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Uni

Stone

By Stone
in Food Traditions & Culture

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MsRamsey

MsRamsey

Posted
Posted

At a sushi bar last night, I observed the sushi chef prepare some uni nigiri (the horrible stuff from the wooden flat). On top of each piece of uni, he placed a raw quail egg. That's a new one on me! Sound familiar to anyone?

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."

-- State Senator John Burton, joking about

how the bill to ban production of foie gras in

California was summarized for signing by

Gov. Schwarzenegger.

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Stone

Stone

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I went to Blowfish last night. One of San Francisco's best (arguably) and hippest sushi places. They guaranteed me that the uni was fresh and delicious.

The first piece was definitely the best uni I've had -- but since most have been quite unpleasant, that's not saying much. The "flesh" was firmer than I've had before, not as repulsive. Can't say that I actually enjoyed it. The flavor was not nearly as strong. It wasn't like . . . . well, you know what bad uni is like.

The second piece popped into my mouth and had that icky flavor. Luckily, the piece was on its side and the uni slipped off onto my tongue from where it slid quickly down my throat. No chewing, minimal gag reflex.

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Liza

Liza

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Congrats on the minimal gag reflex. It's a start. I guess. Of course, the possibility exists that you just don't like it. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I happen to be cilantrophobic. I don't consider it a character defect but more of an allergy, as I'm sure I would like it if I didn't hate it.

That said, please come to NYC and we'll go to Union Pacific and have my favorite dish of all time (gold star here, please) of Taylor Bay scallops with sea urchin. My cunning plan: If you don't like it, then you really just plain don't like sea urchin, and I get to eat the rest of the serving. OH! Did I write that out loud? :laugh:

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Stone

Stone

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If you don't like it, then you really just plain don't like sea urchin, and I get to eat the rest of the serving. OH! Did I write that out loud?  :laugh:

Nothing wrong with that. I once had to explain to my girlfriend that it was unacceptable for her to finish her entire dinner and not leave me anything.

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Jinmyo

Jinmyo

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Gee, Stone, I'm sorry that minimal gag reflex seems to be as good an uni experience as you've had.

Do you like raw oysters and such?

edit:

Reading back, I see that I have asked g. johnson the same question when he said he didn't like uni. Not liking uni puzzles me.

Edited by Jinmyo (log)

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

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Bux

Bux

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Not liking uni puzzles me.

I think they've been pulling your leg all along. Come on guys, Jinmyo and I are not so gullible.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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HotCanary

HotCanary

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Buttery? I want buttery. I'd love buttery. This is the question that always tortures me: if I didn't like it ,is it because I don't like it, or because I've never had a good one ? My daughter (now 12) and I tried uni at a fairly popular japanese restaurant at the Jersey Shore. We tried it because she likes sushi, and we were watching an "Iron Chef" episode where the main ingredient was uni. Being as I don't know anything, and don't ever pretend to, I asked our server what uni tasted like. Just like an "Iron Chef" judge, she giggled behind her hand. She told us that it was "very nutritious". I asked her if she enjoyed it. More giggling.

To me, it tasted like low tide smells on a hot,humid July afternoon. When the water quality is poor. The restaurant staff kept peeking at us and giggling . I ate most of it, in small bits , in an attempt to teach my daughter not to be afraid of strange food. She tried it, didn't like it, and didn't fake it. The texture was actually nice, but that low-tide thing made the whole experience kinda creepy.

The next month, our local restaurant reviewer gave the place a decent review, and recommended the uni. So, I figure that maybe I had the real thing. But from reading these posts, I'm thinking that the only way to know for sure is to try it in a place that I 'll never get to and can't afford. True?

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Bux

Bux

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No one is ever going to guess this thread is sponsored by the Association of High Priced Uni Suppliers.

tasted like low tide smells
That doesn't sound like any uni I've had. Maybe I've been lucky, or I've got a taste bud deficiency in that range, although I've had an oyster or two that was probably not unfit to eat, but definitely an unpleasant surprise. Uni should taste clean and almost sweet, in a non sugary sense, almost more than of the sea.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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torakris

torakris

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Posted
Uni should taste clean and almost sweet, in a non sugary sense, almost more than of the sea.

What he said! :biggrin:

If it tastes buttery or "of the sea" it isn't the good stuff.

I buy it as often as I can afford to and have found that even in the same crate there are inferior pieces.

I usually give those to my husband! :shock::laugh:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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HotCanary

HotCanary

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Posted
tasted like low tide smells
That doesn't sound like any uni I've had. Maybe I've been lucky, or I've got a taste bud deficiency in that range, although I've had an oyster or two that was probably not unfit to eat, but definitely an unpleasant surprise. Uni should taste clean and almost sweet, in a non sugary sense, almost more than of the sea.

The taste that I'm trying to describe was almost an aftertaste; the uni didn't look bad or smell bad, and we didn't get sick. It was just as it went down that this nasty taste got me. "Clean and sweet" and "buttery" don't seem like the same thing, but I could go for either. I do enjoy oysters, but I didn't expect the same experience with uni. I didn't expect anything, we were just having fun. I like the way you describe the clean, almost sweet taste. I want that. So, how do I get it? I really want to like it.

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Stone

Stone

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Do you like raw oysters and such?

I've had some oysters recently that I love. They never bothered me, but many weren't anything special. I love mussels. I like steamed clam (except the ones with the long black schlongy thing weird me out). I'm generally good at trying new stuff. And as I said in the original post, I don't know why the texture bothers me so much. It's not that different from other stuff.

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schaem

schaem

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Does anyone know the difference between Maine and Santa Barbara urchin? Most of the stuff in NY is Maine, I think. I also think most of the wood box stuff tends to be from Maine. What do the best sushi places get? (I think Bernardin uses Santa Barbara.) I've heard that the SB stuff is better (hard to take from an East Coast fish lover) but have yet to try.

Also, I call that taste in some Uni and lobster "iodine-y", but I don't know its actual cause.

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Liza

Liza

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Larousse says:

"The coral smells of iodine." Well, that's definitive. :biggrin:

Also notes that Paracentrotus lividus is the sea urchin of choice in Europe, where it's found off the coasts of Brittany and Ireland, and in the Mediterranean.

I'm thinking I read about Santa Barbara sea urchin, somewhere...could it have been Saveur?

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lizziee

lizziee

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Uni can be purchased at Catalina Offshore Products. The link:

http://www.catalinaop.com/uni.htm

From what I understand, the best uni in the States is from Santa Barbara. Also, you will notice on the above site that uni comes in Grades - the best being the A grade.

In a good sushi bar as well as a good market, they only use grade A uni. I agree with Bux that uni has a "sweetish" clean taste, but I love uni.

Dstone, those clams you are referring to are steamers and they are great when dipped into broth and then melted butter.

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Stone

Stone

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Dstone, those clams you are referring to are steamers and they are great when dipped into broth and then melted butter.

I know, but I try to avoid things that look like ... pizzle.

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