# What is the tangy Thousand Island covered sauce in Japanese restaurants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2006, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979 "2006-01-08T05:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/1 "2006-01-08T05:50:36Z")
I went to a Japanese steakhouse tonight and I LOVE this sauce. The chef didn’t know its name or how to speak English so I’m not sure what it’s called, but I would love to buy or make some. It’s the color of Thousand Island dressing but the consistency of ranch dressing, a little bit tangy and just “Good on vegetables, meat, Cheerios or Metamucil” tasting. Does anybody know what it’s called? Thanks J ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/2 "2006-01-08T05:56:54Z")
It sounds like [wasabi dressing](http://japanesefood.about.com/od/japanesesaladdressing/r/wasabidressing.htm) which is based on horseradish paste. (You can find wasabi paste in most Asian food store and, with increasing frquency, at your local supermarket.) ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/3 "2006-01-08T05:57:14Z")
This came up recently: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346452&highlight=orange+dressing+japanese](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346452&highlight=orange+dressing+japanese) Some helpful info there… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/4 "2006-01-08T06:04:30Z")
Alternatively, it might be the [ginger salad dressing](http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,193,153160-237196,00.html). (From your description, I do not think that it is the miso dressing, although someone with more hands-on experience of Japanese cuisine might correct me on that.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/5 "2006-01-08T06:36:21Z")
Thanks. Is wasabi salad dressing spicy/hot? (This wasn’t.) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/6 "2006-01-08T08:56:23Z")
Hmmm…I don’t know, I don’t even know if this is Japanese (it’s got soy sauce in it!) but it fits your discription and if you want a good sauce for beef… [http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe\_views/views/232308](http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/232308) Mmmmmmmmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/7 "2006-01-08T09:18:46Z")
I know the exact Japanese sauce you’re talking about, and believe it or not, it’s mostly mayonnaise-based. I’m pretty sure they add some chili sauce, but I wish I could tell you exactly what. It’s creamy and cool, right? But not thick like mayo? A friend who was friends with an actual Japanese steakhouse chef told me it’s primarily mayo. (And it shouldn’t contain any wasabi, not the stuff I’m thinking of. Wasabi is very spicy, to the point where it may make your nose run, and it’s the green condiment you get with your sushi that looks like guacamole.) ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/8 "2006-01-08T12:47:56Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I went to a Japanese steakhouse tonight and I LOVE this sauce. The chef didn’t know its name or how to speak English so I’m not sure what it’s called, but I would love to buy or make some. It’s the color of Thousand Island dressing but the consistency of ranch dressing, a little bit tangy and just “Good on vegetables, meat, Cheerios or Metamucil” tasting. Does anybody know what it’s called? Rundown of possibilities I’ve seen, some match and some don’t - wasabi - spicy, often greenish, made with mayonnaise and a Japanese horseradish-like root aioli - spicy, orange-ish, made with mayonnaise and a hot red pepper sauce ginger dressing - orange-ish, not spicy, made with ginger, sesame oil, and other stuff sesame dressing - made with ground up sesame seeds, oil, rice vinegar, some other stuff It’s hard to guess what you might have had without a better description of the flavor than “tangy”. I find sesame dressing addictive, it’s like crack. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/9 "2006-01-08T14:58:19Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I know the exact Japanese sauce you’re talking about, and believe it or not, it’s mostly mayonnaise-based. Well then, check out my link. I may be on to something. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/10 "2006-01-08T18:25:33Z")
Maybe it’s some kind of miso paste concoction? Here’s a listing of some [Japanese sauce recipes](http://www.recipezaar.com/r/42/123). The [Kobe’s shrimp sauce](http://www.recipezaar.com/106028) recipe seems like it might be a contender based on your description. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/11 "2006-01-09T07:36:22Z")
Moved to CS. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-tangy-thousand-island-covered-sauce-in-japanese-restaurants/338979/12 "2006-01-09T15:26:34Z")
We have always (and local restaurants do the same) called it shrimp sauce.