Fresh wasabi in Montreal

[carswell]

Forget the green horseradish. Do any local sushi joints serve the genuine article, the actual rhizome grown in mountain streams, plucked only days before and grated on a sharkskin grater on an as-needed basis? Failing that, are there any that use real wasabi paste, kept frozen in tubes until use? Failing that, do any local stores carry the product?

[Lesley C]

The only source for fresh wasabi in North America is the Pacific Northwest, where climatic conditions can mimic those of northern Japan. Nicholas Robinson of montrealfood.com tracked down a company in Vancouver called Pacific Coast Wasabi Ltd. (www.wasabia.ca.), which courier fresh roots packed on ice overnight. The price is about $10 a rhizome, and a Japanese ceramic grater costs $20.

[rcianci]

I was served fresh wasabi a couple of weeks ago at Soto on McGill. I was sitting at the sushi bar and they grated the root right in front of me. Very fresh and biting. I loved it.

[MaeveH]

What does the ceramic grater look like? I've seen the ones in Chinatown that go for a few bucks, and am trying to imagine a $20 one...

[HELLCOOK]

YOU COULD FIND FRESH WASABI AT ANGEL SEAFOOD TEL: 514-339-1020

CIAO !

[derricks]

Another mail-order source for fresh wasabi is Pacific Farms in Oakland. I've been buying from them for three years or so. In addition to the rhizomes, they sell wasabi paste and various other wasabi products.

Doesn't help you find places in your area that use it, but I have, in obnoxious food snob fashion, been known to bring fresh wasabi with me to a restaurant.