Shiki sushi restaurant

[col klink]

Shiki, 4 W Roy St., lower Queen Anne

Imagine going to fish store, sitting at the bar (ok, imagine a bar with a fish tank) and ordering from the tanks. It's that cool! On the corner of the bar there's a 10-gallon tank chock full of the most darling ama ebi (sweet shrimp) you ever did see. There's also a terrarium next to the bar with sawagani, the cute little river shore crab that is lightly tempura'ed and eaten whole. Sawagani and amaebi are two of my favorites when going out for sushi, they have an irrepressible "cool" factor that you just can’t get anywhere else but a sushi bar.

Unfortunately Shiki's doesn't have any fugu at the moment as the season just ended in March.  However, you can rest assured that in October, when the next season starts, I’ll be pushing and shoving old women and infants out of my way to try it (though everything I’ve read says that fugu is really boring and not worth it). As far as I can tell, Shiki is the only restaurant in the States that is allowed to serve fugu that alone makes it cool and it will be a badge of honor.

Before I get into the entire meal, I have to gush about the ama ebi. There is something special about seeing what you are about to eat alive and swimming, enjoying what life has to offer. Then, seeing it yanked out, put in front of you writhing and jumping and then torn in half as the succulent tail meat is put on fingers of rice, still twitching. STILL TWITCHING! That is what gets me excited about sushi. In one of my first posts I gush about trying ama ebi for the first time at Shiros and lamenting that the only thing that could make it better was if the tail was still twitching, my prayers have been answered!

My meal comrade was Mamster and we placed ourselves in the benevolent hands of Ken Yamamoto (I got an extra albacore for desert for free!) for omakase, or chef’s choice. Ken is not as inventive (frisky?) as the masters at Mashiko’s, as all of our sushi was nigiri except for the sawagani.  But Ken does a great job of getting LOTS of different fish that are very, very fresh. The nigiri pieces were ideal in size, generous without being obscene or ungainly.

Shiki’s has a bright and comfortable, traditional atmosphere but it is not as swanky as the Belltown sushi joints. There was a TV behind the bar that was playing the original “Chucky” film. Thankfully it was changed to the M’s game in time to catch the end of the pre-game show, a small gesture adding another feather to Yamamoto’s cap.

I’ll start food discussion off with the standards that were served: maguro (great), toro (fatty tuna, extra, extra great), yellow tail (great), ablacore (creamy and luscious, some of the best in town), salmon (boring, but good quality) and unagi (good, but boring). Ken also served up two types of mackerel, which were fatty, but in a good way (Mamster noted a hint of smoke). The scallop was generous and extremely fresh, very succulent and absolutely divine. I give high kudos to Ken for keeping such high caliber of seafood. I was pretty much swooning like a teenager for every piece he was preparing.

There were also two roe nigiri, salmon and flying fish. I haven’t had the salmon roe in ages and it was just as I remember it, big juicy roe teeming with salt. With all of the fantastic sushi here, I was most surprised with the flying fish roe, which is easily the best I’ve ever had. It was smoky, a little salty and has ruined all other roe for me. I love how you keep finding more roe in your mouth after you finish a piece.

Ken also served up bonito, or “white” tuna. It has a smooth texture like albacore but has a distinct and refreshing taste that I can’t put my finger on. We were quite lucky that there was uni (sea urchin roe) on hand and it compares with the best I’ve had (Mashiko’s still takes the cake though for their squid/uni combination, mmmm).

There were two whitefish I haven’t mentioned, flounder and halibut, both of which were very nice. Last but not least was the geoduck, which was chewier than I’ve had at other places.

I am ever so happy with Shiki’s and it exceeded my expectations. Anybody that keeps tanks of live shrimp for everyone to see is very high up on my list. With the STILL TWITCHING shrimp, Shiki has beat Shiro’s in my list of favorite sushi restaurants. Yamamoto does an incredible job of getting only the freshest fish and seafood and has a great collection of items that other establishments only serve at limited times. Shiki’s is not for the faint of pocketbook though but on par with other places like Mashiko’s and Shiro’s and certainly worth every penny.

[mamster]

Well, what can I add to that?

The essence of the omakase experience, I think, is that it's the only meal the average person can have where the chef prepares whatever he thinks is best, in front of you and directly before you eat it.  None of this kitchen-full-of-cooks business where the chef might take a look at your plate and throw some parsley on it as it goes over the pass.  Your sushi chef is cooking for you.  And because the food is so simple, the chef has to be a sucker for quality, or it will show.

I was hoping for a bit more of the crazy stuff like the scallop hamburger that klink got at Mashiko, but it was hard to fault anything at Shiki.  My favorite thing was probably the river crab, six beautiful little creatures presented on a bed of puffed noodles.  The crunch is a reminder of how closely insects and crustaceans are related.

My favorite things at a sushi place are anything with fat.  Fatty tuna, I love it.  Mackerel is often derided as an "oily" fish--why is this an epithet?  (I have this sneaking suspicion that there are people who would turn up their noise at a piece of mackerel and then go home and pop fish-oil pills "for their health".)  But perhaps best of all was the fat in the heads of the deep-fried sweet shrimp.  First there's the crunch of the shell, and then hot, juicy flesh with an actual squirt of fat.  Thai cooks sometimes toss shrimp heads into a wok to release the fat and then cook the rest of the food in that fat.  They know what they're doing.

I'll also second klink's admiration for Shiki's flying fish roe.

The only piece I was unsure of was the uni, or sea urchin roe, which has a delightful flavor and a texture that can only be described as pond scum.  The funny thing is, just as I was thinking of myself as a Philistine for disliking the uni, I read Nancy's sushi article in today's Times, where she admits that it took her 20 years before she liked the stuff.

Sushi is a food that exerts a strange pull on me.  The first time I had it was at a restaurant in Vancouver a few years ago.  I tried a couple of bites (it was a piece of tuna nigiri), smiled politely, and turned back to my shrimp tempura.

The next day I realized that, as much as I had enjoyed the tempura, I was still thinking about the sushi.  I hadn't liked it, and yet I wanted more.  (It turned out to be quite a while before I had any more, but once I did, I was hooked.)

Now when I cook fish at home, I often say to myself over my poached halibut steak or pan-roasted salmon, "This is good, but I think I would have enjoyed it more raw."  James Peterson says the same thing in Fish & Shellfish:  "Those who have tried raw seafood sometimes end up preferring it to cooked."

klink was polite enough not to note that while he kept finding roe in his mouth, I kept finding mine on my plate, since I foolishly attempted to eat mine in two bites.

The price before tip was about $46 each.  I've only spent a little less than that the last couple of times I've been to Shiki, and I got much less food and no live stuff.

I've long believed that the best way to get people to try novel foods is to put them in comfortable surroundings, and by this standard, Shiki would be a great place to take a sushi newbie.  Chef Ken is an affable fellow, and the whole place has a casual, laid-back demeanor which belies its almost neurotic emphasis on fish quality.

[Batgrrrl]

Even though I wasn't part of the Klink/Mamster Shiki experience (having been informed that it was a "Boys' Night" and that my past references to fugu as the culinary equivalent of chest pounding, grunting, and scratching made me unwelcome), I nevertheless find myself compelled to add to Mamster's general comments about sushi, and the raw fish/cooked fish experience.

I'm wholeheartedly in agreement.  Heck, I spent the first 5 years of my life in the Bay Area, and the next 20 or so in the heart of midwest lake and river country; I've always had access to excellent fish, mainly freshwater.  And I've never had any real interest in any of it.  Of saltwater seafood, I've only ever really liked shrimp, crab and oysters.  "Fish" fish just doesn't do it for me--even, forgive me, salmon.  

This was all until I started getting into sushi.  It is all so much more interesting and flavorful when raw, or when only slightly seared on the outside!  I love raw salmon, though it is often not as interesting as some of the other stuff, whereas I'd virtually never order cooked salmon at a restaurant, and I can count on one hand the times I've bothered to cook it myself.  It just doesn't interest me.  (Col. Klink, you can assume that your smoked salmon is an exception to this!)

And I've had the great experience of finding that some seafood I do love when cooked (like shrimp and scallops) are every bit as good raw--perhaps even better.

We have such huge mental blocks against eating raw meat in our culture--I'm so glad I overcame mine.  Sushi is absolutely the best seafood experience I can imagine.  When it's at its best, it is like eating bites of pure, distilled ocean.

You guys had better take me along next time.  I promise, no masculinity-threatening jokes about the fugu.

Batgrrrl

p.s. Is it just me or does "Klink/Mamster Shiki Experience" sound like a good name for a performance art troupe?

[col klink]

On the raw front, I need to try steak tartare. I know that The Stranger had an article on tartare restaurants in the area, has anyone tried them?

[mamster]

Batgrrrl, klink may have said it was "Boy's Night Out," but I made clear that it was actually "Man Eating Fish Night".  Hope that clears everything up.  You're more than welcome to come next time.

I haven't had steak tartare, but I've had the ethiopian raw beef dish described in the Stranger article, and it was very good.  I'm willing to bet some wiseguy sushi chef has made a nigiri piece with a slice of raw beef tenderloin--I'd try it.

[col klink]

I owe you a huge apology Mamster for my above review of Shiki. I just went back and looked at your review of Azuma in the Times and it starts out thuswise:

"Imagine you're at the baggage claim at Sea-Tac."

What blatent plagiarism!! I assure you it was not done intentionally or maliciously. Surely this will get me arrested.

And to think I just sent an email to Mamster about plagiarising himself with his latest article here. Which looks surprisingly like this article by the same author!

Glad to see that your previous efforts were not just for the joy of writing. Oh yeah, I'll be making Penne alla Vodka tonight which will make the second dish you've written about that I've later made.

[mamster]

Dude, if that's plagiarism, we're all going to be sentenced to eat fish sticks in the pokey.

To give credit where credit is due, I was plagiarizing John Lennon, who wrote the beloved song that begins, "Imagine you're at a conveyor belt sushi joint."

[col klink]

Nancy Leson recently reviewed Shiki in the Seattle Times:

Mmmm, fugu.

[trillium]

I haven't had steak tartare, but I've had the ethiopian raw beef dish described in the Stranger article, and it was very good.  I'm willing to bet some wiseguy sushi chef has made a nigiri piece with a slice of raw beef tenderloin--I'd try it.

Steak tartare is great, plus you get extra macho points for raw egg and raw beef, but I could never eat it again after reading Mona Simpson's _Anywhere But Here_. Beef sashimi at Ebisu in SF... Yummmmm....what's not to like about raw beef, yuzu and shiso? Basically it's Japanese carpaccio. I've seen people eating natto/raw beef rolls but I'm afraid I find that just too revolting, due mainly to the natto.

regards,

trillium

[Schielke]

So when are you going to try the fugu klink?

Ben

[col klink]

I better try it soon before it's out of season! I believe by March it's gone.

[seawakim]

On the raw front, I need to try steak tartare. I know that The Stranger had an article on tartare restaurants in the area, has anyone tried them?

I love steak tartare and used to eat it quite often at home (in Europe). The best I've had was prepared with Argentinian beefsteak.

Locally, El Gaucho really serves up a nice steak tartare. I would highly recommend it.

[seawakim]

On the raw front, I need to try steak tartare. I know that The Stranger had an article on tartare restaurants in the area, has anyone tried them?

I love steak tartare and used to eat it quite often at home (in Europe). The best I've had was prepared with Argentinian beefsteak.

Locally, El Gaucho really serves up a nice steak tartare. I would highly recommend it.

Canlis is also featuring Wasyugyu Steak Tartare made from KOBE style beef. YUM. Sounds great, but I haven't tried it yet. I do remember trying the Kobe-style beef at 727 Pine and I really liking it.

Edited February 13, 2003 by seawakim (log)

[col klink]

Tried the fugu tonight. It was fun!

Though it was more of the idea of eating that was cool rather than actually eating it. I'll give a full report later.

[Schielke]

Fugu Me!

Ben

[col klink]

Batgrrrl and I just finished watching "One Fish, Two Fish, Blow Fish, Blue Fish." I was quite proud of the The Simpsons as they got all of the lingo correct, even the pronounciation of karaoke. We pretty much ate everything Homer did including uni! The only thing we didn't eat was the flying fish roe with a quail's egg on top, for some reason I didn't feel like it. I told Ann that we should've watched the episode before we left for Shiki. I feel disgraced for letting Homer down.

[col klink]

I recently found my notes of our Valentine's Day fugu meal and realized I didn't post about them like I had promised! Well, there was a lot more to the meal than just the fugu for our omakase meal.

Ken started us with a nigiri plate of salmon (very, very good), toro, uni (gunkan), mackeral, Louisiana red snapper, hammachi and a scallop (good). Later on we also were served the spansih mackeral (from Japan) that was sweet and anago (sea eel) which was very creamy and tasty.

The main purpose of going to Shiki of course was the fugu and it was about as I expected. From reading a couple of articles on the subject by Michael Hood (the PI) and Anthony Bourdain I knew basically what was in store for us. A chewy piece of flesh without much flavor and that's exactly what we got. Or at least that's what I assume. Our nigiri pieces were draped in chives with daikon and wasabi and had a delightfullly crisp ponzu sauce without any sweetness (it was a really great sauce). Everything tasted very good but I couldn't extract any flavor from fugu with everything else going on. It did however have a chewy texture that I really liked. It was sliced thin and not as tender as octopus of the same thickness.

Later on we had flounder prepared in the same fashion except with shiso instead of chives and the only roll of the evening was called a "junk roll." It was multilayered. The core consisted of salmon and avacado wrapped in nori. Then that was draped in maguro and the roll was covered in nori and finally topped with anago. It was a cool roll to look at but it seemed too over the top, like he was just trying to make an outlandish roll instead of trying to find the right combination of flavors to make a memorable roll.

Dessert was slices of ankimo with scallions and daikon on top of shiso and served with his ponzu sauce, very tasty.

That night (Wednesday, February the 12th) NPR did a national story on fugu, specifically mentioning Ken and of course Shiki's which presented Ken with interesting dilema: customers on a Wednesday night. The place was almost packed and Ken was giddy as a little school girl. But Batgrrrl and I scored some "cool" points along with the couple next to us when we professed that we had been planning this little excursion for over a couple of weeks.

Batgrrrl called up before hand just to make sure that Ken would indeed have some fugu that night except that his grasp of the English wasn't the best and she was unsucessful. This is where I'd like to give thanks to Nightscotsman for teaching me the correct pronunciation of "nigiri." Before I would pronounce it nee-GEAR-ee, in the typical Western fashion but it's actually pronoucned nee-gee-ree without any emphasis and very spoken very quickly. So when Batgrrrl gave up and I called, I too had a hard time getting to the point but as soon as I spit nigiri out he mentioned that we didn't have to make an appointment, that fugu nigiri is always available when in season. It's only if you order the soup or the sashimi platter (which looks really cool) that you have to order a day in advance.

I'm very proud to say that I've tried fugu but just like everything I've read, it really is a let down. I really wanted my lips to tingle and momentarily see through time. It turns out I could only see through time; I saw myself going to the liquor store to buy sake.