Oink

You have to go to a high-end place to guarantee freshness otherwise you'll mostly find it with little worms in it that then lay eggs if its not fresh enough. Some times you'll be able to smell if it's gone off too much but not always. It's a bit of gamble really but most people here seem to take the risk.

JonboyE

Most people do. It seems to be the one food in Vancouver that everyone, from every nationality, eats.

Freshness is everything. Fresh raw fish melts in your mouth. Anything other than fresh is rancid. That is one of the problems with all you can eat places like Oink mentioned. They have to economize on their ingredients and can't afford to throw food away if it's past its best.

Not all sushi is raw fish. Sushi refers to the preparation of the rice. In Japan sushi with a delicate ommlette is popular. Tojo (also mentioned by Oink) began by experimenting with ingredients to create North American versions of sushi. You can get all sorts now.

helcat12

I think there were some in 'Tenko' but I never saw them make sushi.

helcat12

We did have vegetarian sushi when we were kayaking - I thought it a bit bland, though, apart from the wasabi and I think I would probably like the fish better!
(Leaving out the worms referred to by Oink, of course. That just sounds mingin'!)

Alan2005

I like Sashimi, the only skill the chef needs is how to slice a piece of fish - the ethnicity of the fish slicer has zero affect on the taste.

The same is true of anything really - why do we insist that only japanese people can make japanese food? It's the same with chinese, indian, italian etc. It's complete bollocks and a tiny bit racist when you think about it.

helcat12

I agree in general, but it is true that only a native Scouser can make real Scouse!

JonboyE

Yes, and no.

It's a question of authenticity I guess. Someone brought up tasting food prepared in a certain way is more likely to understand what it should taste like, what makes it taste that way, and so reproduce it. By no means a universal truth but it works as a rule of thumb.

I believe that ethnic restaurants in the UK are exempt from racial discrimination legislation - at least as far as their staff are concerned.

How long

By the way, sarcasm about other people's 'genius' is rather rude and unnecessary - who are you to judge?[/QUOTE]

Priceless absolutely priceless, you'll do very well on here.

Alan2005

Of course that argument falls down because we do know better and we do know what it should taste like - otherwise why would we make the effort to find these 'authentic' places in the first place. Given a recipe and the right ingredients anybody who is good with food can make anything.

You wouldn't read "I went to a steak house and it was really good because all the chefs were white north americans" and I find it odd that we insist on it for other cuisines. I'm guilty of this too - experience has taught me that most thai restaurants in Vancouver are really chinese restaurants in disguise. It doesn't have to be this way though; plenty of people with chinese bankgrounds operated good thai places in bangkok (also when I was there and I wanted some western food I didn't seek out those places that had white european chefs).

Oink

Generally, Japanese trained sushi chefs have about ten years of training while Billy Bob on a Canadian equivalent of a YOP working in a low end restaurant isn't going to have the same level of skill, judgment and dare I say, dedication to quality. It's not really about ethnicity, it's about competency.

helcat12

Aren't there certain fish that are used in sushi that are poisonous unless prepared in the correct way? I thought I had heard that there were several deaths a year from this kind of poisoning.
I think competency would be high on my list, if only because of this!

JonboyE

I am not sure I agree. I don't know what Thai food "should" taste like. I would chose a restaurant where the staff spoke Thai rather than Cantonese in the belief that I am more likely to get authentic tasting Thai food. Of course, I could be completely wrong - but then I would never know in any case.

I want a roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding. There are two restaurants and I poke my head around the door of each. In the first I am greeted with "irasshaimase", in the second "ay up chuck". I am eating in the second.

JonboyE

Yes, fugu. You need a special license to serve it and they are issued by the Japanese equivalent of our industry training authorities. I don't know of one in Vancouver, but there is a licensed chef in Seattle.

Alan2005

I still reckon sushi is the simplest thing in the world to make. Slice a bit of fish and put it on some rice - how hard can that be?

helcat12

I thought the same thing about choux pastry once.
I had to throw the pan away.