How to eat Sushi the right way

Ask any Sushi lover what they like best about Sushi and you are likely to get some unusual and expressive reactions. While some of them believe that more than the food itself, the experience matters. While others would express how much they love sushi owing to its combination of flavors and textures. 

Although you wouldn’t be evicted from a Japanese restaurant if you don’t know much about sushi, knowing the right way to eat sushi can greatly enhance the experience altogether. So, for all the sushi lovers, let’s clear some air on how to enjoy these tasty bites perfectly. 

Not many people know that professional sushi chefs study this peculiar culinary art form for decades before becoming masters of their craft that is loved the world over! Here are some tips and tricks that you should know if you’d like a real and authentic sushi experience in a Japanese restaurant. 

Conversation with the Chef

First and foremost, the counter is the place where you need to sit to have the real experience. Address the sushi chef only if needed but seek his recommendations nevertheless! 

Next is avoid chit-chatting with the chef by all means. These chefs are artists wielding sharp knives to create art in the form of sushi, you better let them work. 

Another important thing is to never attempt to handover money or tip to the chef. They are working with raw fish all day and don’t want to touch money. Besides, tipping isn’t really common in Japanese culture and one needs to be careful about it. 

Preparing to Eat

Use the wet towel before eating to clean your hands since the traditional way to relish the maki and nigiri sushi is with your fingers (although you may have it with chopsticks too). Clean them up real nice and put the towel aside. 

Pour just a bit of soy sauce in the bowl for your use. You can always have more if needed but wasting soy sauce is a serious taboo in Japanese dining etiquettes. Pouring too much of it signifies that you aren’t sure about the fish and need to touch it up before you try it. 

When not in use, the chopsticks should be put on the holder beside your table instead of the plate or dipping bowl. Leaving them elsewhere may denote that you’re done with your meal. 

Wasabi & Ginger 

You may love spicy food and hot flavors but dousing your sushi with the mess of soy sauce and wasabi is not only impolite but also an improper way to eat sushi. Moreover, depending upon the type of fish, wasabi is already added to bring out the best flavors. Adding too much of wasabi to your sushi in front of the chef not only hides the real flavors but is offensive too! If you really want more wasabi, just brush a little bit with your chopstick or a piece of ginger. Fresh ginger is given to clean your palate between bites and shouldn’t be eaten together with the sushi. 

The Right Way to Eat!

While there are no certain ways and guidelines which can point you towards which type of sushi to eat, but here are some small details to be mindful about.

• If you enjoyed the chef’s recommendations, thank him, and don’t hesitate to ask for another piece.
• Sashimi (raw fish slices) are usually eaten with chopsticks but the traditional way is to eat with your fingers which gives you a feel of the texture. 
• Nigiri is a common type of sushi served. The right way to eat it is – turning it upside down by rotating it clockwise and dipping just the fish lightly in the soy sauce before eating. 
• If you really want to be a sushi pro, then the pieces should be kept in the mouth upside down to experience the taste of fish against your tongue. 

For the uninitiated, you may not be comfortable with the idea of eating raw fish but sushi is so much more than that! It is the complete foodie experience even for a sushi newbie. 

So what are you waiting for? Drop by Wasaabi today and ask for a thorough recommendation from their extensive menu items or simply order a delivery to your home!