My Seattle-ite daughter and son-in-law have been promising to deflower my sushi virginity on my next visit to the Emerald City for some time. And so, friends, it was done. I did it. I consumed copious amounts of uncooked animal protein in the form of tuna, amberjack, escolar, eel, several species of salmon, scallops, mackerel, shrimp, and yellowtail. I’ve had sushi now. And not to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. I’ll do it again someday.
Technically speaking, we dined on nigiri, as opposed to sashimi. Nigiri is raw fish wrapped around cooked rice. Sashimi is just raw fish by itself. I might also add (for the benefit of any sushi virgins reading this) that a sushi bar experience is not raw fish exclusive. There are many other items on the menu that are actually cooked through and through. Tempura fish and vegetables, chicken teriyaki, and various panko-coated rolls abound on a good sushi bar menu just to name a few.
It’s kind of funny that just last weekend was my brother-in-law’s annual fish fry in Red Bluff. I’ve eaten more fish this week than in the previous six months. Both ends of the seafood spectrum, but seafood nonetheless.
If you’ve wanted to try sushi for the first time, I highly recommend going with someone who you consider to be at least a “novice” in this area. A somewhat seasoned sushi specialist in tow will make the endeavor a little less scary and mysterious. Even then...sushi is not for everyone. I can name a half dozen of my closest friends, relatives, and a food-picky spouse who will take much prodding to try it.
Truly good, fresh sushi is not fishy smelling. It is not fishy tasting either. My favorite from our night out at Seattle’s I Love Sushi is called escolar, or super white tuna. The taste is extremely mild, and it almost melts in your mouth. Even the fresh water eel (which was cooked) was very flavorful despite its foreign appearance and darker color.
Sake was not a part of our meal at this last sitting. We all drank big bottles of Sapporo (Japanese lager). Maybe a few shots of good sake prior to a first time will make the “deflowering” a bit easier! And stay away from the more exotic sushi fare like sea urchin, octopus, or squid. These critters served raw will turn you away from this cuisine in no time flat.
Thanks to Jen and Roth for holding my hand.
Still on my list of Things I’ve Never Eaten But Would Like To Before I Die: a beating cobra heart, coconut grubs, and deep fried bats. NOT!
