I especially enjoy watching the twits who insist upon using chopsticks to eat traditional finger food. I make sure not to display my gleeful contempt, however. I must remain inscrutable.

/Inscrutable.
//That means having no scrute!

jingks: When_Did_I_Eat_Corn: Goddammit, the only thing that could make a sushi discussion more pretentious would be attempting to pair the dishes with *just* the right wine, or saki, or whatever.

That's "sake".

FFSake.

westpointer: Can someone explain to me why the word 'chef' would follow the word 'sushi' to describe someone who prepares sushi?

Are you serious? You're either trolling, or have no idea what effort goes into it. I've made my own, and doing so takes time, patience, skill and physical stamina.

Read this and shut up. I went to junior high school with this cat.

Link (new window)

westpointer: Can someone explain to me why the word 'chef' would follow the word 'sushi' to describe someone who prepares sushi?

Because "sushi cook" doesn't make sense.

sgnilward: Needlessly Complicated: bump: I'm old and increasingly set in my ways, etc. That said, I've never eaten sushi and admit the concept of eating raw fish is not appealing, I also hear that 'sushi' doesn't necessarily mean 'uncooked'... but I'd be up for trying some if they had some type of inexpensive sampler platter - I don't want to waste food if I'm not going to like it/eat it.

I'd welcome a chance to go try some with someone that knows about it all... I'm painfully "meat n taters" guy so if there's soy, ginger or any type of hot sauce, I'm okay - but too much rabbit food & all that ... well that'll not sweetening the deal...

/not trying to be difficult

Go to the Japanese restaurant and just order the Teriyaki (anything) or the tempura platter (I assume fried is OK). Problem solved.

Hmm, sounds familiar....

/want to hang out?

Yeah, ok. :)

Don't get me wrong, I LIKE sushi (the raw fish, seaweed, rice, eel, man, it's all good). However, you shouldn't be made to feel like you're somehow a travesty of a human being if you don't want to eat it or don't feel you can appreciate it. Just don't be a dick and knock it saying stuff like "it sucks and it sounds gross, eeewww, raw fish" if you've never eaten it... that's just ignorant. And there's lots of other tasty food at a Japanese restaurant that people who don't like sushi can eat.

jingks: westpointer: Can someone explain to me why the word 'chef' would follow the word 'sushi' to describe someone who prepares sushi?

Because "sushi cook" doesn't make sense.

Heh.

People will come in and say, "I'm from California and New York," thinking they eat a higher level of sushi everything. I'm like, what do you want from me? "How was your flight?"

Is it that all the most arrogant morons live in these places, or does living in these places make you an arrogant moron?

mamoru: SALMON SHOULD NOT BE COOKED SMOKED OR HAVE ANYTHING ELSE DONE TO IT EVAR!!!! WHHAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!

:)

I also lurve Philly rolls.

but straight up raw salmon, as sashimi or on sushi is incredibly delicious. My favorite food in the world. :D

I grew up in Oregon, and had tons of smoked salmon growing up, so I may just have a bias. Although, most of that smoked stuff has like wood flavoring and things added to it, which I find I just can't stand anymore. I prefer it without all the flavorings and colorings and crap added to it, thanks.

I do a good job baking salmon, though. Would that be acceptable? :)

This article has me craving some tempura, gyoza, unagi...I'd kill for a nice hot bowl of miso soup.

Oh, miso, honey...I love you long time!

nb.t t3.wy 'nkh.ti rnp.ti dj.t nhh: I do a good job baking salmon, though. Would that be acceptable? :)

A lot of people over cook salmon until it's completely dry. I know it's what I grew up on since my mother is scared of anything that remotely looks undercooked. Baked (and BBQed) salmon is delicious.

When_Did_I_Eat_Corn: Goddammit, the only thing that could make a sushi discussion more pretentious would be attempting to pair the dishes with *just* the right wine, or saki, or whatever.

Yeah, because talking about things that we like, and that taste good, is pretentious and snobbish right?

FFS....

Try to think of it in exactly the same way as you woul dif this were a onversation about where to get a good steak or even a burger. It's really not any different. Pretend when people are saying "I know this place where the fish is really fresh" that they are saying "I know this place where you can get a steak cooked just perfectly, charred on the outside but really bloody!"


See, raw fish tastes good, doesn't need to be expensive and is pretty good for you. Just because some people (like the people the article is talking about) that eat sushi are pretentious twatwaffle doesn't mean that everyone that likes it suffers from the same.

Some of us go eat sushi or sashimi like it's any other meal, because it's tasty.

jingks: nb.t t3.wy 'nkh.ti rnp.ti dj.t nhh: I do a good job baking salmon, though. Would that be acceptable? :)

A lot of people over cook salmon until it's completely dry. I know it's what I grew up on since my mother is scared of anything that remotely looks undercooked. Baked (and BBQed) salmon is delicious.

I've known that sort. If you're going to fire it until it's sad and grey, just eat a bloody potato instead.

My grandmother used to have a couple of Chinese grad students living with her. They helped around the house in exchange for a free room. I was there one day having a lovely meal with seaweed, rice, and tofu. I was talking with Ding and he made a comment that still makes me laugh any time I see someone using chopsticks. Basically, he said Chinese culture had a long history of wonderful inventions that were much better than the Western equivalents, but... chopsticks weren't one of them. He said the fork, knife and spoon were much better.

As for a sushi chef getting upset because you mangle their language, I'd find the nearest English sign in the place and point out the 7 or 8 mistakes in it. This chef sounds like a nozzle. It's easier to find good food in big cities. There is just more competition. How much wasabi you can eat? Really, that's worth getting upset over? We aren't experts in foreign food quality? Well, educate us. Taste is a matter of taste, but it's also a learned skill.

Gothnet: When_Did_I_Eat_Corn: Goddammit, the only thing that could make a sushi discussion more pretentious would be attempting to pair the dishes with *just* the right wine, or saki, or whatever.

Yeah, because talking about things that we like, and that taste good, is pretentious and snobbish right?

FFS....

Try to think of it in exactly the same way as you woul dif this were a onversation about where to get a good steak or even a burger. It's really not any different. Pretend when people are saying "I know this place where the fish is really fresh" that they are saying "I know this place where you can get a steak cooked just perfectly, charred on the outside but really bloody!"


See, raw fish tastes good, doesn't need to be expensive and is pretty good for you. Just because some people (like the people the article is talking about) that eat sushi are pretentious twatwaffle doesn't mean that everyone that likes it suffers from the same.

Some of us go eat sushi or sashimi like it's any other meal, because it's tasty.

The funny thing is, although I can easily picture the type described by the article, I've never known one. Am I just lucky?

1000% off topic, but the biggest shock of my life was my dyed in the wool conservative, "meat and potatoes only", straight-laced father's first trip to our local sushi joint with the misses and myself.

we expected he'd eat the fried stuff, but my eyes almost popped out when he popped an eel roll into his mouth. i warned him that it was raw, but he said it tasted farking amazing and then proceeded to eat every last thing that was delivered, raw or cooked.

Candygram4Mongo: madmonkey: I could so go for some good unagi right now...

omnomnomeel

Could and did.

The local Asian grocery sells Unagi Kayabaki, an entire charcoal grilled seasoned eel, in the frozen food section. It's about the price of a McDonalds extra value meal. You don't even have to cook it. Just thaw it out, slice it up, and serve with rice. It even makes microwaved rice taste better...

Oh man, I could eat the HELL out of some eel right now. I have yet to try any Japanese way of prepping it that it isn't freaking delicious.

You know, I've lived in San Jose and Santa Cruz and I don't understand the article. It's possible to go to really good sushi places and not be a pretentious jackhole. The only Japanese I speak is the names of the menu items and the chefs sure as hell appreciate it when you complement the food, tell them your favourites, and ask what something you've never tried before is like.

You know, like almost all professional chefs do.

Just recently found a great place in Vegas. They got an all you can eat special. Place name is just a location, Sushi on Tropicana. About $24 and you get an appetizer.

For anybody all squicky about "raw fish", that's not exactly right. They serve stuff like Japanese Lasagne, which is a California roll topped with cream cheese and sauce and baked, much of the fish is cooked (like the unagi rolls), they got teppanyaki (cooked on a griddle), the whole deal actually gives you a lot of options and tons of different tastes.

For the virgins, go easy at first. Go in and tell the waitstaff what sort of foods you like otherwise. In a good place, they can steer you to good starter dishes, like the ebi nigirizushi. That's a boiled shrimp on a pressed roll of rice. For those not too big on veggies , the right orders can give you a pretty much an all-seafood with rice and the occasional strip of seaweed meal.

Hell, here's a list: Link (new window)

If you can't find something you like on there (I'm easy, if it comes out of the ocean I'll probably eat it) you don't deserve food.

How to Eat Sushi (new window)

krupintupple: 1000% off topic, but the biggest shock of my life was my dyed in the wool conservative, "meat and potatoes only", straight-laced father's first trip to our local sushi joint with the misses and myself.

we expected he'd eat the fried stuff, but my eyes almost popped out when he popped an eel roll into his mouth. i warned him that it was raw, but he said it tasted farking amazing and then proceeded to eat every last thing that was delivered, raw or cooked.

What were you aiming at?

I keed; eel is my most evar favourite too. You can sometimes get it frozen at Chinese markets, but you take your risks there.

Five reasons your Mexican chef hates you:
1. You think you're hot shiat.
2. You show off how much hot sauce you can eat.
3. Your Spanish sucks.
4. You actually prefer Taco Bell.
5. You're a Gringo.

The only sushi I'll eat are the tuna varieties.

jingks: A lot of people over cook salmon until it's completely dry. I know it's what I grew up on since my mother is scared of anything that remotely looks undercooked.

My mom was the same way. The only meat she didn't over-cook into dry death was ground beef. Until I was married and actually tasted pork chops and steak that *weren't* hard and dry, I didn't even realize she'd been doing it wrong. That said, I still don't really like pork chops much, and even well-cooked steak is just too much chewing. But man, my mom *really* ruined them.

The chicken I knew she was wasting, because I'd had good chicken. Hard lumps of muscle, coated in way too much Mrs Dash, cracked from being cooked too long, slightly singed in places. Bleh.

If only I could land a job making up stupid lists for publication as filler I'd be on easy street.

vudukungfu: How to Eat Sushi (new window)

You should at least link a proper video from the Japanese Culture Lab.

/ subtitled
// hilarious

Yulian: Candygram4Mongo: madmonkey: I could so go for some good unagi right now...

omnomnomeel

Could and did.

The local Asian grocery sells Unagi Kayabaki, an entire charcoal grilled seasoned eel, in the frozen food section. It's about the price of a McDonalds extra value meal. You don't even have to cook it. Just thaw it out, slice it up, and serve with rice. It even makes microwaved rice taste better...

Oh man, I could eat the HELL out of some eel right now. I have yet to try any Japanese way of prepping it that it isn't freaking delicious.

You know, I've lived in San Jose and Santa Cruz and I don't understand the article. It's possible to go to really good sushi places and not be a pretentious jackhole. The only Japanese I speak is the names of the menu items and the chefs sure as hell appreciate it when you complement the food, tell them your favourites, and ask what something you've never tried before is like.

You know, like almost all professional chefs do.

Just recently found a great place in Vegas. They got an all you can eat special. Place name is just a location, Sushi on Tropicana. About $24 and you get an appetizer.

For anybody all squicky about "raw fish", that's not exactly right. They serve stuff like Japanese Lasagne, which is a California roll topped with cream cheese and sauce and baked, much of the fish is cooked (like the unagi rolls), they got teppanyaki (cooked on a griddle), the whole deal actually gives you a lot of options and tons of different tastes.

For the virgins, go easy at first. Go in and tell the waitstaff what sort of foods you like otherwise. In a good place, they can steer you to good starter dishes, like the ebi nigirizushi. That's a boiled shrimp on a pressed roll of rice. For those not too big on veggies , the right orders can give you a pretty much an all-seafood with rice and the occasional strip of seaweed meal.

Hell, here's a list: Link (new window)

If you can't find something you like on there (I'm easy, if it comes out of the ocean I'll probably eat it) you don't deserve food.

That is most assuredly not Japanese, but sounds really delicious. I think I'll try that tonight; thanks.

jingks: vudukungfu: How to Eat Sushi (new window)

You should at least link a proper video from the Japanese Culture Lab.

/ subtitled
// hilarious

I was just getting eadt to post that- in japanese
Link (new window)

jingks: lo quilty: When I was in high school I dated a sushi chef. He was the only asian guy I ever dated, but I really thought he was cute. He called me his "gyochan". It means "cutie pie" in japanese. :-p

I don't think it means anything specific in Japanese. "Chan" is an enduring honorific. I don't know what "gyo" refers to unless it's part of your name.

Hmmm...



Maybe he was a big Junji Ito fan?



Hallshark!

#6: World War 2

AdolfOliverPanties: I've always thought of sushi as more art than food.

It's part art. That's for sure.

I had a sushi chef once make me a rose where the petals were salmon sashimi.

Delicious. Appealing to the eye to boot.

And, my God, now that I think about it, he might've been hitting on me.

/"Are those chopsticks in your pocket or are you happy to see me?"

Yulian: Oh man, I could eat the HELL out of some eel right now.

So how YOU doing?


/ kidding! I'm kiddin'!

I have always had a feeling that no one really likes sushi. It is just hip to say you do. I know it isn't true, but whatever. I don't dig on raw fish. I have had my share of sushi and simply prefer my food cooked. And I don't even like fish. So sushi really isn't on my favorite food list.

Yulian: jingks: lo quilty: When I was in high school I dated a sushi chef. He was the only asian guy I ever dated, but I really thought he was cute. He called me his "gyochan". It means "cutie pie" in japanese. :-p

I don't think it means anything specific in Japanese. "Chan" is an enduring honorific. I don't know what "gyo" refers to unless it's part of your name.

Hmmm...



Maybe he was a big Junji Ito fan?



Hallshark!

Ewwww!

red5ish: Five reasons your Mexican chef hates you:
1. You think you're hot shiat.
2. You show off how much hot sauce you can eat.
3. Your Spanish sucks.
4. You actually prefer Taco Bell.
5. You're a Gringo.

I'm not a frat boy, so I don't think I'm hot shiat or enter in hot suace or wasabi pissing contests. If the menu's in a language I know enough of to at least read outloud, I'll say it, but if not I'll just point. Not like speaking comes up much when I'm checking off boxes on a sushi bar menu anyway.

Life's too short to biatch about not liking something if there's nothing actually wrong with it. Blatantly wrong order, or something *really* unsanitary, yeah, I'll say something. But other than that... if I don't like the service, I'll tip 15 but never go back. And if something's too spicy, or something I'm not used to, or if I prefer something a different way, I'll eat it anyway. I ordered it and all. If I still hate it, then I just don't order it or don't go back. Easy enough.

As for 'you're not the right ethnicity!', that's the stupidest thing anyone could ever say. Can you cook? Great.

There's one American guy at the awesome sushi bar / grocery I mentioned up above. I assume that's because he knows his shiat.

felixecho: I have always had a feeling that no one really likes sushi. It is just hip to say you do. I know it isn't true, but whatever. I don't dig on raw fish. I have had my share of sushi and simply prefer my food cooked. And I don't even like fish. So sushi really isn't on my favorite food list.

i really like sushi.

\unhip

Mackerel and pickled ginger. That is all.

felixecho: I have always had a feeling that no one really likes sushi. It is just hip to say you do. I know it isn't true, but whatever. I don't dig on raw fish. I have had my share of sushi and simply prefer my food cooked. And I don't even like fish. So sushi really isn't on my favorite food list.

Not related. I really don't care for cooked fish; it all tastes roughly the same to me.

But raw fish has such delicate, unique, sweet flavours...

I have many friends who "didn't like sushi", but only because they'd never had good sushi. Unlike many foods, the difference between good and terrible sushi is about 24 hours (among other things).

Keep an open mind. Or visit Japan. Either is good.

Yeeesh, formatting fail in my last comment.

aagrajag: Candygram4Mongo: madmonkey: I could so go for some good unagi right now...

omnomnomeel

Could and did.

The local Asian grocery sells Unagi Kayabaki, an entire charcoal grilled seasoned eel, in the frozen food section. It's about the price of a McDonalds extra value meal. You don't even have to cook it. Just thaw it out, slice it up, and serve with rice. It even makes microwaved rice taste better...

That's my favourite food in the whole world, but I only eat it here in Japan. The one time I tried it from a Chinese grocery back in Canada... I had to throw it away; some of which I'd already eaten.

This goes triple for uni.

There is no better food in the world than Unagi. Have you had Unagi pies yet?

BTW, if you're lookin' for a good Teriyaki grill in San Antonio, I'd like to recommend the Tokyo Steakhouse offa San Pedro. Beats the hell out Bennie's heinie.

HumanBeingsSuck: El_Maestro: except for eating wasabi

It's not wasabi. It's horseradish and mustard with food coloring in it. And when you mix it in your soy sauce and grab your chopsticks and dunk a piece of nigiri in it before eating it in two bites, you are completely and utterly failing at sushi eating.

1> Use your fingers.
2> Maybe lightly dip the fish side in soy.
3> Put the whole thing in your mouth in one bite.
4> Chew, savor!

Fish flavors are delicate. So are the flavors in the rice. The chef provides an appropriate amount of faux-wasabi between the fish and rice. When you use extra horseradish until you feel like you are snorting fire, you can't possibly be tasting the food, and tasting the food is kind of the point. When you dunk the rice in soy you make the piece of nigiri fall apart. When you gratuitously use the chopsticks just because you know how (and you probably aren't using them right) you just look stupid.

The chef doesn't want you to kiss his ass. He does want you to enjoy the fruits of his labor. And as a human being you should at least put forth minimal effort to use proper table manners.

Oh pick-pick-pick. I like the taste of the fake wasabi with soy sauce. I don't throw every damn thing into it, either. Unagi has more than enough flavour on its own, for example, but the maguro tastes better to me with some dipping. Brings out the flavour.

And who made you the God of Chopsticks? I have them at home because they're a convenient utensil that's really easy to clean. I can use them well enough to rapidly stuff my face with food if I want to. Frankly, it's easier to lift a nigirizushi with them than with a fork because the sticks get both sides and don't break up the rice.

"Not using them right". Really? They're pretty straightforward, how can one not use them right if one can pick stuff up with them?

cybrwzrd: aagrajag: Candygram4Mongo: madmonkey: I could so go for some good unagi right now...

omnomnomeel

Could and did.

The local Asian grocery sells Unagi Kayabaki, an entire charcoal grilled seasoned eel, in the frozen food section. It's about the price of a McDonalds extra value meal. You don't even have to cook it. Just thaw it out, slice it up, and serve with rice. It even makes microwaved rice taste better...

That's my favourite food in the whole world, but I only eat it here in Japan. The one time I tried it from a Chinese grocery back in Canada... I had to throw it away; some of which I'd already eaten.

This goes triple for uni.

There is no better food in the world than Unagi. Have you had Unagi pies yet?

The sweet pastry? Yeah, a friend brought some as an omiyage. I was a bit doubtful, but I'm beginning to think that anything eel-based is delicious.

Yulian: "Not using them right". Really? They're pretty straightforward, how can one not use them right if one can pick stuff up with them?

I was wondering the same thing. After some practice it's pretty much second nature.

/ some of the cheapies even have instructions on the wrapper, f'r pete's sake...