How to Introduce a Friend (or Yourself) to Sushi

Sushi.  It's the biggest trend in the restaurant world, with sushi bars lining the streets of every major city across the country.  But although it's incredibly popular in urban areas, the appeal of sushi has yet to spread to less citified areas.

This is not without good reason, primarily because fantastically fresh fish is more difficult to procure in more rural arenas.  And the last thing you wanna do is eat less than stellar raw seafood.

Being from the Midwest, I know how rare a good sushi restaurant can be - and perhaps more prevalent, how staunchly opposed many people are to being indoctrinated into the cult of raw fish.

Believe me, I get where you're coming from.  True, I am part Japanese and grew up eating teriyaki-flavored strips of seaweed as a snack, but sushi wasn't a regular part of my diet until I moved to California.  And even now, being the everyman's foodie that I am, there are still some things I just don't want to try - like this.

But not only is sushi incredibly good for you, it can also be one of the most delicious meals you'll ever eat - trust me.  I realize there are some out there who I won't be able to reach, who find the prospect of sushi so revolting that they'll never stray from their chicken teriyaki bowl, thank you very much.  To them I say, I understand.  There are things I refuse to try, too.

But if you're someone who has never eaten sushi and would like to give it a whirl (or perhaps you have a squeamish friend you're trying to gently goad into the world of sushi), then I've come up with a few guidelines to help ease you onto the path.

1)  WATCH WHERE YOU EAT.  You should never eat sushi outside of a major metropolitan area.  Unless you find a true diamond in the rough, most sushi bars in the sticks carry fish that isn't quite sushi grade, and eating a smelly, fishy piece of salmon is going to keep you off the sushi train for years to come.  Stick to your nearest city hub for the freshest of fish, and typically, the most knowledgeable of sushi chefs.  Check sites like yelp or citysearch to find a restaurant with good customer reviews.

2)  START SLOW.  There's no reason to puff out your chest and order sea urchin on your first foray!  Instead, start with something easy - in fact, I suggest foregoing the raw component altogether for your first trip.  Instead, stick with something like a simple california roll (usually crab, cucumber, & avocado) or a shrimp tempura roll (the shrimp is cooked, and no, there are no heads attached!).  And if you'd like to try actual pieces of sushi (instead of rolls) that aren't raw, bars usually offer Tamago (cooked egg) and/or Kani (cooked crab).  This will get you used to the feel of eating sushi as well as the taste of the seaweed that is typically used to wrap your sushi rolls.  Don't forget to start learning to use those chopsticks!

3) EASE INTO IT.  Once you've tried a few non-raw options, gradually move yourself into the deeper end of the pool.  Don't jump right into sashimi - slices of raw fish served without any rice - but rather start with a roll or two that includes a type of fish you normally like cooked, like tuna or salmon.  Two great starter rolls that include raw fish are a Spicy Tuna Roll and a Philadelphia Roll (usually salmon with cream cheese and cucumber or asparagus).  I should note, however, that some sushi bars use smoked salmon in this roll, which wouldn't qualify as raw fish - but it's still a good start!

4) ASK THE CHEF!  Most sushi chefs are more than happy to answer your questions and guide you along your path - just make sure you let them know that you're a novice!  Otherwise they're likely to put something on your plate that has eyes and tentacles.  Sit at the bar rather than a table, where you can more easily interact with the chef.  He or she is also going to know exactly which cuts of fish are the freshest.

5) TAKE A FRIEND.  It's always less daunting to have a buddy to lean on, especially one who already knows how this stuff works.  Don't let yourself feel intimidated by your more knowledgeable friend - instead, trust them to help you find items on the menu that you'll love.  After all, if they can get you into sushi, they'll have a new sushi buddy to hit the town with.  I only WISH all of my friends loved sushi as much as I do!

6) TRY NOT TO DOUSE EVERYTHING IN SOY SAUCE.  A common blunder for novices, a piece of sushi dripping with soy is guaranteed to make your chef frown.  Soy sauce, while in existence in Japan, is really more of an American addiction - the Japanese use it very sparingly, to keep the pungent salty flavor from overpowering the delicate fish.  It's not an absolute no-no...the waitress has seen too many people dunk their rolls to be shocked by you!  But try to keep it on the light side - just a hint of soy to bring out the other flavors of the dish.  Avoid it altogether once you move up to the sashimi phase.

If you follow these simple steps, you should find yourself eating raw fish in no time.  And if it ends up not being the thing for you, well, that's okay too - at least you gave it a shot!  Feel free to comment with any questions, and happy eating.