Despite public assumption, sushi doesn't mean raw fish. The word "sushi" actually refers to the vinegared rice that is paired with the seafood and then rolled with other menu items including crab, shrimp, octopus and eel.
Edible art is the way I like to describe the perfect sushi roll. There must be a balance of taste and texture, and a roll must be as pleasing to the eye as it is to the taste buds. My top five picks possess all of those traits.
Fun Facts
- Japanese people eat Miso soup at the end of the meal to aid digestion.
- The knives used by sushi chefs are sharpened daily and are direct descendants of samurai swords.
- Leaving chopsticks sticking up out of your bowl symbolizes offering food for the dead.
- A sushi chef used to have to complete 10 years of training before working in a restaurant.
- Leaving food on your plate is considered disrespectful.
- Disposable chopsticks (waribashi) found at most Japanese restaurants should not be rubbed together after opening. It implies that the warabashi are cheap and insults the restaurant.