Sushi (alt.food.sushi) For talking sushi. (Sashimi, wasabi, miso soup, and other elements of the sushi experience are valid topics.) Sushi is a broad topic; discussions range from preparation to methods of eating to favorite kinds to good restaurants.

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Hi guys:

I'm still pretty new at the whole sushi scene; I moved to Squirrel
Hill in Pittsburgh just a few months ago and learned that there is a
dramatic difference between a good sushi restaurant and a poor one;
in central PA, everything tastes the same: bland and previously
frozen.

Anyway, there are two sushi places within a few blocks of my place:
this group has recommended (http://www.chayausa.com) Chaya, and let me
tell you that that is definitely not the place to go on Squirrel Hill.
Two blocks down the hill along Murray Avenue, there is an unassuming
neon sign for "Sushi House", and you have to walk through another
restaurant to get to it. I think their selection is superior, as is
the quality of sushi you get. It's rarely crowded, but you do see a
small regular crowd on weekends who was kind enough to introduce me to
some of the social norms of "how to order, what to order", et cetera.
They have interesting specials every day: amaebi, fluke fin, live
sea scallop, unusual tunas and king salmon, oysters, and uni is almost
always available. There are a couple of things that I feel like maybe
it would be rude to ask about, so I thought maybe this group could
fill me in:

I recently saw on their specials list a "new style tuna sashimi",
which is rather expensive compared to even exotic tunas. Do you have
any idea if there is some new trend of preparation that might warrant
such a substantial increase in price per order? ($16 a piece compared
to about $11 for white tuna belly normally)

Second, last time I was there the itamae gave my friends and I some
special Nigri on the house (e.g, I didn't order it, so I don't know
what it was from the usual route). It consisted of the standard wrap
of nori around rice, and cone-shaped, fried *something* on top: I
would almost call it tips of calamari and indeed the texture seemed
reminescent thereof. I think it would have been rude to ask what it
was, but I've never seen it on the menu or ordered there before. Have
you ever seen anything like this before? I can't find any images or
description of anything like it on Google. The fried substance wasn't
really my thing, but a friend of mine wanted to try it when he comes
in in a few weeks.

Thanks in advance!

~Ben
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Default Rude to ask?

Chupe A. Cabra wrote:

> Second, last time I was there the itamae gave my friends and I some
> special Nigri on the house (e.g, I didn't order it, so I don't know
> what it was from the usual route). It consisted of the standard wrap
> of nori around rice, and cone-shaped, fried *something* on top: I
> would almost call it tips of calamari and indeed the texture seemed
> reminescent thereof. I think it would have been rude to ask what it
> was, but I've never seen it on the menu or ordered there before. Have
> you ever seen anything like this before? I can't find any images or
> description of anything like it on Google. The fried substance wasn't
> really my thing, but a friend of mine wanted to try it when he comes
> in in a few weeks.


I don't think it would be rude to ask what it was. It was probably
fried squid, as you suspected. I've been given some makis that were
dipped in tempura batter and deep fried. Its ok, but I prefer my
sushi raw.

--
Dan
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Could have been a salmon skin handroll, or maybe a fried soft shell
crawfish, but you would probably have recognized that. They fry lots of
stuff and put them in handrolls.

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Just for the sake of information, Sushi House is the same restaurant as
the New Dumpling House, it's just the other half. New Dumpling House
has dim sum, not from carts
on weekends 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, fried squid is one of the choices, it
was one of my favorites.
I think, though I can't remember, it's been a while, that you can order
from both menus.
Haven't had the sushi, sorry I can't give more input.

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"Chupe A. Cabra" > wrote in message
...
> Hi guys:
>
> I'm still pretty new at the whole sushi scene; I moved to Squirrel
> Hill in Pittsburgh just a few months ago and learned that there is a
> dramatic difference between a good sushi restaurant and a poor one;
> in central PA, everything tastes the same: bland and previously
> frozen.
>
> Anyway, there are two sushi places within a few blocks of my place:
> this group has recommended (http://www.chayausa.com) Chaya, and let me
> tell you that that is definitely not the place to go on Squirrel Hill.


I looked at the link you provided and I'd say that's a genuine Japanese
owned/run
restaurant. The owner and/or Itamae is "Yasu". Yasu-san if you wanna call
him Mr Yasu.
It's written on the site but only in Japanese.

> There are a couple of things that I feel like maybe
> it would be rude to ask about, so I thought maybe this group could
> fill me in:


It's never rude to ask what it is.
Some Itamae rather encourage it.

> I recently saw on their specials list a "new style tuna sashimi",
> which is rather expensive compared to even exotic tunas. Do you have
> any idea if there is some new trend of preparation that might warrant
> such a substantial increase in price per order? ($16 a piece compared
> to about $11 for white tuna belly normally)
>


Tuna from both a taste and price perspective are very different if they are
Akami
(lean red meat) or Toro (fatty belly section).
The latest trend for tuna is Aburi-Toro, that is Toro seared.
But I don't see why that should be priced much higher than plain toro.

You mention "white tuna belly", which could mean either albacore or
escolar depending on the establishment.
But since you say "belly" I'd guess it's albacore which is not as expensive
a fish
as Bluefin Tuna.


> Second, last time I was there the itamae gave my friends and I some
> special Nigri on the house (e.g, I didn't order it, so I don't know
> what it was from the usual route). It consisted of the standard wrap
> of nori around rice, and cone-shaped, fried *something* on top: I
> would almost call it tips of calamari and indeed the texture seemed
> reminescent thereof. I think it would have been rude to ask what it
> was, but I've never seen it on the menu or ordered there before. Have
> you ever seen anything like this before?


Never seeen it. Wish you had asked what it was

Musashi




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"I think it would have been rude to ask what it
was"

No, that's not rude.

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"I think it would have been rude to ask what it
was"

No, that's not rude.

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