We were seated at the sushi counter and I’m usually intimidated by sushi counters. It’s like being in an auction hall where ear scratching or collar fiddling could cost you your kid’s education fund. In this case, there cold be more to lose. One wrong move and you might distract the chef. A sudden loud noise and the grain of sliced fish is disturbed. Then you wonder what’s going through the chef’s mind as he brandishes the sashimi knife menacingly in your direction.
I’m only 22! I don’t wanna die…
In the words of Toni
Nonetheless, sushi counter was fun. Despite being a first-timer, I was well aware of the no-menu-push-stop-button drill thanks to the other floggers out there.
To get us started, we were served Liliputian bowls of otoshi, simmered vegetables and konnyaku stripes and shirataki noodles stirred with mentaiko (spicy fish egg).
Next up was weightwatchers-friendly melon and parma ham with tobasco-dribbled mayonnaise. The dish featured a rock melon so sweet; it prompted a visit to Cold Storage after the meal. I love the contrast between the salty Parma ham and sweet rock melon.
The Chutoro sashimi bore silkiness almost made me defect from the mekajiki camp.
Following closely behind was the Iwashi, baby sardines were simmered in vinegar, sugar and shoyu. Very delightful- wish I could have this everyday.
Assorted tempura of king prawn, midsection of crab leg, pumpkin and corn, each encased in hefty tempura batter. Ironically I liked the armourish batter- in terms of prawn-to-batter ratio, the handsome-sized prawn would have frizzled with a thinish crisp batter.
Fried food? What's there not to love?
We dug into the Yamame, which first salted then grilled. It was an unapologetically bony fish but the sweetness was outstanding.
Soup with shimeji mushrooms and clams.
The Grilled Alaskan king crab legs made its way to our table and it was easily the highlight of my evening.
We also nibbled on a pork rib, seasoned with teriyaki sauce and grilled.
The deep fried Kama (fish collar) was a standout. We pierced through the golden brown covering, only to discover juicy firm interior and boundless pleasure.
There was effortless enjoyment in our Roasted Wagyu beef.
90% of the customers that night were Japanese and most, if not all of them, were on How-are-your-kids-doing-in-school terms. I felt like a gatecrasher at a private dinner party...
For omakase virgins or sushi aficionados who love sushi trivia (anyone else out there as weird as me?), here’s an entertaining website by Trevor Corson, author of The Zen of Fish.
Treat it as light-shoyu reading though because advice like “pour exactly 20 cubic centimeters of soy sauce into your dish” and not asking the chef about himself, because “all sushi chefs have a secret past” make for a great tv script. I can so imagine the trailer for HEROES Season 3: Onomiyaki-San, what lies beneath his subdued diminutive exterior? What family secret does he have to hide?
He created -gasp- Wasabi-flavoured SPAM! Que Apocalypse.
Or for a Singaporean twist, Onomiyaki-San was a –drumroll please- ex-investment banker! Que teary mum “You heartless creature, I paid for your Ivy League education… ”
The allure of omakase is lost on those who fail to comprehend the significance of each ingredient, akin to playing Mozart to the deaf. Also, omakase should not be tagged as “food” but “event” or “ceremony”. Hand to my heart: It would take more than a meal for symbolism of omakase to sink in completely. Consider it culinary education as there is a need to educate myself on the significance of each ingredient. I know have a long way ahead of me but at least I am en route to a gastronomic El Dorado.
I just have to find the way without committing kuidaore.
2 comments:
that looks amazing.... just wondering how much did this entire meal set u back by?
hey g, the bill came up to about $120 per person.
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