Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A Sushi Restaurant With Specialized Sushi Menus Is An Exciting Adventure

By Jason Crosbie

All around the globe, sushi restaurants or Japanese cuisine trends are spreading. These sushi restaurants are considered hip and trendy. Almost everyone enjoys Japanese cooking. This of course includes sushi menu selections. Do not underestimate this food craze as most famous Japanese restaurants serve special sushi selections in chic and stylish joints with great ambiance that comes from specially designed Japanese decor, dim lighting and cool dinner ware. Sushi restaurants are popping everywhere and people often use sushi catering menus when they host a party.

Surprisingly, it was not the Japanese people who created the concept of this raw fish trend. Practicality was the main reason why people wanted to preserve fish. During the7th century in China, using just salt is not enough as this would entail that one has to wait for several months in order to consume the food. Time progressed and people discovered that they can preserve fish by rolling it in vinegar-soaked rice. This made a tastier treat. Plus, you only have to wait for a few days for the food to ferment.

Credit goes to a Chef Yohei who popularized sushi by creating this first sushi catering menu. He served his friends fish which he wrapped in rice. He then creatively named the two types of sushi menu selections by using two famous cities in Japan; Edo and Osaka respectively. The Osaka-type sushi was very close to what restaurants include in their sushi catering menus selections. Osaka is famous for incorporating their very own fresh seafood by placing bits of food on top of seasoned or flavored rice pads. This technique is still used in making sushi rolls today.

For those who have not tried eating in sushi restaurants before, you may want to familiarize yourselves with the usual ways these restaurants mold and shape the look of the selections in their sushi menus. The top three styles of sushi are Nigri, Maki and Temaki. The nigri is the type of sushi wherein a piece of seafood, usually fish, is laid on top of a pad of rice and secured with nori or seaweed paper. Maki, the most common type, is when the ingredients are places inside a roll of rice, wrapped in nori and sliced into small round or square pieces. The temaki is another sushi menu selection. These are cone-shaped hand-rolled sushi that contain a sizable amount of ingredients and are wrapped entirely in nori. These are served and should be eaten with hands.

For those who prefer vegetarian choices, many restaurants now serve vegetarian sushi rolls. Inari, for example, is made of fried tofu and rice. This is a simple yet tasty sushi type. Do not be overwhelmed by the condiments that are offered along with your sushi. Japanese restaurants have wasabi (a green paste that adds kick and spice), soy sauce and ginger. Dip and enjoy!

Learn how to create your very own selections of sushi types. Online resource about sushi has lots of tips and recipes you may want to try. Be your own sushi chef and amaze your family and friends. Sushi restaurants may also offer cooking lessons. In addition, you may want to hire a sushi chef to teach you and your guests how to create sushi during your next party. This is a fun way to impress everyone.

Harness your skills in using chopsticks as Japanese restaurants more often than not will provide them for you. Do not be afraid to try and experiment. After all, eating at a Japanese restaurant with specialized sushi menus is already an adventure. Enjoy your sushi!

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