in such surprising places. When something has become so pervasive that it can no longer be separated from its counterparts, I question one’s ability to define it. It dilutes the brand, and shows how pervasive it has become that it has jumped from exotic, to mainstream, and then possibly to boring. That said, there is nothing uninspiring about a lengthy and adventurous dinner at Sushi Yasuda in New York, yet still, perhaps, when a once exotic food has so ingrained itself in another culture it becomes something different entirely. Something that only in name retains its roots. What that thing is though is to me uncertain as becomes easy to lose the qualities that make it exotic fare.

We need the great traditional Japanese restaurants such as Sushi Yasuda, and the impressive sushi works of Nobu to keep the art and evolution of good sushi and sashimi ever present in our cultural palate. We need reminders that what to westerners is exotic fare can evolve and remain such, and hopefully there will be no need to lament what sushi has become. Some foods and cultures mix exceptionally well, such as the infusion of French culinary culture into traditional Vietnamese cooking. But a melange can only go so far before it leaves the realm of fusion and becomes pedestrian. My final feeling that we have reached the point of no return will be when I see, in the glass window next to the garish clown, a poster for the new McMaki with cheese.

Meshi agare!
Warren
The sushi guy

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In what is good news for California Roll eaters, today Japan has formally announced a campaign for certifying Japanese food overseas without Big Brother inspecting the sushi. Initially covered back in December of 2006 in my piece “The sushi police are here to see you,” the Japanese ministry of Agriculture, along with a “non-governmental group of experts” has launched a campaign which will allow Japanese restaurants in various countries to certify their food as authentic and proudly display the Japanese Seal of Approval. With chopsticks holding a cherry blossom in front of a rising sun, the logo seems to capture the essence of Japanese food and culture, while allowing restaurants to tout their traditional offerings.

There will be no sushi police, merely the ability for restaurant goers to be sure that the food they are eating adheres to traditional standards. These standards do not cover foods such as the American California Roll and other items that westerners have become accustomed to, but may never have known are not standard fare in Japan. “Our objective is to promote Japanese food, not eliminate Japanese restaurants” a member of the board was quoted as saying.

In order to qualify for certification, restaurants should use authentic Japanese products, such as wasabi (preferably from the Izu peninsula), koshihikari rice (grown in Japan), pickled ginger (preferably from Tochigi), and miso paste (preferably from the Nagano mountains). They must also display knowledge of Japanese recipes as well as proper hygiene (great news! ). Restaurants must adhere to the five specified criteria of authenticity, such as dish arrangement, originality, and customer service.

On March 27^th and 28^th the organization will be holding a conference to review the certification criteria and process, and have invited restaurant owners from around the world. There are an estimated 25,000 Japanese restaurants around to world, and that number is expected to double over the next few years. With all those restaurants, the hope is that as consumption of Japanese food increases world-wide, standards will be maintained, to a degree, and that Japanese food will remain relatively the same, unlike “Chinese food” restaurants, which have almost nothing in common with traditional Chinese meals. For westerners, you will still have your spicy tuna rolls, California rolls, and Philadelphia rolls in many of your local restaurants. But you will also be able to go out and find traditional Japanese food as well, certified by the Japanese government. Practically speaking, there won’t be much difference, and there will be no sushi police watching over your shoulder. Not that I was worried anyway, but still, it wouldn’t have been fun to have to go under the table to sneak some avocado into my unagi maki.

Meshi Agare!
Warren
The sushi guy

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I have recently set up a wiki that I have entitled the “Sushi-ya-pedia” that I would like to turn into a community powered sushi bar finder and restaurant review resource. In my opinion, there is no better reviewer than diners ourselves, so I’m working hard to get every restaurant in the US (and eventually the world) into the database, but I encourage anyone who may be interested in participating to head on over and check it out. Feel free to create an account and make your voice heard. If you don’t know how to create a wiki page, you are always welcome to email me and I would be happy to update your favorite restaurant with your description and review. For starters, you please visit:

http://www.sushifaq.com/sushiyapedia/
http://www.sushifaq.com/sushiyapedia/index.php/Formatting
http://www.sushifaq.com/sushiyapedia/index.php/Help:Contents

Please join and help make the Sushi-Ya-Pedia the most useful place for sushi lovers on the ‘net to find their food!

Meshi agare!
Warren

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Every once in a while I read something about the restaurant business that makes me so incredibly happy that I am a regular at a few sushi places and trust them implicitly. I walk in, they know I am a regular and I am treated as such. There is a reason that I am a regular too, I trust their practices and I love their food. And most especially, they are nothing like Sushi World.

I don’t think it takes a brain surgeon to realize that making sushi in a place used for pigeons and cats is not a good idea. Especially when your customers are starting to suffer from food poisoning. I can only wonder why it took the Australian authorities so long to shut them down. Places like this are certainly not limited to Australia, and I have heard my share of horror stories about places in North America, but I’ve always associated Australia with fresh seafood (perhaps a stereotype, but at least a good one). I’ll have to get myself over there to test the waters, so to speak. And maintain my status as a ‘regular’ at my local places, so when I’m in the kitchen talking to the chefs, I can be sure that there are no critters present, be they furry or flying.

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I eat at two different types of sushi restaurant, the “quick fix” kind and the higher quality places where I linger and enjoy my sushi meal to its utmost. I am somewhat of a sushi snob, which I’ll freely admit, and the “quick fix” places I go to are still decent restaurants, but there is a series of methods I use to determine which stand above the rest. To some, this may be a waste of time because a good sushi restaurant is a good sushi restaurant, but to me, the distinction is important. When I find a new place, there are three basic things that I try which tell me if this new place is a sit down or a take out. And this determination is not made right away. I’ll share my methodology and you decide if it is worth it to you. A great deal of the quality of a particular restaurant is determined by the skills of the Itamae (sushi chef), so what this really means is that my criteria focuses on him (or her). This also requires at least three visits to the restaurant. This is how I test a new restaurant:

Try the sushi. This may sound pretty dumb, but I mean exactly what I say. I try sushi, maki, temaki, and anything non-sashimi. This gives me a feeling for the way that the Itamae makes the most basic kinds of sushi. It is actually not easy to make the perfect bed of rice for your sushi. Or to roll a perfect maki or temaki. The balance of ingredients is key, as well as presentation and selection. The ability to craft a perfect piece of sushi is an easy way to determine the basic skills of the Itamae.

Try the sashimi. This is my second test. I order all sashimi or chirashi. Again, this may sound silly, but this will highlight something very special about the Itamae. Cutting the fish and presenting the sashimi properly displays the Itamae’s understanding of the fish. For sashimi, the fish must be cut the right size, the right way to be eaten easily (across the grain at the proper angle), and presented in an appealing fashion. The Itamae must be aware what part of the fish he is serving, which will determine how he cuts it, as well as how to plate it. Proper understanding of the type of fish and the part he cuts is what separates the so-so Itamae from the great ones.

Order Omakase. For those who may not know what omakase is, it is essentially “chef’s choice.” When you sit down and order omakase, you are giving the Itamae the freedom to serve you whatever he wants to serve, and he is expected to highlight what he thinks are the best picks at that time. Without a great understanding of the food he serves, this will be only an average meal. But a good Itamae will find the best selections, the right seasonal items, the proper presentation (which should be more impressive than you average order), and be attentive to your guidance should you have any. He should understand the order in which to serve the particular fish so one does not overpower the one following piece. The skill, knowledge, intuition, and sophistication are truly displayed when the Itamae is preparing an omakase meal.

This is not necessarily a suggestion for everyone to go out and use this methodology. This is what I do and has helped me find some great places to eat sushi (in my seemingly obsessive-compulsive way). Generally if you like a place enough, you will know it is right for you, but for me, I like to study and learn what is out there. I usually get to know the Itamae at the sushi restaurants that I favour, and a great ice-breaker is to tell them how much you appreciate their skills. It’s not the only way, but an individual who understands his craft that well will be pleased to hear such comments. And I’m sure they appreciate the beer I buy them in thanks. I know I would.

Meshi agare!
Warren
The sushi guy

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I didn’t intend this blog to turn into a bunch of “how to” posts, and I think my next post may be on how many pieces of hamachi can I fit into my mouth at once, but I did nevertheless feel that a good follow-up to my “How to Eat Sushi” would be how to find a good sushi-ya and how to determine it’s quality. I’m sure all of you have no problems determining if you like a place or not, but the goal of this entry to point out the specific things to look for in terms of food quality that make a sushi-ya stand out relative to it’s peers.

There are many good and many bad sushi places. Many, many bad sushi places. I’ve walked out of places before I was even seated, and I’ve also left food on my plate that wasn’t up to par (how rude, I know). There are details that I have noted over the years that have helped me identify whether or not I want to dine in a particular sushi-ya where I’ve never been, and I thought to share them with both of you who still read my blog. When traveling and in an unfamiliar city, I often seek out sushi and here are my tips to find a good place, and determine the quality of its offerings.

What to Look For:
At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, I have found that some of the best sushi places have a large Japanese clientele. A lack of Japanese diners is not necessarily indicative of a sub-par sushi-ya, but when I notice a large number of Japanese diners, it’s a big “thumbs up.”
Look for a line or a long wait. It sounds annoying, but it’s true. A particular sushi-ya in New York City that I love develops a line around the block starting about 5:30 pm. I’m not kidding, and the sushi there is superb. Sushi can be worth the wait.

Smell the air when you walk in. If it smells fishy (and not fresh) you might want to go get pizza. A mix of interesting smells can be expected, but if anything smells off, either something may have gone bad or perhaps they may not clean the place frequently or well enough.
Look at the fish presented in the sushi bar. It should look clean, fresh, well wrapped, and not all thrown together. If anything looks dry, old, or crusty, run for the nearest exit. When your neta has a leathery edge all you want to do is spit it out.

Is the itamae Japanese? If he is not, the sushi-ya may still have very good sushi, but my personal opinion is that one stands a better chance of finding a good trained/experienced sushi chef if they are Japanese. And while many other Asian countries have their versions of sushi, what we have come to expect in North America seems to be the uniquely Japanese style and presentation. If not “made in Japan” I’ll take “made by Japan.”

Does the sushi look slapped together? There is a particular sushi-ya near me where the presentation is just not right and whether directly or indirectly related, the sushi is only so-so. If the itamae doesn’t respect his presentation enough I would question how much respect he has for the quality.

Does the restaurant focus on sushi? If the sushi bar is an add-on, I tend to avoid it. There are exceptions but if sushi is not their first priority, I would rather go to a place where it is. Remember, the quality of the sushi is very dependant on the individual who chooses the fish at the wholesaler, and if their expertise is at the hibachi, I don’t want them choosing the food I’m going to eat raw.

I avoid fast food sushi places. There’s quality food and there’s fast food, and never the two shall meet. sushi had better be quality. I’ve touched on this in a previous piece, and there is definitely some good pre-made stuff, but if it’s on a conveyor belt, I won’t go near it.

What to Look For When Dining:
One way that is used to determine the skill of the itamae is to try the tamago yaki (a slightly sweet omelet). This is a delicate item that takes great skill to perfect. In Japan, potential customers often ask to try the tamago yaki to determine if the itamae is skilled enough, in their opinion, to be preparing sushi.

How does the rice taste? How does it feel? The rice should not be too soft nor too firm, and the balance of seasonings should be just right. If it’s too sweet or tastes of vinegar, they don’t know how to prepare it and I would question how well they prepare anything else. The rice is the foundation upon which sushi is built (and I’m using the term colloquially since technically ‘sushi‘ refers to the rice).

Inspect your nigiri-zushi. In a quality establishment the itamae will know the proper balance of fish to rice, and huge hunks of fish, while fun and yummy, can upset the balance. Remember, sushi is as much science as art, and if you have an experienced itamae, he will know how to serve you best.

Look for fresh wasabi. That lump of green putty you got is, in all likelihood, American horseradish with food colouring. A good sushi-ya will have the real stuff available for the asking, and often for a price. But it’s worth it, in my opinion, and it’s a different animal (so to speak).

Look for interesting seasonal items. This indicates that they pay attention to the particulars of the foods they offer, and seek out something when it is available and fresh. Ankimo (monkfish liver) is a classic example of this. It is a seasonal item that can be found off-season, but does not have the same taste and texture when it has been sitting in a freezer for months. The itamae at my favourite sushi-ya near me won’t serve it unless it is fresh, and because of this I know he cares about the quality of his food.

OK, that’s it. There is absolutely nothing else you need to know. Really… Nothing at all. Well, obviously there is more, but those were my observations that have yet to lead me astray in my search for outstanding sushi-ya in strange places. If I’ve overlooked anything, feel free to chime in on the comment page. Sushi is a magnificent dish when done right. Good sushi is nice, but great sushi is something to tell your friends about. It’s worth the effort to find the best, and if you can, take me with you.

Warren
The sushi guy.

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This article has been moved to the How to Eat Sushi page on The Sushi FAQ. Please follow the aforementioned link to an expanded version of this article.

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I have touched on this topic before, but I was looking at my spider roll (soft shell crab) the other night and thought about just how incredible it was relative to my non-sushi meals. It got me thinking, as always, that it may not be a traditional sushi offering, but not only did it fit in well with the traditional sushi on my plate, but it just worked and was incredibly good. (To clarify, while crab (kani) is very common in Japanese cuisine, and even sushi (or maki-zushi), deep frying a soft shell crab and adding mayonnaise, cucumber, avocado, et al. is not a traditional Japanese sushi-ya offering).

In Japan, there are traditional sushi-ya and non-traditional sushi-ya. In North America, there a very few traditional sushi-ya (although some great ones, see my Sushi Yasuda blog entry to hear about one), and those that exist are not necessarily easy to identify. In fact, some of the most popular ones (e.g. Nobu in New York City) are not even remotely traditional. Not that that’s a bad thing. We North Americans don’t always know what is and is not traditional sushi-ya fare, and I’m not going to go through the list here. While there may be traditionalists out there who bemoan the development of “fusion” sushi cuisine and the changing landscape, there are many benefits to having it both ways. As I mentioned, that spider roll was a really incredible roll. And who can ignore the popularity of the “California roll?”

While I tend to shy away from the salmon and cream cheese rolls, I can readily appreciate the blend of flavours offered by the many new styles of sushi that appear in sushi-ya here in North America. I also respect the subtle classic offerings that are found in contemporary as well as traditionalist sushi-ya. It is not an unusual occurrence for a culture to adopt and adapt a cuisine (or technology, or anything else) over time, so I think we all should acknowledge the non-traditional sushi as we have accepted all new ideas over time. After all, without the adoption of fire one day long ago, we would all still be eating our food raw. Oh, Wait.

Warren
The Sushi Guy

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I pretty much always go to a pure sushi-ya when I’m going out to eat sushi. If sushi is their core competency, then I know I’m probably in for a good meal. There are, however, Japanese steakhouses (the places with all the fancy foodwork at the table) that also have a sushi bar somewhere on premises. And I can’t say that I’m a big fan of the concept.

The one benefit of a sushi bar in a steakhouse is that, often enough, its not particularly busy and you may get an attentive itamae (chef). And sometimes the food is good. There was one in particular near where I lived a few years ago that was actually quite good. It wasn’t my number one choice, but I always knew I could get in and sit at the bar if my usual places were too full. The itamae was nice and the sushi was good. But I think I was lucky. I don’t mean to disparage the sushi bars at steakhouses, but in my overall experience, they have been sub par. Again, it’s not something they focus on and they may not do the volume of business necessary to keep their items in peak condition. They may not have a particularly diverse selection of items. No specials, no seasonal items. They also may not be able to hire a top itamae.

For high quality sushi I look for a restaurant that specializes in sushi. I don’t want my experience to feel tacked on to another one. That said, you might get lucky at a steakhouse (I have), but you also may not (and I have not). Sushi is something special, even if you eat it frequently, and deserves to be treated as an art, not just a meal. It is best appreciated, instead of being ‘also available,’ lowering itself to merely a fad. I want my sushi to be more than adequate. I’m not convinced that the steakhouse sushi can be that. But if I’m not looking for sushi, I’ll definitely go to one for dinner and a show.

Warren
The Sushi Guy

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Generally when we go out to eat we are friendly enough with the waiter (waitress) but don’t think too much about anything other than our food and companions. This is not a bad thing, however I feel that when you are enjoying such an exquisite meal as sushi, there are great advantages to making a new friend. The itamae (the Japanese name for a sushi (or other) chef and pronounced ita-meh-ee), politely addressed as itamae-san. One thing that many westerners do not know is that there are many sushi items that are seasonal, and others that are not normally on the menu but can be requested. By virtue of that, they almost become off limits to most people. I’ve also, at times, been steered away from items that are no longer at their peak of freshness. How’s that for service?

For years I went to a particular sushi-ya and sat in almost the same seat every time at the sushi bar. Over time, I got to know the itamae, Sato-san, quite well, and he got to know me. By being interested in what he was doing, why he selected the fish he did, and even buying him a beer now and then, we actually became good friends. I was at first surprised at how accessible and friendly he was, even though he was often quite busy. But sushi was his job, and sushi was becoming my life, so we hit it off.

Over time he introduced me to things I would not normally have encountered, nor even tried. Fried shrimp heads (actually quite good). Ankimo (monkfish liver). And fresh wasabi (the green horseradish-like rhizome that accompanies your sushi meal). For years I had eaten the horseradish and food colouring blob on my plate actually thinking it was wasabi. One day, he took a brownish-green gnarled object and grated it on a device covered in sharkskin. Real wasabi, and what a difference it made. And what an interesting technique. I would also sit down at the bar and he would often, without my asking, place a nice appetizer down for me to try, or something I’d never seen before. On the house. It was great.

By my being inquisitive and respectful of his art we developed a great relationship, and he educated me in the history and sources of many foods in which I was quickly developing a keen interest. I’d never heard of Bonito flakes, but talk about an interesting historical methodology (but that’s something for another blog entry). He was full of informational tidbits. If you’re into free stuff, it never hurts to befriend the itamae, but it really is so much more than that. There isn’t all that much to talk about regarding the food at an Italian or French restaurant that most folks don’t already know. But I’d be willing to bet that you can always learn something new at a sushi-ya. The itamae is your friend. You just don’t know it yet.

Warren
The Sushi Guy

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