Awesome sushi place.

[Banana Brain]

I went to a sushi bar today for only the second time in my life (first expirence was baaaad, I spilled orange eggs all over myself and hated the food). Today's though wasn't a traditional one at all. Everyone in the little resturant sat around this big rectangular bar. There was a flowing water canal in front of us and on that canal floated dishes that were perched atop flat wooden little boards that were attatched to each other by chains. The dishes were in five different colors to indicate what price they were (from $1.75 to I think $3.25 for a larger one). If you saw something float by that you wanted, you could just grab it when it floated in front of you and eat it. The chef soon replaces it with a fresh dish identicle to it. When you finish you just take all your empty dishes to the register to pay. It was really great because everything came in pretty small portions (except the cheesecake, hehe) so you could get a taste of everything. My boyfriend and I got four pieces of pacific northwest salmon nigiri (is it still called nigiri w/out the rice?), two pieces of tuna nagiri, a reeeealy thinly-sliced cucumber salad, two sticks of teriyaki sticks, four mini spicy tuna rolls, two large spider rolls, and a peice of very good cheesecake for $19.75 including tip. That seems like a lot for that amount of money, but I'm no expert. Is that good pricing for sushi?

And post your answer to the poll please!

 

[Banana Brain]

OK, so I just looked up whats called conveyer belt sushi,and I guess this is exactly that only with water. Good stuff, good stuff. Does anyone know any other methods sushi is served? I think I saw something on TV once where it looked like people were frying their own sushi by dropping it in a boiling pot of oil that came with the meal. Not sure if thats abnormal or not. More on this one, it had somewhat unique ice cream flavors as well like green tea (even though thats becoming more popular now I hear) and some odd but cheap dishes like that with nothing but endame beans on it. I'd like to go back there some time.

 

[GB]

I have never been to one of the conveyer belt places, but I like the idea of them. Of course some people will tell you that those are one of the lowest forms of sushi (next to supermarket sushi). I do not know how true that really is though. I love the idea of having them float on water. I bet that was a great experience!

Nigiri is fish on top of a little "finger" of rice. What you were decribing, just fish, is called sashimi. Great stuff!

As far as other types of sushi places, there is a place by my parents that I am in love with. It is a susch buffet. At first I was sceptical as buffet as typically not that great. Once I read about this place though it made a lot of sense. The reason buffets are usually pretty bad is because you are trying to keep hot food hot and fresh at the same time. No an easy task. With sushi though you are trying to keep it cold. Much easier. This place has your typical buffet setup witht the sushi chefs behind the buffet table. The sushi is placed on shilled tiles that sit on top of some sort of cooling device (could be ice, can't see under then though to tell). The sushi is constantly replaced. Anything that has been on the tile for 15 minutes is taken away and trashed. This rarely happens though because the chefs can see what the volume of the restaurant is and make the right amount accordingly. The sushi is not the best I have ever had, but it is definitly very good. I love the idea of paying one flat price and getting to eat as much as I like. Sushi can be very expensive and if I were paying piece by piece I could easily eat over $100 in one sitting.

Here is a link to the restaurant. Check out the menu and if you are ever anywhere that they have a location, stop in.

 

[texasgirl]

I don't like tuna enough to eat it like this. I love the salmon though with cream cheese. I like California rolls and Philidelphia rolls.

 

[ironchef]

I prefer tuna but then it all depends on the quality of fish. At some places, I'm not even going to eat their maguro sushi; I'd rather eat their spicy tuna because the quality of their maguro is crap.

Some conveyor belt sushi places are decent, but when you go there you need to put everything into perspective. If you go there expecting to pay their prices and get great quality sushi then you're in the wrong mindset. You can get good quality sushi but it's not going to be like ones of those small, 20 seat Japanese restaurants.

 

[GB]

Oh I forgot to answer your poll question. My asnwer is...I can't answer. To me it is like apples and oranges. I love them both so much, but like IC said, it really depends on the quality.

 

[Banana Brain]

Which tuna is better: yellow or red?

 

[Banana Brain]

I have never been to one of the conveyer belt places, but I like the idea of them. Of course some people will tell you that those are one of the lowest forms of sushi (next to supermarket sushi). I do not know how true that really is though. I love the idea of having them float on water. I bet that was a great experience!

Nigiri is fish on top of a little "finger" of rice. What you were decribing, just fish, is called sashimi. Great stuff!

As far as other types of sushi places, there is a place by my parents that I am in love with. It is a susch buffet. At first I was sceptical as buffet as typically not that great. Once I read about this place though it made a lot of sense. The reason buffets are usually pretty bad is because you are trying to keep hot food hot and fresh at the same time. No an easy task. With sushi though you are trying to keep it cold. Much easier. This place has your typical buffet setup witht the sushi chefs behind the buffet table. The sushi is placed on shilled tiles that sit on top of some sort of cooling device (could be ice, can't see under then though to tell). The sushi is constantly replaced. Anything that has been on the tile for 15 minutes is taken away and trashed. This rarely happens though because the chefs can see what the volume of the restaurant is and make the right amount accordingly. The sushi is not the best I have ever had, but it is definitly very good. I love the idea of paying one flat price and getting to eat as much as I like. Sushi can be very expensive and if I were paying piece by piece I could easily eat over $100 in one sitting.

Here is a link to the restaurant. Check out the menu and if you are ever anywhere that they have a location, stop in.

Yum! That place looks incredible they have a HUGE menue, its amazing if they can keep everything just 15 minutes fresh. Reading some of their desserts.... almond jell-o? Red bean cheesecake? Exotic. I. Want. That. Food.

 

[Banana Brain]

I prefer tuna but then it all depends on the quality of fish. At some places, I'm not even going to eat their maguro sushi; I'd rather eat their spicy tuna because the quality of their maguro is crap.

Some conveyor belt sushi places are decent, but when you go there you need to put everything into perspective. If you go there expecting to pay their prices and get great quality sushi then you're in the wrong mindset. You can get good quality sushi but it's not going to be like ones of those small, 20 seat Japanese restaurants.

Yeah, I know it wasn't goumet sushi. I really want to try some of the good stuff now, I'm thinking about going to Sansei (I think thats what it was called) in Hawaii.

 

[Banana Brain]

I don't like tuna enough to eat it like this. I love the salmon though with cream cheese. I like California rolls and Philidelphia rolls.

Salmon with cream cheese... sushi? Is there such a thing?

 

[Zereh]

It should be smoked salmon paired with the cream cheese ... I can't imagine it with raw.

I could live on sushi!!! I like simple shashimi and nigiri the most although I can't resist a good spicy tuna roll either.


Z

 

[buckytom]

i've seen a roll with salmon and cream cheese, called brooklyn rolls or philly rolls. never tried one.

i'd say 19.75 was a little expensive for what you had, but it all depends on the quality. i usually get about 10 pieces of sushi or 13 pieces of sashimi, a tuna roll or california roll, and a hand roll for about $20.
btw, what are teryaki sticks?

the "dipping in boiling oil", or it may have just been hot water/broth, is called shabu shabu.

 

[ironchef]

Which tuna is better: yellow or red?

By yellow, if you mean yellowfin tuna, yellowfin tuna has red meat. If you're asking to compare yellowfin and big eye tuna, which both have red flesh, I prefer big eye because the meat tends to be fattier which usually means you're get better flavor.

If you're asking about hamachi which is a yellowtail kingfish and not a tuna, then I prefer hamachi.

What's better? Well, it depends on personal preference but as a general rule, the fattier the tuna is the better it will be (and more expensive).

 

[ironchef]

i've seen a roll with salmon and cream cheese, called brooklyn rolls or philly rolls. never tried one.

i'd say 19.75 was a little expensive for what you had, but it all depends on the quality. i usually get about 10 pieces of sushi or 13 pieces of sashimi, a tuna roll or california roll, and a hand roll for about $20.
btw, what are teryaki sticks?

the "dipping in boiling oil", or it may have just been hot water/broth, is called shabu shabu.

Bucky, the teriyaki sticks were probably either teriyaki chicken or beef pieces on skewers, also commonly called yakitori in many restaurants.

I agree that it was most likely broth that was given, mainly due to safety and liability issues. But I don't understand why they would have sushi that would have you dip it in the broth anyway. That doesn't make sense unless it was just a gimmick type dish.

 

[urmaniac13]

It should be smoked salmon paired with the cream cheese ... I can't imagine it with raw.

I don't want to gross you out, but the kind of smoked salmon which is usually used in sushi (lox type) IS raw... I can relate to your sentiment though, I usually stay away from raw flesh of anything, but smoked salmon is one of the few items that I make exception of... along with good prosciutto crudo and speck... and yes, if it is very fresh and prepared well, I can handle tuna sashimi, too...

 

[ironchef]

I don't want to gross you out, but the kind of smoked salmon which is usually used in sushi (lox type) IS raw... I can relate to your sentiment though, I usually stay away from raw flesh of anything, but smoked salmon is one of the few items that I make exception of... along with good prosciutto crudo and speck... and yes, if it is very fresh and prepared well, I can handle tuna sashimi, too...

I think by raw, Zereh meant fresh sliced salmon which hasn't been smoked, cured, etc.

 

[texasgirl]

Yes, the salmon is smoked and they are Philidelphia rolls.

 

[buckytom]

thanks i.c., it probably is yakitori.

and real hamachi rocks!!!! buttery and rich when it's fresh.

i think the only other fishes that are as good when at their best are white tuna and toro.
i still haven't gotten a good answer as to what type of fish that i've been served called white tuna that was crisp, sweet...really delicious. i doubt it's a common type of tuna, if any at all.

hmmm, i wonder if the toro i've had was really the prized belly as it's technically supposed to be, or just a cut of another fattier fish like big eye. with what i've paid, it had better have been chu-toro, or o-toro.

i like elfie's (you need to make an appearance woman! heute!) description of maguro, that it's a clean taste like fresh spring water, or a fresh breath of cold air.

oh, i've seen both kinds of rolls - smoked and raw salmon with cream cheese in japanese restaurants. the combination of smoked salmon and cream cheese is obvious, oy!
raw ain't so bad either. give it a go...

 

[advoca]

Ah, but what about ebi odori? There's the acme in sushi. Yum!

An experience to die for.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I voted for tuna, because Tekka Maki (rolled tuna sushi) is definitely my husband's & my hands-down favorite out of the rolls. The spicy tuna rolls are also a favorite.

In addition, tuna in Nigiri Sushi form (pieces of fish sitting atop a rice oval) are a favorite as well, although I do also like marinated mackeral, cooked freshwater eel, octopus, ark shell, & clam.

Over the years, & especially while working in Manhattan, I've eaten many, many different varieties of sushi, & so far there are only 2 that I don't care for - raw squid & raw sea urchin. With both it's not so much the taste as the texture. The raw squid, even when scored well, has always been too chewy, making me feel like a street cat eating fish scraps on a dock; and the texture of raw sea urchin reminds me too much of raw egg yolk, & undercooked eggs are something I just can't stomach.