Mmmmm, Sushi

I love sushi and would eat it several times a week if I could afford it. In addition to trying several places near my home, I try to have sushi whenever I visit another place. I've had sushi in Stamford, Hartford, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville, Phoenix, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and places I can't even remember. Every restaurant does it a little different.

I love Maguro (Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Tai (Red Snapper), Sea Bass (Suzuki) and Hirame (Fluke or Flounder). I eat these either as Nigiri-zushi - that is, the fish served on a ball of rice - or as Sashimi, which is the fish by itself; no rice, etc., just the fish. My favorite listed here is Hirame, topped with delicately sliced scallions and ponzu sauce.

I also enjoy several types of Maki-zushi which is usually called a "roll." There is also Temaki-zushi, or TekaMaki which is referred to as a "hand roll." The difference is that a "roll" is cut into several pieces (generally 4 to 8) and a "hand roll" resembles an ice cream cone made of seaweed, or Nori, the actual name for the sheet they use to roll sushi. I do not care for the TekaMaki or Temaki-zushi as it is heavy on the Nori, a taste I don't care for much on its own.

Rolls, though, in which the Nori is well balanced with other ingredients, can be fantastic.

Often, restaurants develop their own custom selection of rolls. I even have a roll named after me at a particular sushi restaurant. My favorites are the Shrimp Tempura roll (topped with eel sauce, please), Spicy Tuna roll, Salmon Skin roll, and my favorite of all, Spicy Scallop roll topped with a thin slice of lemon. The "Bobby Roll," is a spicy scallop roll topped with lemon and alvacado. Mmmm, Bobby Roll.

I was recently at a restaurant where they made a spicy scallop and lobster roll in a white Nori wrapper. It was amazing.

Another favorite of mine is Tobiko with quail egg. They make a small cup by wrapping a narrow sheet of Nori around a rice ball, then fill the cup with Tobiko- that is flying fish roe - and top it off with the yolk of a quail egg. Sound gross, doesn't it? The first time this was presented to me, 4 grown men deferred to one another, none having the courage to try it, myself included. I gave in and tried it.

I can't put into words how amazing it is.

I've also had baby octopus, regular octopus, fresh and sea-water eel, squid, jellyfish, Tomago (scrambled egg), Ebi (shrimp), mackerel, seared albacore, oysters, white tuna, green mussels, and even Uni (sea urchin). Some of them I've liked very much (seared albacore) and others, not-so-much (Uni).

I've also found that actually knowing something about what you're eating sometimes impresses the chef. On more than one occasion, I've had special dishes prepared and presented to my by the chef, free of charge: oysters on the half-shell, jellyfish, sashimi appetizers, baby octopus, and more.

I remain open to trying new things and expanding my palate. I even hope to someday try Fugu, the flesh of the poisonous puffer fish. Eat your heart out, Homer.

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