The first and only rule of eating sushi is, as in wine, go with what you like.
The rest is a sort of "When in rome" sort of deal.
Many purists say that if the chef wants wasabi in something, he will put it there. This may not sound like a big deal to us (and the guys who make it in America), but in certain places being a sushi chef carries a lot of pride ($5,000 dollar sushi knife anyone? Also, in some restaurants, the chefs make the apprentices work rice for over a year, until they "master" it, and it only gets longer from there).
Traditionally, you only mix wasabi with soy sauce for nigiri-zushi... but I think it's tasty on pretty much anything except rolls (I like to taste them as the chef intended).
A couple of rules that they recomend:
1) Be careful with chopsticks, some japanese are very superstitious. Sticking in food looks too much like incense stuck in ashes, don't leave them on the place, use a chopstick rest etc. Most of these rules mean nothing in 99% of establishments.
2) Sushi is a one bit sort of situation
3) Use the broad end (not the mouth end) when removing sushi from a communal platter. (not a bad idea anyways).
I could go on and on to what types you should try, but do yourself a favor and try it all! Warning though, it's like meth (as in addicting, not the acne)
The rest is a sort of "When in rome" sort of deal.
Many purists say that if the chef wants wasabi in something, he will put it there. This may not sound like a big deal to us (and the guys who make it in America), but in certain places being a sushi chef carries a lot of pride ($5,000 dollar sushi knife anyone? Also, in some restaurants, the chefs make the apprentices work rice for over a year, until they "master" it, and it only gets longer from there).
Traditionally, you only mix wasabi with soy sauce for nigiri-zushi... but I think it's tasty on pretty much anything except rolls (I like to taste them as the chef intended).
A couple of rules that they recomend:
1) Be careful with chopsticks, some japanese are very superstitious. Sticking in food looks too much like incense stuck in ashes, don't leave them on the place, use a chopstick rest etc. Most of these rules mean nothing in 99% of establishments.
2) Sushi is a one bit sort of situation
3) Use the broad end (not the mouth end) when removing sushi from a communal platter. (not a bad idea anyways).
I could go on and on to what types you should try, but do yourself a favor and try it all! Warning though, it's like meth (as in addicting, not the acne)
