A Local Sushi Shop in Niigata

[Kaitenzushi]

OK, I may have misread your question.

Yes, "kan" is confusing to Japanese. 

"Kan" in "gunkan" 軍艦 (warship) has nothing to do with the counter "kan" 貫.

The prices on the board on the wall are for one piece.  The board explicitly says ikko 一個 (one piece).  I think they avoid the use of kan because it's ambiguous.  As I mentioned way upthread, traditional sushi shops are about twice as expensive as kaitenzushi restaurants.

You should be careful when ordering sushi in a traditional sushi shop in Japan because if you don't explicitly specify how many you want, the chances are that you will get two pieces of the same nigiri.  If you want to avoid using 'kan', you can use ko, mentioned above.

ikko (not ichi ko) = one piece

ni ko = two pieces

san ko = three pieces

yon ko = four pieces

Or, you can also say

hitotsu = one piece

futatsu = two pieces

mittsu = thress pieces

yottsu = four pieces

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Thanks Hiroyuki-san, it is all clear to me now. Your comments and the film clip were very informative. (And I see the 一個 sign now). O sewa ni narimashita.

I guess 9,000 yen was reasonable for that quality on a special occasion, but it may become a problem if you want it often.

Here in Australia, we do not have that top quality. We do have the fish supply, but not the preparation skills. On the other hand, I think that some of our up-market kaitenzushi restaurants are at least as good as the corresponding ones in Japan.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Kaitenzushi (log)

[_john]

A lot of people say oaisou in Kansai. But mostly in izakaya.

I, and most other people it seems, say nothing. They simply stand up and the staff know what is happening. I usually thank the cooks for the meal with the appropriate style of "gochisousamadeshita" sometimes preceded by a sumimasen to get someone's attention.

in Osaka I most often hear "suimasen, gochisousan"

The timing of the gochisousama seems to vary. Directly after finishing the food? When standing? after paying? When parting the noren on the way out? All of these seem acceptable. Is there a "most" correct time?

[Hiroyuki]

A lot of people say oaisou in Kansai. But mostly in izakaya.

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That's true in Kanto, too. Izakaya are another type of restaurant where customers like to say "Oaiso!" in a loud voice.

I, and most other people it seems, say nothing. They simply stand up and the staff know what is happening. I usually thank the cooks for the meal with the appropriate style of "gochisousamadeshita" sometimes preceded by a sumimasen to get someone's attention.

In a normal restaurant, I don't say anything, either. In a small, family-run traditional sushi shop like the one in this thread, I feel like saying, "Suimasen, o-kanjo onegaishimasu." or something like that.

The timing of the gochisousama seems to vary. Directly after finishing the food? When standing? after paying? When parting the noren on the way out? All of these seem acceptable. Is there a "most" correct time?

That depends on a number of factors, including whether you sit at the counter or a table, whether the chef is attentive to you, and whether you have a companion. Suppose that I sit alone at a table of a restaurant where I am not a regular, I don't say gochisousama immediately after finishing the meal, say nothing or suimasen (or suimasen o-kanjo) when I stand up and walk to the register, and say gochisousama to the cashier as I leave the restaurant.

Caution: This is my personal answer. Different native Japanese may have different opinions.

[Hiroyuki]

Today, it's been snowing since last night, and this sushi shop is a 30-minute ride from my house, but I decided to go there again for lunch. (Just in case you are wondering, this shop has become a three-star restaurant of mine since I had sushi there for the first time in late October.)

When I sat at the counter, I immediately noticed this big abalone.

I tentatively asked the chef just about how much it was. He hesitated to give me a straight answer, saying that it was about 7,000 to 8,000 yen per kg (2.2 pounds). He also said that there were no other (traditional) sushi shops around his that offer abalone nigiri for 500 yen a piece.

I had a nigiri set.

1,050 yen, including a cup of coffee and a cup of chawanmushi.

The white fish one, second from left in the top row, is matou dai (John dory, target dory).

I also had two ko-buri (small yellowtail) nigiri and one kohada nigiri.

Buri: 200 yen per piece

Kohada: 150 yen

Closeup of ko-buri nigiri

I know most of you have already been tired of looking at photos of the same old nigiri, but I'm never been tired of having sushi at this sushi shop.

I had kept wondering when this sushi shop would start offering kan-buri (yellowtails caught in the winter, when they are in season).The fact is that the catches of yellowtails have been so low this winter, causing their prices to skyrocket. The chef said that when he talked with the fishmonger in Sado Island yesterday, he learned that 10-kg yellowtails were 5,500 yen per kg and even the fishmonger couldn't buy any. He previously told me that yellowtails cost about 2,500 yen per kg. I hope I can have some kan-buri before the end of this year.

The chef started making preparations for dinner.

Okoze (stonefish):

Anko (monkfish)

Monkfish liver

It's raw. It's usually steamed before serving.

The chef says that monkfish is good in various dishes and even as sashimi, but that it is usually used in nabe (one-pot dishes) at his shop.

Stay tuned for another dinner post. This thread won't end until I have some kan-buri and report back.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Hiroyuki (log)

[SG-]

Hiroyuki, those are great looking pictures.  All the food looks very delicious especially sazae and awabi.  Very hard to find awabi in the US.

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On the contrary live farmed abalone are quite common these days in Korean and Chinese supermarkets or fishmongers here in the US (at least around LA). Fairly inexpensive too.. Here's a mail order source in San Diego if you can't find any around where you live Live Abalone Mail Order Source

[Domestic Goddess]

I find frozen and fresh abalone in my local supermarkets. I have no idea how to prepare it.

[Domestic Goddess]

Edited: because my post hiccuped.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[Hiroyuki]

I find frozen and fresh abalone in my local supermarkets. I have no idea how to prepare it.

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You don't mean Koreans in general don't eat abalones, do you?

[Domestic Goddess]

Hiroyuki, I think they do (eat abalone). So far I've seen them (koreans) add it to jook/congee here, grill it over fire and then cut it slices and even broiled. I'm afraid to buy it since I don't know how to prepare/season it.

Edited December 5, 2007 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[Hiroyuki]

I went there again for lunch today.

I had a chirashi set. No photo. (I'm sure you don't want to see another photo of it.) As usual, I asked the chef if he had anything special. He replied he had kasago (scorpionfish).

(Sorry, blurry. ) I ordered two pieces because I thought one piece would not be enough to savor its flavor and texture.

200 yen per piece. Quite frankly, I wasn't unable to tell its difference from other white fish, but I don't mind. I'm determined to have all the white fish the chelf recommends.

I asked the chef about kan-buri (yellowtail caught in the winter season and known for its fattiness). He replied that it was still too expensive (even for his fishmonger) to buy, around 5,000 yen per kg (2.2 pounds). According to the chef and his wife, the kan-buri price will remain on the same level this winter. There are always some sushi shops that want it no matter how expensive it may be, which inevitably keeps the prices high. I'm not sure if I can have kan-buri nigiri until the end of this year.

[Hiroyuki]

All the white fish sashimi and sushi were memorable enough, but I was impressed the most by the katsuo sashimi.  It was katsuo tataki (seared bonito).  When I put a slice in my mouth, it was just wonderful.  I thought it was seasoned in some magical way because it was so delicious.  Later I said to the chef, "The bonito was delicious.  How was it seasoned?"  The chef replied that it was seasoned with salt.  OK, no magic but simply salt!  But he told me about his way of making tataki.  Usually, bonito is first seared and then soaked in cold iced water.  But the chef does not do the soaking.  He simply puts the seared bonito in the fridge so the surface remains crisp.  I'd like to try his recipe some day.

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Correction: Not in the fridge but in the freezer.

Coincidentally, Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo, which has become very famous since it gained three stars in the Michelin Guide, employs a similar method, as I learned weeks ago from a NHK TV program. Jiro-san first grills bonito over burning straw, and then he puts out the fire to smokes the bonito. Then, he puts the bonito in the freezer, not in an ice bath.

I don't know how the chef grills his bonito. I should have asked...

[Hiroyuki]

One more thing:

Today, I asked why he didn't have salmon (I had been wondering about this). Here is what he said:

King salmon has a strong smell, and I don't like it. That's why I don't offer it. I offer sakura masu (cherry salmon) and others (I forgot) when they are available.

Let me add that traditionally, salmon was not offered in edomae zushi (edo-style sushi) shops (due to parasite problems, I guess), but it's now a very popular neta (topping) in conveyor sushi restaurants. (My daugher likes salmon better than tuna.)

In traditional sushi shops and conveyor sushi restaurants, they usually use the word salmon (サーモン in kana) rather than sake (Japanese word for salmon). I don't know exactly why, but I think this is in order to distinguish fatty salmon from other species of salmon.

[Lucil]

hiroyuki, why do some sushi shops make this type of tamagoyaki, not the folded version?

and why some make the folded version, like the one in ur pic

Edited December 22, 2007 by Lucil (log)

[Hiroyuki]

The first photo you showed is gyoku (egg) as tsumami (appetizer) not as nigiri, right?

Ryosuke orders gyoku as tsumami in the kuitan episode here, at about 0:59.

Some shops simply place a piece of gyoku on top of shari (vinegared rice), while others prefer other styles such as the one you showed in the second photo.

Here is a cross section of the gyoku nigiri:

As you may know, gyoku can be served and ordered as tsumami (without shari) and is often served and ordered as the last piece of nigiri (with shari) like a dessert because it's sweet.

[Hiroyuki]

hiroyuki, why do some sushi shops make this type of tamagoyaki, not the folded version?

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Oh, sorry, I misread your question. It's simply because some shops prefer that style of tamagoyaki aka gyoku. I'll see if I can come with a better answer.

Edited to add:

I did some googling but was unable to find any useful information. Again, it's simply because those shops prefer that style. Personally, I don't like it because of its sweetness and texture.

A recipe for this type of tamagoyaki can be found here if you are interested.

Edited December 23, 2007 by Hiroyuki (log)

[Malkavian]

Wow, this has been an interesting thread to read (and also has made me extremely hungry ) The photos are all beautiful. Particularly I was surprised to see monkfish, I was under the impression that it was confined to the Northern Atlantic (at least Lophius spp., perhaps there are other species that have the same common name)--Monkfish is a favorite of mine, i'd never considered the possibility of implementing it in sushi or sashimi.

I find it fascinating the variety of fish that seem to be available and readily employed! Do those different kinds of fish show up in supermarkets (i.e., where you could purchase them for home use by fillets or whole fish?) or is it a matter of going directly to a fishmonger or fisherman?

There are certainly a wide variety of fish on the east coast of the US, but I think to get many of them you'd have to go fishing yourself, or at least have access to coastal fish markets.

I'm craving sushi now i have yet to visit a 'real' sushi place here in Charlotte, as the experience has always intimidated me a bit, and I don't know anyone who knows their way around the etiquette and so forth to help me along.

Edited December 30, 2007 by Malkavian (log)

[Hiroyuki]

Wow, this has been an interesting thread to read (and also has made me extremely hungry )  The photos are all beautiful. Particularly I was surprised to see monkfish, I was under the impression that it was confined to the Northern Atlantic (at least Lophius spp., perhaps there are other species that have the same common name)--Monkfish is a favorite of mine, i'd never considered the possibility of implementing it in sushi or sashimi.

I find it fascinating the variety of fish that seem to be available and readily employed! Do those different kinds of fish show up in supermarkets (i.e., where you could purchase them for home use by fillets or whole fish?) or is it a matter of going directly to a fishmonger or fisherman?

There are certainly a wide variety of fish on the east coast of the US, but I think to get many of them you'd have to go fishing yourself, or at least have access to coastal fish markets.

I'm craving sushi now i have yet to visit a 'real' sushi place here in Charlotte, as the experience has always intimidated me a bit, and I don't know anyone who knows their way around the etiquette and so forth to help me along.

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Some of the fish shown and mentioned here are available at any supermarket in Japan, even in mountainous areas like mine, while others are not. For example, you can find monkfish in any supermarket, often cut and prepared for use in nabe (one-pot dish). I have seen small filefish (probably less than 20 cm in length) sold at one supermarket. They were rather expensive, 600 yen each. Akami (lean part of tuna) and chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) are available at any supermarket almost all year round. O-toro is rather hard to come by here. I have never seen ara (Nuphon spinosus Cuvieror) or kijihata (red-spotted groupers) sold at a supermarket here. Things will be much different in costal areas and in big cities in Japan.

I'd like to add that monkfish is highly valued in Japan, especially its liver, which is often called the sea's foie gras because of its high fat content of 42%. I posted a photo of monkfish liver here. It should also be noted that almost all parts of a monkfish is eaten in Japan. These parts are called anko no nanatsu dogu (monkfish's seven tools). They are:

1. Flesh

2. Skin

3. Stomach

4. Liver

5. Ovaries

6. Gills

7. Fins

Monkfish are often cut and filleted by hanging them on a bar, as I mentioned here with photos.

They may be ugly to look at, so I found some nice photos here.

Etiquette... Here is a thread on sushi etiquette on eGullet. There may be more. I really don't think there are any proper etiquette and manners in the Western sense, and I'd like to encourage you to enjoy sushi the way you want. And, I hope you don't fall prey to sushi snobs!

[Malkavian]

I knew monkfish liver was a delicacy in some places but I'd never heard of eating anything but that and the flesh of the tail. I'm learning a lot reading here

I'll also comment here, since we're discussing fish, that the photos I've seen (like on the page you linked) showing monkfish and other fish being dissected or cut into pieces are great; i wish i could see something like that here

Edited December 31, 2007 by Malkavian (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Hiroyuki, I'm still saving up the courage to buy a whole monkfish and cut it up myself. Sometimes a big one is on sale for as low as 5,000 won (about $5).

[BarbaraY]

This thread makes me want to weep. Everything is so beautiful and delicious looking.

A Japanese restaurant opened in our town for the first time in about 15 years.

My daughter and I went on Saturday to try it out. We were rather disappointed. I ordered anago and cucumber roll and my daughter had her favorite California roll. We weren't paying close enough attention and were served inside-out rolls. Not my favorite because they're so messy to eat. The eel was very tasty although the shari seemed underseasoned to me. We didn't order nigiri wanting to see how things were first.

We also had tempura that was rather tasty although the dipping sauce was quite bland as was the white miso soup. The soup tasted as if it had been made with just water instead of dashi. They didn't serve any pickles! How can you have Japanese food without pickles?

There was a salad of Western style greens with a tangy sesame flavored dressing and an oily vegetable melange.

We will try it again and I hope they work out the problems as I truly want a Japanese restaurant nearby.

[Lucil]

hiroyuki, normally traditional edo mae sushi chefs dun make unagi sushi, isit true??

they only make anago right/?

[Hiroyuki]

Hiroyuki, I'm still saving up the courage to buy a whole monkfish and cut it up myself. Sometimes a big one is on sale for as low as 5,000 won (about $5).

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Wow, I envy you!

This thread makes me want to weep. Everything is so beautiful and delicious looking.

A Japanese restaurant opened in our town for the first time in about 15 years.

My daughter and I went on Saturday to try it out. We were rather disappointed. I ordered anago and cucumber roll and my daughter had her favorite California roll. We weren't paying close enough attention and were served inside-out rolls. Not my favorite because they're so messy to eat. The eel was very tasty although the shari seemed underseasoned to me. We didn't order nigiri wanting to see how things were first.

We also had tempura that was rather tasty although the dipping sauce was quite bland as was the white miso soup. The soup tasted as if it had been made with just water instead of dashi. They didn't serve any pickles! How can you have Japanese food without pickles?

There was a salad of Western style greens with a tangy sesame flavored dressing and an oily vegetable melange.

We will try it again and I hope they work out the problems as I truly want a Japanese restaurant nearby.

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That's one of the reasons why the Japanese government wanted to send what the U.S. media described as "sushi police" throughout the world. Fortunately, the government dropped that idea and downgraded the "certification" system to a "recommendation" system. I'm sorry about what you experienced in that restaurant, but I think that in general, the United States, as well as other countries, should develop their own sushi culture.

hiroyuki, normally traditional edo mae sushi chefs dun make unagi sushi, isit true??

they only make anago right/?

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That's true! I've never had unagi nigiri, only anago nigiri.

When I hear unagi zushi (= sushi), I associate it with other types of sushi such as chirashi zushi and oshi zushi.

Images of unagi sushi

[Lucil]

hiroyuki, sorry for the many questions..

how do you tell if the ikura is fresh?? isit frm its texture? so fresh ikura has firm and bursting texture?? how do you determine a very well prepared kohada and anago??

[Shelby]

I just wanted to say that I never tire of your pictures!

Surprisingly, last night I had my first taste of monkfish. It's my new favorite!!

[Hiroyuki]

hiroyuki, sorry for the many questions..

how do you tell if the ikura is fresh?? isit frm its texture? so fresh ikura has firm and bursting texture?? how do you determine a very well prepared kohada and anago??

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I appreciate any comment or question on sushi.

As for ikura, I really don't know what to answer because I don't think I have ever had ikura that isn't fresh. As you can easily imagine, I think it will smell and taste bad when it gets old. It should be noted that fully grown ikura has a thick and tough membrane, which leaves an unpleasant feeling in the mouth. You can see an example of such ikura here (third photo). My daughter said it was tasty, but also said the skin (membrane) was tough. Note also that in most conveyor sushi restaurants in Japan, they serve artificial ikura. It's very difficult to tell a real one from a fake one. An easy way to tell a real one is to put it in hot water; a real one will turn white because of its high protein content, while a fake one will not. It's not that a fake one is bad. A fake one is as good as a real one, but in traditional sushi shops, they don't use a fake one.

I think that when well prepared, kohada is pleasantly sour but not overly so. But, again, I have never had kohada that isn't properly prepared. I think when badly prepared, kohada would be fishy and almost inedible.

According to the blog of the chef's wife, it's very difficult to simmer anago properly. If simmered for a short time, it will be tough, and if simmered for a long time, it will lose fat and taste bad. I like the anago the chef makes. It's very soft and is almost creamy!

According to her blog, the chef is very good at preparing kohada and anago. I'll ask him your questions the next time I go there.

One correction: I mentioned previously that kohada was relatively cheap, but the chef told me that it wasn't cheap but was as expensive as tai (sea bream).

Edited January 2, 2008 by Hiroyuki (log)