I eat sushi probably 2 or 3 times a week. I know that there are other sushiholics here so I thought I'd document my eats for discussion. I eat at a couple of local hole in the wall places for the most part. I always order omakase and prefer more traditional type dishes with a little fusion sprinkled in here and there. On many nights, I probably don't eat one bite of sushi in the literal sense. Anyway, on to the food:

Shochu - Japanese "vodka" if you will. Usually 40 - 50 proof and distilled from grain, barley, potato and sometimes rice.



Stater - Pickled veggies (cabbage, turnip and carrots), grilled smoked salmon and broiled salmon skin.



Noodles - Ita konnyaku (made from yam) and kajeki (made from seaweed) simmered in a light soy broth with fish cake.



Ika Fry Temaki - Spicy deep fried calimari hand roll. Sorry for the crappy pic.



Shiokara - Raw squid marinated in squid innards and fermented.



Oysters on the Half Shell - Green onions, spicy grated radish, ponzu sauce.



Kaki Fry - Deep fried oysters.



Sake Chazuke - Salted salmon, tea and rice. This is also sometimes served with a fish stock instead of the tea. Served with shibazuke and kyuchanzuke (pickled cucumbers).



As you can see, probably not everyone's idea of a typical sushi dinner. Hopefully some of you can find a new dish to try. Any questions? Ask away.

 

california rolls and bagel rolls for lifeeee
lol jk
theres some great dishes besides the rolls/sushi though.

 

there's nothing wrong with rolls. i actually like many types of rolls. my only issue is that i like variety so i don't want to eat a whole roll by myself. my wife loves rolls and at the places that we frequent, the chefs will do half orders for her. so she'll get 4 pieces of something and i'll take a bite of hers.

 

I saw that Shochu at our local ABC store (our state ran liqour stores), with the lower proof is it less harsh than a typical higher end vodka? When I saw it I couldn't figure out what the hell it was.

 

My acid test for every sushi place I go to is the sake (salmon, not the drink). If it's tender, buttery, and smooth, it's a winner. I've run into chewy, bland, warm (?!?!?!?), etc. Nasty. The other good test is the salmon skin roll - if it tastes like burnt toast, it's over. The best ones have a hint of salmon still in them and are crisp, not burnt. Just my $0.45 (since the dollar is weak).

 

it is much less harsh and actually has a marginally sweet after taste. you can mix it with cranberry, etc. like a vodka. i drink it on the rocks, but my wife's favorite mixer is crushed pear juice. also the imo shochu (potato) is the best tasting to me, the only thing is that it has a very strong smell which some find offensive. also, you'll find some golden color shochus out there. these are fermented in oak barrels and have more of a whiskey flavor to them. lastly, you'll see korean soju which is distilled in the same manner, but tastes vastly different.

 

it's hard to judge a place by just one thing. with that being said, some places do some things better than others. in terms of fish quality it's usually good or not. when they go to the market, sushi chefs have a pecking order with the distributor. if the chef has a good relationship with the seller, he will always get the cream of the crop. you're spot on regarding salmon skin.

 

toro is usually my quick barometer for a place; that will quickly tell you what rung of the pecking order they are on.


Mr Kram - that squid dish sounds pretty good.

- chuck

 

chuck, you're right. toro is probably a better barometer.

the shiokara is a good dish to pick at while you're drinking. it's pretty salty and the fermented taste is very strong. i like the texture of the raw squid as it is really like nothing else. they also prepare this dish with other types of seafood/fish.

 

Great thread, very informative and those pics make huuuungry.

Chuck & Mark what do you look for when judging the toro?