Sushi Slobs No More
Sushi has become a global cuisine, and yet, every day in my and other sushi bars, some customers still fumble through their meals, making a general mess of things. It’s really not their fault because no one has ever bothered to tell them how to eat sushi. Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind the next time you dine.
- First and foremost, it’s OK to use your hands. This comes as a huge relief to some people who aren’t that adept at chopsticks. Using chopsticks on sushi can be tricky, so don’t be afraid to just pick up your piece of sushi with your fingers (of course, make sure you’ve washed your hands and wiped them with the wet towel you are served).
- Dip the fish, not the rice into the soy sauce. It enhances the taste and keeps the rice from falling apart.
- Go light on the soy sauce. When you put too much soy sauce on a fish, it breaks apart in your mouth too quickly, so go easy.
- Don’t put wasabi in the soy sauce. That’s for when you’re eating sashimi. The sushi chef has already added wasabi to your piece of sushi. Of course, if you’re a wasabi addict, go ahead and help yourself to more.
- The ginger is a palate cleanser. Pickled ginger should be eaten between bites of fish, to cleanse the palate and get your taste buds ready for the next bite. So, a piece of hamachi, some ginger, a piece of toro … like that. It is said that ginger can also kill toxins that sometimes reside in raw fish, so eat up!
- Eat your sushi in one bite. No need to nibble. A piece of nigiri sushi is made to go in your mouth all at once.
- If you’re at the counter, feel free to ask for less rice. Typically, a sushi bar will use more rice for the lunch menu and less at night. For some people, a sushi lunch becomes too filling. If you’re sitting at the counter, just tell the chef to use a little less rice.
I hope you’ll keep these simple tips in mind on your next trip to the sushi bar. Now if someone could tell me the proper way to eat a rack of baby back ribs without making a mess, I’d be much obliged.
