Sushi Places!

This post will be almost like a part 2 to my previous one about Yakitori. I had referred to going to a Yakitori place in Japan and abroad as an experience, rather than just another Japanese meal. What I will share with you for this very post will link in perfectly with Japanese food being an experience, rather than just another dinner. This time, I will share with you the art of Sushi, for cheap. 

When we talk about Japanese food, one of the very first thing that pops up is the word “sushi” or images of raw fish, sliced by a true master on a bowl of perfectly shaped rice. If you are in Japan and missed out on at least one meal at a sushi place, you must really consider booking tickets to go back. Sushi is something that I could eat everyday and I have a very strong passion and appreciation for it. 

As I mentioned, I will share with you the joy of sushi without paying a fortune. Japan has sushi restaurants all over the place. This may come in a form of a family-run place, with wooden sliding doors leading you into a cramped space of bar and smaller tables. It may also be a modern one, with “sushi belts” circling around and chefs working their magic in an open kitchen. The most luxurious and expensive version would be in a fancy restaurant, whereby bookings are absolutely essential, and of course a place that would dress that little bit nicer for. For this post, I am basing my experience on that mid level, of dining in sushi restaurants with a sushi belt.

I lived in Kobe and there are plenty of sushi restaurants there. The cheaper ones are the places I liked to go to the most. Other than the price that is far cheaper in more fancy restaurants, I also felt at ease in the sense that I do not have to worry about how other tables would look at me with what I eat, or more importantly for foreigners, how you eat. People are very relaxed and most of the time, they are families. Service is very fast and the you could get food in one of two ways. 

Most places in this modern age will have a machine at your table, in which you can view the whole menu. Yes, the entire menu with every single type of sushi available. Furthermore, you can also see all the items listed as appetizers, soups, snacks, and even drinks (alcoholic, soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc) and desserts. You can put your order through the machine too. The first time will always be intimidating since all the commands are in Japanese. After a while, you will get a hang of it; just don’t be shy to ask for help! The orders will always ask you of the quantity and whether or not you would like wasabi on your sushi. I always click the option without wasabi since I’m not a big fan. If you’re a huge fan of wasabi, or perhaps you want to try it without the wasabi first, you can always add more wasabi as they’re readily available in small packages on your table. After placing your order through the machine, your sushi is prepared fresh so you won’t have to deal with plates that have been circling around for half an hour. This is the method I always use to guarantee that my orders are made as I place them and that the quality is as good as it could be. 

Otherwise, you will also enjoy the experience of hand picking what you’d like to have from the sushi belt that travels by the side of your table. This is honestly a great experience and one that you will cherish if you are ever in Japan. As I did say earlier, there is little chance for us to actually know how long the plate has been traveling on the belt, so it’s always a gamble. You can always try one or two if you see some interesting options floating by! Okay I think it’s about time that I do less talking and more photo showing. 

The first dish I would recommend is with fatty tuna. Most places will have the same presentation of this particular type of sushi, and will probably add wasabi unless you tell them not too. A great thing about the one I had here is that there’s a touch of gingered spring onions on top. It might look like a small addition and some of you may think that it would barely make any difference, but trust me, it does. This garnish really cannot be underestimated as it packs rich taste and will go really well with your fatty tuna. Make sure that you dip this in the soy sauce for a real party in your mouth.

The next dish you must (yes, must) try is with tamago. Tamago is a cool word in Japanese which means egg. This is basically a Japanese omelet, that has been shaped in a way that when it cools down and firms up, it’s easier to cut in desired sizes. The omelet does not have a strong taste towards saltiness or sweetness; it’s actually in the perfect middle. There’s no wasabi in this one and I don’t know anyone that would have this with wasabi. Just like the more luxurious fatty tuna, dunk this piece of delicious into a bit of sauce, and voila, you will not taste anything better in Japan in the simple shape of rice and omelet.

Now let’s go back to the fish, but this time with a twist. I am aware that there is quite a population out there that would rather not have raw seafood or sashimi. That’s okay, because what I will share with you now is the perfect alternative! So, we have slices of salmon that has been either grilled very quickly or flamed for a fast cook. You then have thick drizzles of good old Japanese mayonnaise, in which is then torched again for really nice smoky and charred taste. Although this doesn’t really look like the stereotypical sushi you would imagine, it is amazingly good that I usually order about three portions every time - with my limited math skills, that makes up to at least six pieces!

The last dish that I would like to share with you today is probably the most distant it could get. As you could see, this is where mouth watering seaweed or nori comes into action. Similar to a seafood salad, there are variations of tuna with mayo, corn with mayo, salmon flakes with mayo, and what I prefer out of all these great options, crab meat with mayo. The crab meat is so amazing and you could never smell that fishy/ocean-y smell that you could get from crab meat elsewhere. The mayo keeps the crab meat in chunks and nice and compact, and the little bit of veggies help to enhance the sweetness of the crab as well. Surprisingly enough, this plate is one of the cheaper options that you could choose from, and usually will not go beyond the 210YEN price mark. One very important thing I need to mention though, is that if you order this from the machine, it will always be fresh and the seaweed will always be crispy. If you decide to grab one from the belt, the result could be debatable. 

To further add on what I already consider a paradise, you could also drink as much green tea as you want here. Also at the comfort of your table, you will have a small station to make yourself some hot tea. You can serve yourself and put in as many teaspoons of green tea powder as you like. Be careful with pressing the button for hot water as they’re quite heavy in some places. Stir your aromatic hot tea with the other side of your chopstick for another unique experience. And there you have it, self-made green tea in less than a minute.

As you could see, sushi doesn’t always refer to raw fish that some people don’t like. There is a wide variety of items that you order at a simple sushi place. This is another look at Japanese cuisine that has something for everyone. Some side dishes that I did not mention above include fried chicken, fried fish, miso soup and even french fries! You could really not go wrong by going to a Japanese place for a meal. Chances are you will probably enjoy it so much that you find time to go back! And also, sushi is cheapest in Japan. There is no way that you will find sushi of this superior quality for 105YEN outside of the country. I actually very rarely eat sushi when I’m not in Japan, since the quality and price are often not on my side. Visiting one of these casual sushi places for a meal in Japan should be on top of everyone’s to do list. The meal itself is a great experience. I love food and always feast when I go into one of these places, and there’s really no shame in eating so many plates that you have mini skyscrapers stacking up. If anything, they act as a sign to remind you that you’ve had a killer of a meal. 

If you like the content of this post, or just want to check out some pictures that I take on my adventure, feel free to like and/or follow me on instagram at oat93, cheers!