Boston: sushi

Hi there. It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m back. Today I’m going to write about my favourite sushi places in Boston’s suburbs. Both of the restaurants that I am going to talk about have a significant importance to me, even today.

One of these restaurants is actually the place where I first learned how to use chopsticks, and the second place is one of my favourites because it has an all-around great menu and I have been here many times with my family.

Yama

The first place that I want to tell you about is the restaurant called Yama, which is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. This suburb town is accessible from Boston by taking the commuter rail, but it’s most common to take the car here. Wellesley is one of the nicest towns in Massachusetts, and quite possibly it is one of the most expensive zip codes in the country, but thankfully this does not affect the prices of the restaurants in this area and they remain affordable for the normal middle-class citizen.

Yama is a special restaurant for me because this is where I was introduced to Japanese food, culture (somewhat), and I learned how to use chopsticks for the first time. I came here for the first time around the age of 7 with my aunt, uncle and cousin. I was surprised and curious about the seating arrangement and style. In the front part of the dining area, the tables and chairs are normal, but in the back part, the seating is traditional Japanese style: very low tables with comfortable seats on the wooden floor. I had never seen this before and I wanted to sit there. The normal Japanese seating consists of just a pillow on the floor with no back rest, which wouldn’t be necessary because Japanese people would sit on their knees with their feet folded neatly behind them. But here at Yama, it is understood that Americans are not used to this kind of seating, so the low chairs are tailored comfortably for us to have a backrest.

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What's interesting about my experience here at Yama is that when I first tried this restaurant almost 20 years ago, I had no idea what the name of it was. As I grew up, I remembered the memory of how it looked like inside, and I always would try to remember what it was called because I wanted to go there again when I was older. I had assumed that the restaurant no longer existed or that I wouldn't find it again because I had been there so many years before and never returned to it. (You must be wondering why I didn't just ask my aunt and uncle about the name. I really have no idea; I had assumed that maybe they didn't remember either because they took me to many different restaurants when I was little).

One day two years ago, a former boss of mine invited me for dinner, and since we both like sushi, he told me he would pick the place and gave me the address to meet there. I arrived, parked, and entered the building. To access the restaurant I had to take an elevator (or the stairs) to the second floor, which was a task that seemed very vaguely familiar to me.

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The moment I walked in the restaurant, I recognized immediately the layout design and I knew right away that this was the same restaurant that my aunt and uncle had taken me to try my first sushi all those years ago! It was a truly pleasant surprise, and now I will never forget the name.

I remember that during my very first time here, I did not know what to order because I had never had sushi before. My aunt and uncle were experienced, so they ordered for all of us. I don’t remember exactly what we had, but I know I had a California roll, because it is good for beginners who are not used to eating sushi, as it does not contain raw fish.

My mother had always been very strict about me eating raw sushi, and she never allowed me to eat it when she was with me. Of course, I would rebel and order raw sushi when I was older and not in the same restaurant with my parents, but that came later. In my first sushi experience, I just had cooked sushi. Even though my mom was not with me at that time, my aunt and uncle respected my mom’s wishes of not providing me with raw fish. I understand that it’s possible to contract a disease or a parasite from an infected or badly prepared raw fish, but the chances are very small and it’s not like I eat sushi every day.

Another important point is that the bacteria found in raw fish is not nearly as harmful to us as those found in raw meat, such as chicken, beef, or pork. Those can be extremely dangerous to humans. The rule of thumb for sushi is that as long as the restaurant or dispatcher follows good guidelines in the raw fish preparation by first freezing the fish to kill any bacteria or parasites, then there should be a very low risk for any problems. In any case, salmon is very good for your health, and personally, I don’t enjoy the taste of cooked salmon, which means that I can get its benefits in a tastier way by eating sushi.

In any case, you should not worry about the freshness of the food at Yama, because the restaurant has a very good reputation and is known to only have fresh fish and ingredients. Not only is the food so tasty, but it arrives well presented as well and it even looks asthetically pleasing. The menu is extensive, including both Japanese and Chinese foods, and it is decently priced for the quality. Appetizers are between $5-12, and the maki rolls are between $6-13 per 5-8 rolls. There are also an array of entrees, going from $8-30. For people who aren't sushi fans, the menu offers nice alternatives such as meat tempura plates and udon noodles.

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The restaurant Yama is unique because you can BYOB (bring your own booze/alcohol) there. They obviously will provide you with glasses to drink what you bring with you. This is a good way to save money if you plan on drinking alcohol with your meal, but it also gives the restaurant a homey feel. I would prefer to bring my own cheap alcohol because I always think restaurant alcohol is way too expensive, and considering that I don't have a refined taste for wine or beer, it's a total waste of money.

In any case, when I was young and experiencing Yama for the first time, I was not thinking at all about the BYOB topic. I was more concerned about how to use the chopsticks. To think that there was a time when I had no idea how to use chopsticks sounds so absurd to me now. It’s like trying to remember my life when I didn’t know how to speak or how to walk. But yes, unfortunately there was a time of chopstick ignorance. I was so clumsy using these, it looked like a monkey playing with random sticks.

Thank goodness my aunt had and still has nearly endless patience, and she had taught me the way to use the chopsticks correctly: Simply hold the first chopstick in your hand as if it is a pencil or a pen, resting it in the crook of your thumb and keeping it in place with your ring and pinky fingers while doing your best to keep your middle, index and thumb fingers free. In those fingers, you place the second chopstick. Only move the top chopstick up and down, and keep the bottom one in place.

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After a lot of practice, I became quite good at using chopsticks! I like eating with them for two reasons.

1. Using chopsticks prevents mindless eating (at least for me). Rather than using a fork or spoon to shovel food into my mouth, chopsticks require more patience and concentration to properly grasp the food and make sure it doesn't fall off. Some studies even suggest that using chopsticks may help prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease because it forces your mind to focus more than when using forks.
2. Using chopsticks may reduce overeating (if you are not yet an expert at using them). Since chopsticks can only hold a limited amount of food, I have found that I don't eat as fast using them than when I eat with a fork or spoon. I also do eat slower with chopsticks for the reason that it takes me a little bit more time to pick up the food rather than stab or scoop it up, and there are many health benefits to eating slowly. It takes up to 20 minutes for your brain to realize it is full, and since I eat slower with chopsticks than with regular utensils, I tend to not overeat (unless I am at an all you can eat sushi buffet).

Now, I sometimes use my own pair of chopsticks at home to eat non-Asian food (yes, call me a nerd), and I absolutely love it.

Bamboo

The other sushi and Asian restaurant that I would like to share with you is a place called Bamboo. This restaurant is located at the Holiday Inn in Dedham, right across from the outdoor mall called Legacy Place.

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Not surprisingly, I also came here for the first time with my aunt, uncle and cousin. By the time I tried out this restaurant, I had already become a raving sushi fan, and I had learned how to use chopsticks. I have come here at least five times in my life, and I have always been very happy with my food and experience there.

This restaurant has a large and well balanced Chinese/Japanese menu. At Bamboo, my favourite thing to do is to start off with the Bo Bo for Two appetizer, and just before the point of feeling full, I always order my maki roll. I like to change them up every time to try something new whenever I eat there because Bamboo has such a large selection of sushi and maki rolls. I have never been disappointed with any maki selection, and they have always been well presented.

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The Bo Bo for Two is a Chinese appetizer consisting of vegetable spring rolls, chicken fingers, chicken wings, boneless spareribs, beef skewers, shrimp tempura and crab rangoon that can be shared between two people. This plate is $20. 95, but divided by two people it would be $10 per person. I had this appetizer for the first time when I was on a date with someone over five years ago, and we totally demolished the whole platter because it was so good. Although I never ended up seriously dating this person, we still remained good friends and have returned several times to this restaurant because we enjoyed it so much. I am also pretty sure we ordered the Bo Bo for Two more than once.

One thing worth mentioning about Bamboo is that it has a lunch and dinner buffet! Although I have never eaten here for the buffet, I have heard and read good reviews about it and I would like to try it out to see for myself. The buffet times are as follows.

Lunch hours:

• Monday-Friday 11:30am to 2pm.
• Saturday-Sunday 11:30am to 2:30pm.

Dinner hours:

• Sundays only, from 5pm to 8pm.

From what I have read, the buffet prices seem reasonable, with $14. 95 for the lunch hours, and $20. 95 for the Sunday dinner. I am assuming that the Sunday dinner buffet would have more of a food selection than the lunches, especially since the price is also higher, but I cannot jump to any conclusions yet. It's up to me to personally check it out!

I am very much looking forward to returning to both Yama and Bamboo very soon, and I hope that they are still as good as I remember them to be. I am also planning on trying a new place which has been recommended to me by my boss. We were discussing the importance of good sushi buffets, and he told me that I must try Yamato in Brighton. It is currently on my list of places to try next! If I enjoy it (or even if I don't) I will definitely write about it!

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