It’s Sushi Don’tcha Know July 12, 2010

Last week, I forgot to mention one really cool aspect of dining in North Carolina:  After the annual health department inspection, all restaurants are given a grade and a corresponding letter score, and the grade/score must be posted for the public to see.  I’m not completely sure how the grading system works as I failed to ask, but it seemed similar to receiving a grade in school.  All of the restaurants we ate at had a score of 90 or above posted, which was reassuring, and all restaurants then had an “A” along with their numbered grade.  I’m going to assume the score is out of 100 and I was pleased to see that our favorite establishment, Amos Mosquito’s, had a score of 99.5.  I was further impressed because Amos Mosquito’s serves sushi, and anyone who can make the grade while dealing in raw fish is certainly impressive in my book, (Side note:  we thought about sitting at the bar after our meal and having a drink and some sushi, but we were stuffed after our comp’ed honeymoon dessert:  an indoor s’mores kit and chocolate crème Brule).

 Our chance for sushi came later on this week when a group of friends invited us out to an Ankeny area restaurant after a sand volleyball game.  The group consisted of 3 couples who knew their sushi well, 1 couple who were complete sushi newbies and then Peter and one other guy and me who had eaten sushi before, liked what we ate, but were pretty lacking in any further knowledge.  When we got to the restaurant, I thought this is where restaurant grading is a perfect idea.  If I had not tried it previously, I would have probably balked at the idea of eating raw fish.  And I can completely understand why people are leery.  I would no more eat sushi in Iowa than I would have ordered a steak in North Carolina.  Sushi isn’t even native to the United States let alone this land-locked region.  It would be most excellent to see the restaurant with a big ol’ “A” posted for everyone to see so that if you didn’t like your inaugural sushi run, you could at least rest assured that you probably wouldn’t get sick from it. 

 Anyway, our sushi experience was as success.  Those with experience were able to point out items that the novices would probably like.  Everyone ordered something a little bit different so we could all share.  The newbies had fun and all participants agreed that they would return to the restaurant to try more and different rolls. 

 And then the question I had been waiting for, and secretly dreading:  How many calories in sushi?  And my answer:  I have no idea.  Fish is good for you:  it is relatively low in calories and is rich in omega 3 fatty acids.  Yet most rolls contain varying amounts of white rice which is basically a nutrient wasteland.  Sushi never entered into my meat-and-potatoes dietary upbringing or education.  I’m not going to lie, I was stumped.  I could take a shot in the dark, but it’s something I needed to look up.  And guess what?  Sushi doesn’t appear in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, so I had to hit the internet.  I found a pretty decent website, and pretty much the entirety of the following information came from them.  It’s a well-thought out web site.  I especially appreciate the sections entitled, “Sushi for Beginners” and “Sushi Terminology” under the “Sushi and Sashimi” section.  If you’ve never visited a sushi restaurant before, I recommend reading those pages before heading out.

http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-calories.htm

 This table from the web site includes the nutritional information per roll of some of the most common sushi rolls.  The website is quick to point out that this information did not come from a dietitian.  The information is a best guess and comes from restaurants that post their nutritional information.  AND, since this is a food item that is made by hand, some of the more calorically dense items such as cream cheese, mayonnaise, white rice and other sauces/condiments could vary from place to place. 

 .  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

 Go with someone with sushi experience.  If you are alone and completely clueless, ask your server.  He or she will be able to point out some conservative choices for you. 

• Nearly all sushi establishments serve a California Roll which is a completely Americanized roll usually containing imitation crab, cucumber and avocado.  This is a good place to start for a beginner. 
• If you’re completely dead set against eating raw fish, there are vegetarian rolls and things with cooked seafood out there.  Ask your server to point those out.
• Anything with the term “Tempura” in the title will involve battering and frying.  These are pretty good for a beginner, but will be highest in calories and fat, (see chart above:  Shrimp Tempura Roll)
• Generally shrimp is not raw in sushi, but ask your server to be certain. 
• Don’t be scared of the seaweed, (that dark material holding everything together).  It has a really neat, unique texture and flavor and is really high in a lot of minerals and folate.  If you’re still concerned, you might try sashimi, where the piece of fish is simply draped over a rice ball. 
• There’s a rule of thumb that if you like a piece of seafood cooked or smoked, chances are you’ll be ok with it raw.  I like salmon and tuna and do well with them raw.  I’ve never tried anything more exotic like eel or octopus and don’t think starting out raw would be in my best interest. 
• If you’re worried about getting sick after eating raw fish, keep this in mind:  The FDA recommends that fish intended for raw consumption be frozen to an internal temperature of -4 degrees F for 7 days or at -31 degrees F internal temperature for 15 hours to kill parasites. The Food Code recommends these freezing conditions to retailers who provide fish intended for raw consumption. Women who are pregnant or nursing and people who have auto-immune diseases shouldn’t consume raw or undercooked foods. 
• Alton Brown has an episode of Good Eats called “Wake Up Little Sushi” which is very informative.  Check it out. 
• Don’t worry if you can’t figure out chopsticks.  Sushi is finger food.  Just pick it up and go with it. 

This has barely scratched the sushi surface, and while I can point you in a couple of directions if you have questions, my knowledge of this food/art form is minimal at best.  If you get anything out of this letter this week it is this:  Don’t be afraid to try new things.  Get out and see what’s out there.