Sushi And Sashimi - A Quick Guide
Many people like sushi and sashimi and this simple guide should quickly give you a a good idea of the basics of sushi and sashimi. Well armed with a better understanding of this unique food, I encourage you to try new things, experiment with some of your old stand-bys, and most of all.... Enjoy yourself. One of these sections is about the traditional rules of sushi etiquette, and I share it merely as an informative piece and not a set of rules that I think everyone *has* to obey. I'd consider it a "for amusement only" as etiquette changes culturally, and many of those mentioned may have been proper in Japan a few hundred years ago, but not any longer. Read on to learn about my favorite food.... Sushi!
What is sushi?
Sushi is the common term for a dish composed of uncooked seafood served on a bed of rice. But nevertheless, the true definition of sushi is rather different. Common parlance aside, sushi is many things, but actually, the word “sushi” applies refers to the rice which is eaten with your meal. “Su” is the Japanese term for vinegar and “meshi” means rice. Combine the 2 (in the Japanese grammatical sense) and you have “sushi” which means the vinegared (seasoned) rice included in your meal. In point of fact, it’s not simply regular rice under your “neta” (the seafood on top of your rice), but a uniquely seasoned blend of distinct short grain rice and several other ingredients to make it distinctive.
The “sushi” we are aware of is the food items we buy at a #Japanese #restaurant. Ask for your seafood and how it’s presented, depending on your taste, and that’s sushi. The sides are just that, sides, regardless as to how delicious they are (Goma Wakame and Chuka Ika Sansai, for instance).
Sushi need not be raw. Often cooked items can be had, as well as items not offered in the way they are often pictured in menus, books, or other media. Modern-day sushi is sashimi (raw seafood without any rice), nigiri sushi (“finger sushi”, seafood on a bed of rice), maki sushi (“cut rolls” which are rolls sliced into pieces, normally 6 or eight), and many other items.
When folks think about “sushi” nowadays, the word conjures images of the number of things offered by Japanese restaurants. The important concept to take away from the dish is that that as delicious as it is, there is the fast food type, and the artful, distinctive type of sushi that you will find in decent restaurants (or that you might produce at home). Sushi is as much about originality, design, presentation, and harmony as it is about feeding yourself.
Sushi is an event. Even though one can be just as contented eating a salmon roll purchased from your local store, the true art of sushi can best be savored when an experienced master provides something beautiful on an expensive night out, or if you yourself are the master, creating sushi your way, with the foods you select. Moreover it is enjoying the company of others while your work of art (and each piece you make could be) awaits your dining pleasure. Sushi is not simply sea food and rice; sushi is delighting in of the abundance of the ocean, and sharing with others.
What does "omakase" mean when ordering sushi?
Japanese sushi has grown to be fashionable in areas of the US. This consist of fresh pieces of fresh fish together with other elements such as rice and presented in exceptional and delicious ways. For those who have come to appreciate sushi, omakase can provide them with an entirely new sushi experience.
The term, omakase, translates as to entrust your self to the chef. You are literally placing the choice of ingredients and presentations in the hand of the sushi cook, itamae. In certain of the lesser grade sushi restaurants, this could result in a combined plate of recognizable items or offerings the itamae is actually working to get out of his kitchen. However, in the better sushi restaurants, one will be presented with the best seasonal items that might have never been perceived as well as traditional favorites featured in brand new and intriguing manners.
The sushi chef should be aware of you when selecting the items and preparations. For instance, you may order a serving of omakase while specifying that no mackerel be used. You should still get a premium quality blend of various kinds of sea food and varying presentations, but no mackerel should be on the plate.
Some people think that it is best to go to a sushi establishment where they are recognized by the itamae. When this is the case, they feel that they will only be presented with items the chef knows they will appreciate. Having said that, to truly take pleasure in the experience, it does not matter if the particular person is known to the chef or not as he will still be utilizing fresh, unusual items that one might not have ever considered trying or might not have encountered at some point in the past.
It is very possible that your plate will include items you have not considered trying or presentations which you do not find appealing. While it is considered poor conduct to leave food on the plate, you are not being forced to eat something unappealing at gun point. But nevertheless, if you have requested this as a means to try something new and different, you might consider at least trying each different variety of sushi offered. You could very well find some new favorites hiding there.
Restaurants like it when customers choose omakase often. They are able to charge a higher price for the meal because it highlights not just the very best of foods available at that time, but the capabilities of the itamae too. This also makes it a lot simpler for them to plan food expenses into their purchasing.
Itamaes enjoy serving this because it gives them a chance to show their ingenuity. Creating an omakase meal is the same as creating a masterwork in the art world to the chef. He will work harder to ensure the diner gets an experience that will be memorable with his choices of ingredients and presentations. In fact, many diners have been stimulated to take photographs of their meal before eating because the presentation was so beautiful.
It is a well known fact that the Japanese are a people who place high status on honor. When one puts his confidence in the itamae to choose the food and how it will be presented, one extends to him a great honor. Most will put only their best efforts into preparing a meal for customers who have respected them in this fashion. Even familiar items will be handled with more care and a focus to detail.
Omakase is the ultimate expression of trust to a sushi chef. It is also a chance for one who relishes sushi to expand horizons and try new tastes. This may not be the meal choice for an individual who is set in his ways or does not like trying new things. However, it can heighten the experience for the ones who already enjoy sushi or entice some who have never tried sushi to contemplate it. Diners are secure they will be served the best and freshest of ingredients available, including seasonal choices they might have never considered trying in the past. The presentation is certain to take the dining experience to a whole new level, with most itamaes putting additional time and effort into crafting a meal that is as visually appealing as it is delicious.
Sushi Etiquette
I'm sure you'd heard a lot about how to properly eat sushi from people who know it all. Putting wasabi into your bowl of soy sauce is insulting the chef since he put the `proper' amount on each piece of nigiri sushi when he makes it. That when you finish your meal, you should put the tips of your chopsticks inside a bow that you make with the paper they came in. While it may be fun to try and follow all the historical rules of etiquette you read, it is not something you need to stress over Opinions vary widely when it comes to etiquette, and many of there supposed rules are culturally unnecessary, outdated, or just don't make any sense to Westerners. And that's OK. These etiquette rules are here just as a record of how sushi was originally eaten, and should not be taken as the rule when you are dining. Above all, just have fun and enjoy your meal.
I'd say that the only rule at a sushi bar is to eat what you like, how you like it, and as much as you like. Anyone who tells you differently should be ignored. Japanese culture has old and fascinating traditions, and many traditional ways of eating different foods. The method of eating has grown so much such that the presentation of food is nearly as important as how the food tastes. Food is sometimes art. But for those interested in the traditional rules of sushi etiquette, I offer:
The Beginning of the meal:
- A polite greeting is often offered, and you may hear the traditional “irasshaimase” which means “please come in” upon your entering the restaurant.
- Ask to be seated at the sushi bar if you would like to chat with the sushi chef (itamae) but if you don't want to interact, leave those seats for those who would.
Ordering Your Food
- If you are seated at the sushi bar, only order food from the itamae, drink orders will be taken by the wait staff. The chef should only touch food.
- Never ask the chef "what is fresh" as everything shoudl be fresh at a good restaurant. Just ask what he would suggest, or if there is anything of particular interest that day.
- Feel free to engage the itamae in conversation, but leave him alone if he seems particularly busy. If you are a frequent customer at a particular restaurant and get to know him, you may get some fun culinary surprises.
- It is considered impolite to leave food on your plate, so only order what you know you can eat.
The Dining
- You may be presented with a hot wet towel called an oshibori when you sit down. Wash your hands with it and fold it back up the way you received it when you return it.
- Whatever you do, do not rub your chopsticks together. Also do not stick them in a bowl of rice, as this is seen as bad luck as it mimics the incense burned at funerals in Japan. The chopsticks should be places on their tray or on your soy sauce bowl parallel to yourself when not in use.
- Nigiri sushu may be eaten with your hands as it was originally considered finger food. Dip the fish side into your soy sauce so that you do not soak up too much sauce when you dip.
- Do not put wasabi into your soy sauce and mix it in. Nigiri sushi already has what the chef deems a perfect amount on it already between the item and the rice. If you are eating another type, just place a bit of wasabi on your food and then dip.
- Slurping noodles is considered polite, so eat with gusto!
- Don't pour your own sake. Pour for others and let them pour for you.
- when saying cheers, the Japanese word is "Kanpai!" Do not say "chin chin" as in Japanese, that is a word reserved for a part of the male body best not discussed at the table.
After Your Meal
- If you were seated at the bar, you should tip the chef for the food, and the wait staff for the drinks & service.
- Tips are included in the meal check in Japan, otherwise, tip as you see fit based on the country in which you live.
Sushi vs. Sashimi
Here we see a plate of sushi and sashimi (this particular fish is bluefin tuna, or maguro). Some fish lends itself to being served as sashimi (without rice) dur to the subtle flavor or texture. Toro, the fatty underbelly of the bluefin tuna, is often served as sashimi for this reason.
You may also notice the wasabi, or green lump on the side of the food. This is a rhizome that is grated and served with sashimi, and while spicy, the heat quickly fades and it serves to enhance the flavor of the fish (and by chance, also happens to have anti-bacterial qualities).
Arriving and being seated
- It is polite in any restaurant to greet the host or hostess, who may greet you with the traditional “irasshaimase” which means “please come in.” You just need to acknowledge their greeting and are not required to say anything back, other than to answer the questions about your evening (seating, etc).
- If you are interested in watching your food preparation or conversation with the itamae (sushi chef), ask to be seated at the sushi bar, otherwise a table is fine (and the bar better left for those who would prefer the interaction).
Ordering
- If you are seated at the sushi bar, only ask the itamae for sushi. Drinks, soup, and other non-sushi (or sashimi) items are handled only by the waiter/waitress.
- Ask the itamae what he would recommend, never ‘is that fresh?” as it is insulting to imply that something may not be. If you think it may not be fresh, you shouldn’t be eating there, however a good itamae will steer a diner towards the food he feels will be most satisfying and highlight his skills.
- Respect the itamae, he is often quite busy. But feel free to engage him in conversation if he is able. This is also a good way to build a rapport with him and you may reap the rewards later as a regular (I really have with one particular itamae at one of my favorite places).
- Keep your palate in mind and order accordingly. It is impolite to leave food on your plate after your meal or act as though a particular item is ‘gross’ if you don’t like it.
Dining
- You may be offered a hot, wet towel (called an oshibori) at the beginning of your meal. Use it to wash you hands and try to fold it back neatly the way it was offered to you before returning it.
- Do not rub your chopsticks together. When not in use they should be placed parallel to yourself on the holder (if there is one) or on the shoyu dish. They should also be placed there when finished with your meal.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for an item not on the menu as the sushi-ya may have special or seasonal items that are not listed. It is perfectly acceptable to ask, and often the itamae will appreciate your interest.
- Don’t put wasabi directly in the shoyu dish. Nigiri-zushi (fingers of rice topped with fish or another topping) comes with wasabi placed under the neta (fish) by the itamae, and reflects what he feels is the proper balance of wasabi to fish. Some of us like a little more, and you can always sneak some separately on the fish or with it.
- It is OK to eat nigiri-zushi (sushi) with your hands. Sashimi is only to be eaten with your chopsticks.
- Pick up the nigiri-zushi and dip the fish (neta) into your shoyu, not the rice (which will soak up too much shoyu). The rice is like a sponge, and too much shoyu will overpower the taste of the food and could also lead to the rice falling into your shoyu dish and making soup, which is not a good thing.
- Do not pick up a piece of food from another person’s plate with the end of the chopsticks you put in your mouth. When moving food like this use the end you hold, which is considered the polite way.
- Eat nigiri style sushi in one bite. This is not always easy (or possible) in North America where some sushi-ya make huge pieces, but traditional itamae in Japanese sushi-ya will make the pieces the proper size for this. In North America, try your best and don’t worry if they won’t let you.
- Gari (ginger) is considered a palate cleanser and eaten between bites or different types of sushi. It is not meant to be eaten in the same bite as a piece of sushi.
- Slurping noodles is OK, less so for soup, but a bit is fine, at least by Japanese standards.
- In more traditional sushi-ya, if you are not given a spoon for your soup, do not ask for one. You are expected to pick up your bowl to drink the soup, using your chopsticks to direct the solid pieces to your mouth.
- It’s nice to offer a beer or sake to the itamae (but of course not required). He may remember you and treat you well upon subsequent visits.
- Never pass food to another person using chopsticks as this is too close symbolically to the passing of a deceased relative’s bones at a traditional Japanese funeral. Pass a plate instead allowing an individual to take food themselves.
- Also, never stick your chopsticks in your rice and leave them sticking up. This resembles incense sticks and again brings to mind the symbolism of the Japanese funeral and prayers to one’s ancestors.
- Technically one doesn’t drink sake with sushi (or rice in general) only with sashimi or before or after the meal. It is felt that since they are both rice based, they do not complement each other and therefore should not be consumed together. Green tea is a great option with sushi or sashimi.
- With alcoholic beverages, it is considered customary to serve each other (if not alone) instead of pouring one’s own drink. Be attentive of your fellow diner’s glasses and refill them. If you need a refill, drink the remainder of the beverage and hold the glass slightly and politely towards a dining partner.
- It is customary for the most “prestigious” person at the table to pour the drinks. Serving of drinks is very hierarchical in nature. Example: a professor who dines with his students would pour the drinks. Seniors would serve the freshman. If not by prestige, it would be the host of the evening or who made the invite. If you invited someone to dine with you, you become the automatic host.
- Sake is available both chilled and hot, depending the quality and style. Experiment to learn what you like, but generally, higher quality sake is served cold. And some is quite good as well as sophisticated.
- Belching is considered impolite at the Japanese table, unlike some other Asian cultures.
- “Kanpai!” (“empty your cup”) is the traditional Japanese toast you may hear. Do not say “chin chin” as to the Japanese, this is a reference to a certain male body part best left out of proper conversation.
After the meal
- If you sit at the bar, tip the itamae for the food (in western countries there is often a tip jar as the itamae will never touch money since he touches food) and the wait staff for the drinks etc. Otherwise, tip as you normally would.
- It is polite to thank the itamae if you were seated at the sushi bar. If you want to try Japanese, “domo arigato” is a polite Japanese expression for ‘thank you’ and if you want to be more sophisticated (for a westerner), you might try “gochisosama deshita,” which loosely translated means “thank you for the meal.” You can use the less commonly used “oishikatta desu” (it was delicious), however this is rarely used.
- In Japan, tips are included in the bill, but in North America, tip as you see fit.
Arriving and being seated
- It is polite in any restaurant to greet the host or hostess, who may greet you with the traditional “irasshaimase” which means “please come in.” You just need to acknowledge their greeting and are not required to say anything back, other than to answer the questions about your evening (seating, etc).
- If you are interested in watching your food preparation or conversation with the itamae (sushi chef), ask to be seated at the sushi bar, otherwise a table is fine (and the bar better left for those who would prefer the interaction).
Ordering
- If you are seated at the sushi bar, only ask the itamae for sushi. Drinks, soup, and other non-sushi (or sashimi) items are handled only by the waiter/waitress.
- Ask the itamae what he would recommend, never ‘is that fresh?” as it is insulting to imply that something may not be. If you think it may not be fresh, you shouldn’t be eating there, however a good itamae will steer a diner towards the food he feels will be most satisfying and highlight his skills.
- Respect the itamae, he is often quite busy. But feel free to engage him in conversation if he is able. This is also a good way to build a rapport with him and you may reap the rewards later as a regular (I really have with one particular itamae at one of my favorite places).
- Keep your palate in mind and order accordingly. It is impolite to leave food on your plate after your meal or act as though a particular item is ‘gross’ if you don’t like it.
Dining
- You may be offered a hot, wet towel (called an oshibori) at the beginning of your meal. Use it to wash you hands and try to fold it back neatly the way it was offered to you before returning it.
- Do not rub your chopsticks together. When not in use they should be placed parallel to yourself on the holder (if there is one) or on the shoyu dish. They should also be placed there when finished with your meal.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for an item not on the menu as the sushi-ya may have special or seasonal items that are not listed. It is perfectly acceptable to ask, and often the itamae will appreciate your interest.
- Don’t put wasabi directly in the shoyu dish. Nigiri-zushi (fingers of rice topped with fish or another topping) comes with wasabi placed under the neta (fish) by the itamae, and reflects what he feels is the proper balance of wasabi to fish. Some of us like a little more, and you can always sneak some separately on the fish or with it.
- It is OK to eat nigiri-zushi (sushi) with your hands. Sashimi is only to be eaten with your chopsticks.
- Pick up the nigiri-zushi and dip the fish (neta) into your shoyu, not the rice (which will soak up too much shoyu). The rice is like a sponge, and too much shoyu will overpower the taste of the food and could also lead to the rice falling into your shoyu dish and making soup, which is not a good thing.
- Do not pick up a piece of food from another person’s plate with the end of the chopsticks you put in your mouth. When moving food like this use the end you hold, which is considered the polite way.
- Eat nigiri style sushi in one bite. This is not always easy (or possible) in North America where some sushi-ya make huge pieces, but traditional itamae in Japanese sushi-ya will make the pieces the proper size for this. In North America, try your best and don’t worry if they won’t let you.
- Gari (ginger) is considered a palate cleanser and eaten between bites or different types of sushi. It is not meant to be eaten in the same bite as a piece of sushi.
- Slurping noodles is OK, less so for soup, but a bit is fine, at least by Japanese standards.
- In more traditional sushi-ya, if you are not given a spoon for your soup, do not ask for one. You are expected to pick up your bowl to drink the soup, using your chopsticks to direct the solid pieces to your mouth.
- It’s nice to offer a beer or sake to the itamae (but of course not required). He may remember you and treat you well upon subsequent visits.
- Never pass food to another person using chopsticks as this is too close symbolically to the passing of a deceased relative’s bones at a traditional Japanese funeral. Pass a plate instead allowing an individual to take food themselves.
- Also, never stick your chopsticks in your rice and leave them sticking up. This resembles incense sticks and again brings to mind the symbolism of the Japanese funeral and prayers to one’s ancestors.
- Technically one doesn’t drink sake with sushi (or rice in general) only with sashimi or before or after the meal. It is felt that since they are both rice based, they do not complement each other and therefore should not be consumed together. Green tea is a great option with sushi or sashimi.
- With alcoholic beverages, it is considered customary to serve each other (if not alone) instead of pouring one’s own drink. Be attentive of your fellow diner’s glasses and refill them. If you need a refill, drink the remainder of the beverage and hold the glass slightly and politely towards a dining partner.
- It is customary for the most “prestigious” person at the table to pour the drinks. Serving of drinks is very hierarchical in nature. Example: a professor who dines with his students would pour the drinks. Seniors would serve the freshman. If not by prestige, it would be the host of the evening or who made the invite. If you invited someone to dine with you, you become the automatic host.
- Sake is available both chilled and hot, depending the quality and style. Experiment to learn what you like, but generally, higher quality sake is served cold. And some is quite good as well as sophisticated.
- Belching is considered impolite at the Japanese table, unlike some other Asian cultures.
- “Kanpai!” (“empty your cup”) is the traditional Japanese toast you may hear. Do not say “chin chin” as to the Japanese, this is a reference to a certain male body part best left out of proper conversation.
After the meal
- If you sit at the bar, tip the itamae for the food (in western countries there is often a tip jar as the itamae will never touch money since he touches food) and the wait staff for the drinks etc. Otherwise, tip as you normally would.
- It is polite to thank the itamae if you were seated at the sushi bar. If you want to try Japanese, “domo arigato” is a polite Japanese expression for ‘thank you’ and if you want to be more sophisticated (for a westerner), you might try “gochisosama deshita,” which loosely translated means “thank you for the meal.” You can use the less commonly used “oishikatta desu” (it was delicious), however this is rarely used.
- In Japan, tips are included in the bill, but in North America, tip as you see fit.
