# Sushi is... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356 "2016-02-17T17:42:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/81 "2016-02-19T17:58:15Z")
> [@scootergirl](#): > > I’d hate for people to picture me scooting my butt on the ground like a dog with impacted anal glands. :eek: You should try it some time. It tickles. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/82 "2016-02-19T18:23:43Z")
> [@Abner\_Ravenwood](#): > > Sushi I could take or leave, but I’ll eat the shit out of some ceviche. Mmm, ceviche! I love eating it and preparing it. My kid just requested it. I think it’s time to make a batch. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/83 "2016-02-19T18:59:59Z")
> [@scootergirl](#): > > Mmm, ceviche! I love eating it and preparing it. My kid just requested it. I think it’s time to make a batch. Surprisingly (to me, anyway) tilapia makes a very nice ceviche. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/84 "2016-02-19T19:17:16Z")
Sushi is . . . what I’m going to have for lunch today, because this thread is making me crave it. Also, I just watched _Jiro Dreams Of Sushi_, and that has induced cravings as well. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/85 "2016-02-24T03:45:31Z")
I used to really love sushi, but it seems like it’s been cheapened to near fast food status here in the U.S., with a concomitant decrease in quality. A lot of it is just not good. There’s a conveyer-belt sushi place near my work that offers all plates $2. Sounded great until I ate there. It was tasteless and textureless and generally off-putting. Even the wasabi was tasteless and the soy sauce had obviously been watered down. Ugh. Not go back. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/86 "2016-02-24T04:03:26Z")
I used to be a bit freaked out by sushi simply because I have a fish phobia. But I like other seafood and will eat fish if a) I have to, and b) it no longer looks like a fishy. So I bit the bullet because sushi sounded like a perfect light food that includes ginger and wasabi. I’m so glad I did. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/87 "2016-02-24T10:40:25Z")
Sushi. For. Breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/88 "2016-02-24T16:24:59Z")
I’ve only had sushi a couple of times, and it wasn’t very good. Granted, this was in a small town in the Midwest so I wasn’t really expecting it to be great. Perhaps someday I’ll try sushi where it’s better, but I’m in no hurry to do so. I’m not really a fan of seafood in general. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/89 "2016-02-24T16:49:35Z")
> [@BlackKnight](#): > > I’ve only had sushi a couple of times, and it wasn’t very good. Granted, this was in a small town in the Midwest so I wasn’t really expecting it to be great. Perhaps someday I’ll try sushi where it’s better, but I’m in no hurry to do so. I’m not really a fan of seafood in general. OK, that made me sick to my stomach to even read, and I hate sushi. If I **did** love it, I certainly wouldn’t eat it anywhere more than about an hour from the ocean. Vegas is the exception because they fly fresh seafood in on just about an hourly basis. But a small town in the Midwest? I’d rather eat a gas station egg salad sandwich! ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/90 "2016-02-24T18:38:53Z")
Expensive bait. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/91 "2016-02-24T19:06:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > As I get older, I learned that bait is pretty good – sushi, clams, calamari. 😛 Shit… if my grandfather and I didn’t catch any fish or reel in any crabs, we’d just fry up the leftover bait for lunch. Then again, we were using live shrimp, so not nearly so disgusting as it sounds. Doesn’t get any fresher. Sushi’s just fine with me. I’m not psychotically excited about it like some are, but it’s definitely a candidate cuisine for a high-dollar date night. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/92 "2016-02-24T19:12:31Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I could happily eat sushi every day. I love it. > > Cooking animal protein is a travesty, in general. I could happily eat cooked seafood any day, but I find raw animal protein a travesty. Fortunately for both me and the sushi lover of the house, there’s a [local Japanese place](http://www.heiseirestaurant.com/heisei-japanese-restaurant-dinner-menu.htm) that satisfies us both. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/93 "2016-02-24T23:57:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > OK, that made me sick to my stomach to even read, and I hate sushi. If I **did** love it, I certainly wouldn’t eat it anywhere more than about an hour from the ocean. Vegas is the exception because they fly fresh seafood in on just about an hourly basis. But a small town in the Midwest? I’d rather eat a gas station egg salad sandwich! What’s that black cracker? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/94 "2016-02-25T19:14:45Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > I could happily eat cooked seafood any day, but I find raw animal protein a travesty. Fortunately for both me and the sushi lover of the house, there’s a [local Japanese place](http://www.heiseirestaurant.com/heisei-japanese-restaurant-dinner-menu.htm) that satisfies us both. Please? Could you explain a little bit about just what you enjoy and why you enjoy it? There are lots of things in life that many people here have never tried and their first reaction to the idea of eating the thing is, **“Blecchhhh”!** But, there are millions and millions of people who love to eat it and just a simple brief explanation would help many of us to understand why. Also, a simple explanation as to “what it is” would also help many of us to take the first step and maybe try it. What do you think? ETA: Bolding for **BLECCHHHH!** ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/95 "2016-02-25T19:27:33Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > There are lots of things in life that many people here have never tried and their first reaction to the idea of eating the thing is, **“Blecchhhh”!** I am so sorry to say that this was my first reaction to Rocky Mountain Oysters. But oh my I am so very glad that I tried them. They are ever so yummy and delicious. They are crunchy and so yummily juicy. I would highly encourage you to be courageous and to be brave and give them a try. I am sure that you would like them. Would you please? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/96 "2016-02-25T20:21:23Z")
There may be no other food on earth where there is such a vast difference in quality between the low end and the high. For a lot of foods, a “high end” version is often some silly pretentious variation with an unusual presentation. For sushi, it’s all the difference in the world. Sushi can be mass-produced crap, and it can be expertly crafted from the finest ingredients by chefs who have trained a lifetime, and it can be everything in between. Even the quality of the rice makes a difference – it needs to be soft and melt in your mouth, and the quality of the fish and its preparation makes all the difference in the world, plus the chef’s skill in matching and blending seasonings (not everything is always wasabi and soya). I suppose some may just not like the idea of raw fish, but I suspect that many who find sushi “disgusting” have never had the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/97 "2016-02-25T20:30:03Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > What’s that black cracker? A tomato. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/98 "2016-02-25T20:50:38Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > OK, that made me sick to my stomach to even read, and I hate sushi. If I **did** love it, I certainly wouldn’t eat it anywhere more than about an hour from the ocean. Vegas is the exception because they fly fresh seafood in on just about an hourly basis. But a small town in the Midwest? I’d rather eat a gas station egg salad sandwich! Just because a place is an hour from the ocean doesn’t mean that the fish you buy is coming from that ocean. However when we lived in NJ the ice cream stand decided to offer sushi. (An hour from the ocean.) We never risked it. I’ll go with restaurants, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/99 "2016-02-25T20:51:56Z")
Once or twice a month I make homemade sushi. My nigiri-shaping skills need some work, but I manage a passable maki. Things that make this possible: 1. I live within walking distance of a Japanese supermarket that sells fresh sushi-grade fish and imported short-grain rice. 2. I own a rice cooker and [hangiri](https://learnhowtomakesushi.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/hangiri21.jpeg). This makes it a lot easier to get the rice right. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356/100 "2016-02-25T20:52:52Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > There may be no other food on earth where there is such a vast difference in quality between the low end and the high. For a lot of foods, a “high end” version is often some silly pretentious variation with an unusual presentation. For sushi, it’s all the difference in the world. > > Sushi can be mass-produced crap, and it can be expertly crafted from the finest ingredients by chefs who have trained a lifetime, and it can be everything in between. Even the quality of the rice makes a difference – it needs to be soft and melt in your mouth, and the quality of the fish and its preparation makes all the difference in the world, plus the chef’s skill in matching and blending seasonings (not everything is always wasabi and soya). I suppose some may just not like the idea of raw fish, but I suspect that many who find sushi “disgusting” have never had the real thing. When I was in Scottsdale a few weeks ago the sushi chef at the hotel sushi restaurant gave a demo - and we got to eat the sushi. For tuna, touch the tuna too long melts the oil and reduces the quality of the tuna, something I had never known. So quality of prep does count for a lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sushi-is/746356.md?page=6)