# Do you like Sushi?



## GB (Aug 25, 2004)

It seems as if sushi is one of those love it or hate it sort of things. It was difficult for me to initially try it as I had a hard time getting over the whole raw fish thing, but boy am I glad I gave it a shot. Sushi is now my favorite food by far. 

My wife has tasted mine on a few occasions, but never more then just a very very small piece. She claims that the pieces are too big for her to fit in her mouth and you cannot easily cut them without making a mess. I just think that she is squeamish about raw fish. 

Do you like sushi? did it take you a while to get up the nerve to try it or are you a more adventurous eater by nature?


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## Alix (Aug 25, 2004)

All I have to say is pass the wasabi! Yum! Sushi rocks.


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## Bangbang (Aug 25, 2004)

I like love sushi. I make my own sticky rice and place it in a bowl then top it with whatever I want....served with pickled ginger,soy sauce,and wasabi.


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## kyles (Aug 25, 2004)

I adore sushi, I was introduced to it when I was young, so never had to overcome the raw fish thing.


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## Barbara L (Aug 25, 2004)

I always swore I would never even try sushi.  Finally though, after reading so many posts here about it, I decided to try it a couple months ago.  My husband (who, right up until it came, said he wouldn't try it) even tried some.  I really liked it.  So thanks everyone for giving me the guts to try it!  lol

 Barbara

P.S. My husband said it wasn't his favorite, but that it was ok.


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## wasabi (Aug 25, 2004)

We grew up eating sushi.....Love it!


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## MJ (Aug 25, 2004)

Raw fish? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 YEEEUUUUCK. Thats a guaranteed puker for me.
 I cant even eat COOKED fish. I have eaten raw ground beef tho. Not bad if you season it.


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## GB (Aug 25, 2004)

I never in a million years would have eaten raw meat. I used to think the same thing about raw fish. Now that I have tried and fallen in love with sushi, I can't wait for an opportunity to try raw meat


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## luvs (Aug 26, 2004)

i love sushi! hi, GB!


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## Jermosh (Aug 26, 2004)

I really love the sushi. But it is really expensive up here, so I rarely get it.


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## buckytom (Aug 26, 2004)

i love sushi, and sashimi. been eating it about once a week for the past 15 years or so. i've tried just about every type of sushi there is, even monkfish liver and baby eels, but i've never had fugu (sp?). guess i'll have to go to japan to have it one day. i am an adventurous eater by nature, so sushi is par for the course. i've never made it at home before, but a korean market near me started selling sushi grade tuna, salmon, octopus, and eel, so i'll have to try to make it sometime.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Aug 26, 2004)

Im with MJ.....It was a way to make sure you had the burger seasoned right before you cooked it!  Was never a health matter than and it probably isnt more so now, people just more of a fuss over raw meat then before.

As for Sushi...I'm sure he tastes great!!!!  umm...oops...k back to topic....I've never tried it....it looks slimy and icky.....um no dont think it's for me.....


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## Bangbang (Aug 26, 2004)

I have eatin my share of raw meat. Lots of Kibbee made with raw lamb(married an arabic woman). My dad started me eating raw ground round with salt,pepper,and a thick slice of burmuda onion when I was a kid. Not bad but I won't touch it anymore. I use cooked seafood on my sushi. I won't eat raw.


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## ironchef (Aug 26, 2004)

Raw beef is fairly common to eat. Granted it's usually not ground beef however, which is the most dangerous to eat raw because of cross contamination issues. I'm suprised more people on here haven't had raw beef before either as steak tartare, or as carpaccio.

As far as raw seafood on sushi, unless you get the really fresh, high quality stuff, you're not going to get the best tasting experience. Most people opt for the really bright red tuna, which is either big eye or yellowfin. However, neither of those two really express the true quality and flavor of good tuna. Next time you go to a quality sushi bar, order either hamachi (yellowTAIL) or bluefin (kuromaguro---"koo-roh ma-goo-roh"---in Japanese) tuna, and ask for the "toro" or the belly part. That's something everyone should try at least once.


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## Gemini (Aug 26, 2004)

I try to be open to new cuisines, but the only sushi I've tried was some from the deli, and if that was representative of what it tastes like then I 
feel just like MJ's little emoticon! So vinegary, sour! YUK.


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## Bangbang (Aug 26, 2004)

If I lived on the coastline and could get fish fresh out of the water I would consider eating it raw.


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## GB (Aug 26, 2004)

Getting sushi at a deli is like getting Chinese food from and Italian restaurant. Give sushi another chance, but try it from a sushi restaurant. Trust me, it will make a huge difference.


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## buckytom (Aug 26, 2004)

c'mon, i can't believe no one said this yet. if you like sushi like i like sushi, oh, oooohhh, oohh.. favs are maguro, hotategai, ebi, unagi, sake, masago, tobiko, kani, tako, and hamachi. all of the standard stuff in a deluxe platter. i won't eat ika and ikura; reminds me too much of the baits i use when i go fishing.


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## fng_3887 (Aug 26, 2004)

i love sushi....i go to the all you can eat bar at least twice a month....its worth it for 21.00 an hour...i basically tried everything about sushi, and tried it 3times if i didnt like it the first time


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## kitchenelf (Aug 26, 2004)

MJ - sushi does not have a "fishy" taste at all (well most - mackeral is something I cannot eat) - IMHO cooked fish is fishy!!!!  Start out with just a plain tuna roll or even a spicy tuna roll - I too love raw meat as in tartare or carpaccio.  You might be surprised at the very UNfishy taste of most fish.  Tuna tartare (the recipe Bubba Gourmet posted here is AWESOME-I think he called it carpaccio but it was actually chopped).

But you can always order rolls with cooked ingredients in them to start out with.  

GB - remember, don't force your wife to "like" sushi - once she does your bill will double


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## Psiguyy (Aug 26, 2004)

I don't like sushi.  I LOVE sushi.    

The rice should have a balanced delicate flavor.  If you notice the vinegar right away, it's not properly seasoned.  

If you don't think you can stomach raw fish, there are other sushis you can try that have cooked items and/or raw veggies.  Tamago is a delicious egg omelette.  How about the California Roll?  It's got cooked crab in it.  Ebi, which is a cooked shrimp.  Unagi, which is a delicious cooked eel and happens to be one of my favorites.  There are also vegetarian sushis made with cucumbers and takuan (pickled daikon raddish).


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## wasabi (Aug 26, 2004)

*I never could get used to the raw fish but the tamago,california roll,ebi and the vegetarian sushis are really good. All you need is sushi to make a cool summer lunch.......*


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## GB (Aug 27, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> GB - remember, don't force your wife to "like" sushi - once she does your bill will double



Man is that good advice!!!

She actually wants to try it (or so she says) and she wants to enjoy it. She is a pretty adventurous eater when she wants to be. She tried goat when we were on our honeymoon and while goat is not all that exotic, I know her family would have thought she was crazy for trying it.


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## Russell (Aug 27, 2004)

*suhsi*

I can't get enough of it.


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## Gemini (Aug 27, 2004)

Yeah, I know GB, that a deli just can't do it justice, but you have to understand that where I live, Italian (major influence) and Chinese are about as exotic as it gets. No such thing as sushi, Indian or anything else,
so I'd definitely be open to trying it again. The deli is not "my final answer" by any stretch. Anybody know of any good restaurants in the
Detroit area? We have relatives there.


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## spryte (Aug 27, 2004)

I love sushi!  Especially when it has lots of orange roe.  YUMMMM


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## pancake (Aug 30, 2004)

I have never liked sushi !! I feel so bad about that sometimes, it's like when everyone agrees on something and you're the odd one out   

Sometimes we go out dinning with a bunch of friends, everyone's first choice "sushi" and I just look to the ground! Now I hope I'm not getting off topic by requesting this.. How did you all get to like sushi????????
Was it the more you eat it the more you'll like it? Or some varities are not to be tried at first? Or was it love at first bite or whatttttttttttttt????

To make it easier, I'll say why I don't actually like it :
1.Raw fish turns up my stomach, I know it's not dangerous but I hate the taste!
2.I hate sesame seeds/sesame oil
3. I hate cold rice!
4.I hate wassabi taste! 

Is there any hope for me??     Thanks!


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## GB (Aug 30, 2004)

The very first time I tried it I was not happy. I really did not like it at all. I was at a restaurant that is Chinese on one side and Japanese tepanyaki (sp?) tables on the other side. I was on the Chinese side and on the buffet they had sushi so I decided to be adventurous. It was not horrible, but it was certainly not something I wanted to try again.

My second time my parents took me to a sushi restaurant and ordered for me. I fell in love that night. What I had that night was night and day from what I had the first time. 

Sushi is something where the quality of the ingredients is ultra important so make sure if you are trying it for the first time or trying to learn how to like or appreciate it that you go to a good restaurant. 

Moonlight, if you hate cold rice and you hate wassabi and you hate raw fish then chances are you will never like sushi. You can get sushi without wasabi and you can get it without raw fish (or any fish for that matter), but sushi means seasoned rice so you wont find rice free sushi. Have you tried a variety of raw fish? Some taste very similar, but others taste very different. Raw salmon and tuna do not taste anything alike in my opinion. If you want to try again then you might go with your friends who enjoy it and take a taste of some of their sashimi which is just the raw fish with nothing else. Taste a variety and see if you might find a type you like.


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## kyles (Aug 30, 2004)

I laugh at myself sometimes.....I got to a sushi place called Yo! Sushi, and always have some sashimi (usually a mixed plate of different fish) some inari, some california rolls and a rare beef salad and pickles. But I can't bring myself to try the eel, and it's cooked! How silly is that. I'll be really brave next time and try it! They had tempura fried green chillis on sushi rice last time I went, but I didn't try that either.

I love all Japanese food. My mum studied Japanese history when I was a kid, so was introduced to Japanese food when I was little. At the time Tasmania in the 1970's was very backward (there was still a large amount of discrimination against the Japanese due to World War 11) I don't think any of my friends had tried anything more ethnic than pizza!

I have fond memories of mum cooking tempura on a Friday night, or Sukiyaki. Yum!!!!


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## kitchenelf (Aug 30, 2004)

Moonlight - you can get pieces of sushi (usually 2 per order - forgot what it's called) and it is usually served on a compressed amount of rice.  We went to one place and we could get spiral cut daikon radish substituted for the rice - it was excellent!!!!  ...and much less filling... which resulted in a $123.00 bill   LOL  But we had a lot of specialty rolls and stuff.  You can get unagi (cooked eel), don't wince though - it's quite good and sweet.  You can also get them to place some squid in the little broiler they have, tell them to heat until the edges are browned and curled and then serve on the daikon radish.

But GB kind of nailed it on the head - the wasabi isn't an issue because you don't have to use it, the raw fish isn't an issue because you can get plenty of vegetarian/veggie and cooked things - but the rice is key   

Just hold your head up and say - NO THANK YOU - I DON'T LIKE IT!!!!  I know I try to get people to try it who never have - everyone has ended up liking it - sometimes they only like the cooked rolls or rolls with tempura in them.  BUT they like rice too.  AND all these friends hate me because know they are broke from eating sushi


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## Psiguyy (Aug 30, 2004)

Moonlight,  there are other cooked dishes at the better sushi places.  The chefs always have some kind of special dish that's baked or broiled in some kind of sauce.  Lots of times, they have a cooked scallop dish.  All you have to do is ask.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Just be honest with the sushi chef and they will figure something out for you.


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## GB (Aug 31, 2004)

Psiguyy said:
			
		

> All you have to do is ask.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Just be honest with the sushi chef and they will figure something out for you.



This is great advice! The sushi chef is a professional and can accommodate your needs and likes/dislikes. Sit at the bar and talk with him. Tell him what you do not like about sushi and ask him to make you something based on what you just told him. You will be surprised at what they might come up with.

kitchenelf, I am not sure, but I think the dish you couldn't remember the name of might be called chirachi (sorry for the spelling!)

The one thing I hate about sushi is the price. I could easily eat a couple hundred dollars worth in one sitting if money was no object. Well once I win the lottery that is just what I will do


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## ironchef (Aug 31, 2004)

I think kitchenelf was referring to "nigiri" which is the type of sushi made into the rectangles of rice. if the rice has a piece of nori (seaweed) wrapped around it, it is called "gunkan". anytype of rolled sushi is called "maki"


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Sep 1, 2004)

(giving secret hand shake to sushi lovers) If I could taste love.... it would be sushi. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Never has a food effected my life. Would I rather buy sushi weekly OR save up enough money to get a nice couch? If I take my date out for sushi I cant eat as much.... SO do I really like her THAT much?! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If I could eat a beautiful sunset.... it would taste like a Spicy Cruncy Roll.  :roll: If sushi were a woman I would marry it!!!! 
If a tuna / avacado roll with a touch of wasabi and mayo with a little cilantro were running for president I would vote for it! How do I love thee sushi???!!! Let me eat the ways!!!!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Yes my friends.... sushi is like looking at a hot redhead with freckles..... I could never have too much. And if I could combine the 2, I know that God really REALLY loves me.


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## GB (Sep 1, 2004)

Deadly Sushi, I wish you would stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel   

I am actually right there with you. Sushi has got to be one of the most perfect food forms I have ever encountered. I really think I am addicted to it. Is there a sushi anonymous that I could join?


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## Bangbang (Sep 1, 2004)

GB said:
			
		

> Psiguyy said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## kitchenelf (Sep 1, 2004)

We make ours at home too - I don't use a rice cooker and I use the mat to make the maki rolls.  It's really easy.

All you need is:

1 rolling mat
1 rice paddle (really big, flat end to fold rice over to help cool it)
plastic wrap (to wrap your rolling mat in so rice doesn't stick to it)
non-metalic bowl to cool rice in (glass or ceramic is what you want)
and don't use a metal spoon on the rice either

Then of course you need soy sauce, sushi rice, rice vinegar, sugar, and whatever ingredients you want to put in the rolls.  We usually use eel, sashimi grade tuna, and salmon.  I freeze the salmon for usually 24-72 hours to kill anything that may be living in MY salmon! LOL

Then we add avocado, cucumber, cream cheese, masago, chives, spring onions, cilantro (really good with the salmon roll) to the rolls as needed.

We have even made a strawberry and cream cheese roll - it was even good dipped in light soy sauce   

I just follow the directions exactly as stated for the sushi rice and then eat to my heart's content.


Next time you go eat sushi sit where you can observe - you will learn a lot.  Pay particular attention to how he "leads" the rice to the edges of the nori and which side he puts it on.  Ask questions - they will be glad to help you.  

The spicy sauce is mayo, garlic chili paste or Schiracha, a little masago, and some ground sesame seeds (I'm sure places make it different from each other but the first 2 ingredients are the most important and usually all that we use.)


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Sep 1, 2004)

Ditto Elf!


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## Andy M. (Sep 1, 2004)

I've been a fan of sushi for a long time.  

Not long ago, S.O. wanted to make it at home so now we have miso or hot and sour soup and sushi for dinner whenever we want.


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## GB (Sep 2, 2004)

I have made sushi at home before (here are my pictures from that attempt http://public.fotki.com/gblock/page_2/food/), but it was no where as good as what I get in a good sushi restaurant. I enjoyed making it, but it did not take care of my craving. Also I do not have a good fish market near me that is open when I need it to be and so I have have no way of getting sushi quality fish which is what I really crave. One of the things I like about going to the restaurant is the variety. I can have 10 or 12 different types of fish. If I were to buy that much to make at home I would be broke.


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Sep 2, 2004)

looks pretty good GB!    Better than mine. I understand about the going out to get the sushi thing. MUUUUCCCCH easier!


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## middie (Sep 2, 2004)

no i hate it


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## fng_3887 (Sep 10, 2004)

Let me know what sushi restaurant is good in your area....so if ever I visit I know where to go.


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## RisaG (Sep 10, 2004)

*sushi - Yummmm.*

I love sushi, although I didn't always. 

As a teenager, my dad used to bring me into Japanese restaurants for lunch, when I went with him to the office, and I always went with the Teriyaki or anything fried.

In the mid 80's, my sister dragged me to a sushi restaurant in D.C., as she was the lawyer for the owner. I had never eaten it and I was forced, basically, to eat it. I loved everything except the raw octopus. I spit it out in my napkin and she was forever angry at me for that. I couldn't chew it, it was too slimy and chewy. I couldn't get it down. I've eaten it since and I have actually come to love it.

After that, I became a bit braver and was dragging everyone to sushi restaurants in NYC. I especially love the yellowtail, the tuna, and the eel. I also love those sushi rolls, doesn't matter what is in them.

There is a great Japanese restaurant nearby my house in NJ that I have been to 1 time and want to go back to - Fujiyama on Route 57.

It has the most luxurious tasting sushi I've ever had and I've eaten at some famous NYC sushi joints, but not Nobu (oh how I wish).

I love the atmosphere of the restaurants too - so quiet, so mellow, and the sake and the wasabi and the pickled ginger. I have become quite a foodie since those early days. No one from then would ever believe it!


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## Bangbang (Sep 10, 2004)

If you come to The Detroit Metro area in Southeast Michigan you must go here. Best shushi in town.

http://detroit.citysearch.com/profi...&ulink=search__searchslot2_520__0_profile_2_1


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