Just joshin’… We don’t wanna jeopardize the always-precarious ABC application process for Take-san & Fumio-san.
I’m skeptical of many apps, but THAT is one great app for the phone.
I’ve heard the term “sigh” used colloquially but I don’t know what is or if there is an actual or appropriate term is in Japanese, sorry.
Perhaps. “Dancing” usually suggests the term “odori,” which describes just-killed items which are still twitching, e.g. just-killed amaebi, just-shucked hotategai, torigai or mirugai which contract after being slapped, etc. I’ve never heard “dancing” applied to how the rice immediately sinks, so to speak. I have heard “sigh” used by a couple of different people, and we were remarking about how all the sushi we recently had in NYC did it well, but that’s just an intuitive term, not something I’ve heard translated from Japanese.
Yes, Edomae style, among many things, indicates that the ball of rice should have a good amount of air in its center, without the whole being too loose. Most people know that rice is largely what separates good sushi from great sushi (or bad sushi from good sushi for that matter), but rice is just as much, if not more, about textural things like the appropriate amount of air than its taste. For the nigiri to “sigh” immediately yet stay intact enough to roll to its side without any grains falling or sticking to your fingers is a good sign of the sushi chef’s formation skill, in my opinion.
And yea Sushi Nakamura (in the “Nigiri” video) was recommended to me by several sushi chefs at some good sushiya here in the US. However, did we ever find out exactly what was in that briefcase??? Inquiring minds want to know…
“I don’t remember.”
That’s what I thought too, but the website I linked describes it as the following:
Hashiguchi is famous for his unique “dancing sushi”…When the nigiri is placed in front of you, gravity compresses the fish against the rice, & the rice grains against themselves. During these split seconds, it appears as if your nigiri is dancing.
In any case, I still like your term better.
Umi or Teru? Jk. I’m sure both are quite good but they seem to be famous because of certain gimmicks that are pretty much “for the 'Gram.”
I think I’ve seen “Nigiri” about 3 times, and at the end of each viewing, I’m surprised that I just watched a man eat for about half an hour. Kind of like the 3 times I’ve tried to watch Sarunas Bartas’s “Laisve” (usually I’m drunk off Old Ale) and then realize after the first 1/2 hour (about when the first words are spoken) that I don’t speak Lithuanian and there are no subtitles.
I did see that - I don’t know! Maybe he coined the term, but interestingly I can only find that “dancing” term applied in blog reviews of Hashiguchi. Maybe I’m missing out on some translation Always something new to learn! I will ask some friends who are much more knowledgable than me.
Some of my faves! And akamizuke and aji… Shin Sushi looks off to a good start, anyway.
What’s in Peter Frankl’s briefcase in the Nakamura video?
A peek about the man himself:
Guesses range from juggling equipment, thesis on mathematical theorems, material for doing standup comedy/talks, rulers calculators and papers, magic hat and stick, sushi porn…
Heard good things about Umi, after all the current chef is carrying on the legacy of the deceased original owner who was supposedly as legendary as Keiji Nakazawa in terms of technical skill and knowledge of the dark side of the Force and he seems to be having fun with his theatrics. Umi still has 2 Michelin stars (although that doesn’t really mean anything in the grand scheme of things, though there is a measurement of quality).
Teru… yep it’s a show you get with dinner from what they say. And judging from the Ginza-esque prices they charge, the value is not quite there for what you get.
If all goes well I will be trying Nakamura in a few months… though it will be the full dinner with sashimi/otsumami, followed by nigiri. The youtube video is circa 2011/2012, so things must have changed a bit since then (including the chef’s shaven head now) but I do want to see that crazy lightsaber work of his and how it affects the mouthfeel. Definitely won’t be ordering and commenting in a Hungarian accent! I’d be amazed if he breaks out the binchotan to aburi otoro…as far as I know I have not seen any photos of him doing that in blogs and reviews.
Sighing? It’s more like the nigiri is relaxing and oozing into a hot tub very sensually!
Before we were all geeky about this stuff and had dark lords of the Force really showing the craft, the closest thing to “sighing” in the old days was seeing a chef slap the mirugai on the counter and watch it wiggle a little, or when Shunji decapitates ama ebi and the antennae are “dancing”. Oh how far we have come…
My favorite odori memory in L.A. was at The Hump, when the chefs would prepare sashimi using live aji (Spanish mackerel), ikejime-style and slice it up as a sashimi platter within 1-2 minutes. The sashimi was presented with the preserved head, spinal cord and tail of the fish, all pinned, but still in motion.
Please report back on your Nakamura Ginza experience. Onegashimasu!
Should be required viewing for anyone interested in sushi.
yeah, that was the only flaw of the evening.
Don’t be surprised if you hear requests such as
- no wasabi
- no soy sauce
- no nori
- no rice
- do you have soy paper?
- extra jalapenos
- baked crab roll
Hey man baked crab rolls are awesome.
I’m not knocking it, just letting you know what I heard.
A couple more highlights that i didn’t have during my first visit were the albacore toro, otoro, and barracuda. I asked Take-san about his liquor license and he said about 2 more months.
My only quibble was the pacing was a bit too fast so the neta was served slightly too cold at times. I was the only customer at the time so that may have been a factor. Besides that, another solid OOE omakase at Shin Sushi.
deep fried halibut served cold
Refreshing
gari
kasugo - baby sea bream
maguro - lean bluefin tuna
kurodai - black sea bream
hotategai - scallop
inada - baby yellowtail
kamasu - seared barracuda
kuruma-ebi - tiger prawn
chu-toro - medium-fatty bluefin tuna
kohada - gizzard shad
seared snow trout
ama-ebi - sweet shrimp
sake - seared salmon
suzuki - sea bass
isaki - grunt fish
saba - japanese mackerel
kanpachi - yellowtail
albacore toro
santa barbara uni
madai - wild sea bream
ma-iwashi - sardine
otoro - fatty bluefin tuna
negitoro
baked crab roll
tamago
head miso
after-dinner dinner
burgundy escargot - garlic, parsley, butter
I don’t care for fast food #snailedit. This should be described as butter and garlic garnished with nautilus (nautili?).
omelette (the ludo tamago) - boursin pepper cheese, chives
Is the after-dinner omelette considered second dinner or first breakfast? #askingforafriend
not toto
Bring me along, problem solved.
Nice Bang Bang btw!!!
Two Meals in the Valley…
Wow. Great appetite! As far as pacing goes, I had the same issue since I was the lone customer for the most part and we blew through 20+ pieces super quick.
On the other hand, how was the baked crab handroll this time around? I’m especially curious since Take-san was heavy handed on the mayo a few nights ago.
I thought it tasted great, crabby with not much mayo and surrounded by that fluffy rice.
Any deets on lunch service?
would be very interested in a lunch report too.