bigtuna27's Profile
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
I've been making sushi in LA for 35 yrs but never hard of refusing tips. It is the main sauce for sushi man's income so please leave generous tips for them . If it's ok--15 %, good 20 % and impressive--25 %. If you don't ,they may refuse to serve you next time.
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Hi. You guess is right. Most of small restaurant have hard time getting those items. you have to find small but busy reastaurant which doesn't realy serve American rice sandwiches. You can call ahead and ask for. But you have to expect those restaurant will be little pricy. Key to find those restaurant is price is high but busy. That means they are not only good but can afford expencive items. Fortunately my place is very busy but still can't afford mirugai. Mirugai price 30 yrs ago was $ 1.75/lb. Now $ 39/lb. And you can only use 1/3 of the clam the most.That brings the cost for sushi bar to $ 117/lb. You can get roughly 10 odrs/lb. So if you are lucky enough to get,it'll cost you $ 35.odr. If you get it cheaper than that,you are lucky.Go to Korean market and buy clam and make sashimi yourself. Sorry
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
I love you guys post. Very well said. BTW, I do have kobe beef sushi. I use American kobe short rib[ Closest beef to real kobe beef] and serv seared. It taste a lot better than you imagine. Silverjay is right. Rising Chinese apitite for sushi scares me.
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Tamago nigiri cost a lot less but probably least selling item. Tamago-pan cost a lot and need the skilled chef. Lots of waste and hight labor per nigiri. Spicytuna still sells like crazy. And sushi is getting more and more popular so more entry lebel customers who prefer rolls.
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Hi. Up until recently, spicytuna roll was the most profitable and most popular item. Ground tuna went up 3 times and yet very hard to get now so not anymore. For the average sushi bar, any kinds of rolls make good profit. Least profitable item is bluefin toro/tuna, giant clam or any special fish from Japan.
Ask Sushi Man
Few years back, my student chef happened to work those all- you can eat place then told me. He doesn't even want to touch tuna because too many parasite he saw in tuna. He didn't want to work on the other fresh fishes because clams are dead, white fish is smelly. He said his manager/boss goes to fish market and wait at the last minute to buy left overs cheap. Totally opposit atitude to what chef supposed to do.
Ask Sushi Man
Wow what a compliment. Thank you both of you. Vr666--There is Macdonald and there is gourmet burger joint. Pink slime or not. same thing. You wanna experience good sushi, you have to pay the tuition many times. I wish Chow hand had like botton,don't you?
Ask Sushi Man
Just ask the chef to make it less rice. We don't mind. My guess is ether he wasn't trained in Japan or he is a bad business man
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Thank you KK. You answered perfectly. I've been too busy with my restaurant so didn't have time to check back. I'll do my best to check back. About bow--They bow, you smile and say thank you. don't have to copy Japanese. When they say "Arigatou" to me I say "Denada".
Ask Sushi Man
Nothing should interfair or over power the best fish you make with include temp of rice. If the bread was the best you ever have you don't enjoy roast beef sandwich as much. Fish is the star on the stage not the rice. But any play can't appeal with out good co- actors. It's just a stupid trend
Ask Sushi Man
Warm rice is popular way to make nigiri in Tokyo area[east Japan side]. Osaka area is well known using room temp or cooler rice. It's 2 different origin to their sushi and approach. I think I mention about this way earlier in this blog. BTW Osaka style has more history of sushi in general but Tokyo style is more popular way now.
Ask Sushi Man
By health code here 3hrs. But sushi rice is tossed with vineger based dressing so it supposed to last more than few hours. in Japan some place[ even well known place] use the rice next day. I know who you are Pigeage. BT
Ask Sushi Man
Start with rolls. Calif-roll to start then spicy tuna roll etc. Once he liked the taste of rice & things he will go to next lebel Sushi then Sashimi. have fun educating him.
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Hi kainzero. All I know is from my several vegetable supplier. And very hard to find wasabi from Japan. I did see and taste several times here in LA but all of them were smaggled in by friends. i can get the one from Oregon or Cororado no problem. If USDA allows it ,I should have seen more often like every year. What do you think?
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
1) Here are some explanations.
1. Over 700 fishing boat were destroyed by Tsunami so they can’t go out catch fish.
2. Japanese government prohibits moving any items out from the radiated area.
3. Our Japanese fish comes from south island of Kyushyu located 705 miles south of Fukushima via Kyushu international Air port. So they don’t even go through Tokyo area.
4. Radiation chart done by Germans shows Kyushu area is not affected by radiation at all.
5. FDA is working hard to inspect every items come out from Japan now so there may be delay in getting items but in the other hand anything came through is the only ones we can purchase.
2) Even though the fish from that area is not available, same kind of fish is available from safer area. Fish price went up a bit but not because of the disaster but exchange rate of Yen/dollar.
3) I can not say for sure because I have no way making sure where does the fish come from but believe the origin the fish company tells me. But I would avoid Pike- mackerel for few years. Pike ackerel is the most famous fish comes from that area and even if the origin of the fish is from other location, it probably the boat land them to other location. They freeze pike mackerel usually so your fish may be 2~3 yrs old--means they may release to public few years later when people forgot about it.
4) I know they feed the fish pellet with, coloring agent, hormons, anti biotic etc. I haven't hard about msg but possible.
5].Sanmma sashimi is not so popular everywhere in Japan but only several area where sannma is fished. Sanmma sashimi is wellknown gourmet item in Japan though.
talk to you soon KK BT out
ASK SUSHI MAN 3
Hi. BT here. This is the continueus conversation from ASK SUSHI MAN. ASK SUSHI MAN got too big and hard to open sometimes.
Fresh wasabi is a root so that FDA prohibits to import. If you find one, iy's probably smuggled in or made in Oregon/Cororado. Wasabi needs plenty of very clean fresh water and hot in the day cold in the night situation. There for they choose sunny side of hills with natural ranning water in Japan. There prenty of grated freah wasabi products available here. [Specially LA or NY]. Wasabi stems are commonly used for pickling in sweet sake/miso paste. If you are looking in to spicy stuff, try "Tade or Kinome". These are used sometimes to serve sashimi in Japan. Totally different kinds of heat.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Ask Sushi Man
Hi. BT here. Long time no see or hear. I couldn't get this open for a long long time.
Seems like you guys are having fun. To make it easy for all of us ,I'll open ASK SUSHI MAN 3 to continue conversation. Old friend and newbies are all welcomed. See you all there. I realy want to get in the conversation.
BT27
Driving up on Hwy 1 from LA to SF. Any eaterly suggestions?
We are driving up Hwy 1 to SF from LA visiting interestin/beautiful small towns along the way. You guys have any suggestions for breakfast, lunch and Dinner? Our schedule is as follows.
1st night----Morro bay
2nd and 3rd night----Monterey
4th and 5th night -----SF
Doesn'r have to be fancy but unique local food will be nice.
In SF ,we are looking for the the the best dimsum place too.
Thank you in advance. BT
ASK SUSHI MAN 2 [IZAKAYA]
How about my old favorite when I was still in Japan[30 plus yrs ago]
1. Konowata gohan--Salted sea cucumber intestant over rice with quail egg york
2. Konoko--Dried sea cucumber egg sack
3. Chazuke-Rice soup of any kind to finish off
4. Sake kizushi--Cured salted salmon sashimi
5. Maguro natto
6. Maguro yamakake
7. Kinchaku--Stuffed bean card pocket w/mochi
8.Oden
ASK SUSHI MAN 2 [IZAKAYA]
All intertesting idea except Buta-kimuchi. I just can't stand stairfried kimuchi. I tried head soup with Tai before but was too strong even for my gourmet regular.
ASK SUSHI MAN 2 [IZAKAYA]
What is the most popular dish at Izakaya? Here are the things sell most at my place
1. Kakuni pork belly
2' Lobster hush puppy
3. Pork gyoza dumpling
4. Fried baby octopus
5. Try color shrimp tempura
6. Black rice resotto
7. Grilled yelloe tail calor
These are from Izakaya kitchen .Not include sushi Items.
What you guys thought?
