More Sushi, Onegaishimasu

“Heaven has no taste."
"Now-"
"And not one single sushi restaurant."
A look of pain crossed the angel's suddenly very serious face.” ― Terry Pratchett, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch  

It's been almost two years since I had my first taste of sushi. But in the last month I've probably eaten more sushi than I've ever eaten in these two years. Like a good many people that i know, my first impression of sushi was: It raw? Nah- I pass. Now? I am the sushi queen. Give me sushi or give me nothing! (Just kidding- I eating anything) Right at this very moment, it is my goal to taste every single sushi option from More Vino before my birthday next year. My obsession is just that intense. 

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with it, let me explain- the term sushi usually refers to a Japanese dish consisting of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavoured cold rice served with a garnish of vegetables, egg, or raw seafood. Not to be confused with sashimi which is the actual thinly cut slices of raw fish dipped in varying sauces. Put together with the rice, this is what constitutes a sushi roll. Raw seafood? Cold rice? Fear ye not mortals, you have arrived at the right place. 

You may recollect from some my previous blog entries that my mantra is "Try everything once". The excellent thing is that More Vino offeres so many options to cater to your every whim. Don't want to eat raw fish? Try a delicious Smiling Buddha which is just japanese pickles, carrots, seaweed salad and mayo. Or maybe even the Suzie Vegie which is made of golden fried plantain tempura and pineapple salsa. Feeling adventurous? Try one of their signature options with eel like the Tempura Crunchy Ninja or the Aburi Ring which features plump, juicy morsels of scallop. Investigate their menu further at: http://morevino.com/menus/ . 

On this very special non-occasion, I was pleased to have my favorite so far, and a staple- the Double Crunchy. Last time I had sushi I had this the Crazy Dragon and the Dickiemoto. Feeling to step out the box this time I tried two new options: the Last Samurai and the Juju.

• Double Crunchy:breaded and fried roll, hamachi, crab salad, spicy salmon, tobiko, unagi sauce
• Last Samurai: yakiniku beef, cucumber, crab salad, tobiko
•  Juju: salmon, tuna, torched scallop, tobiko, sesame oil, unagi sauce, curry mayo 

In order of appearance as listed above, I have decided that these are how I rated them. Don't get me wrong, they were all delicious, they were all eaten and each artfully crafted roll was savoured to tide me over till the next time I could get some sushi. 

Double Crunchy

The Double Crunchy, as its name implies, is crunchy. You bite into the crisp shell that esconces the pearls within. the hamachi, salmon and crab to me virtually taste the same. I don;t take the time to dissect each separate flavour and identify how they all work together. Who has the patience for that when it comes to sushi? All I know is the contrast between the crunch of the fried exterior, the softness of the seafood and the slight sweetness of the unagi sauce work cohesively together.

Last Samurai

The Last Samurai is the only option on the sushi menu that offers beef, which is why I was excited to try it. I am a lover of all things beef, but I was quite skeptical to try this since it was paired with the crab salad. Not to mention the tobiko, which is roe from the flying fish and considered to be 'caviar' Real fancy over here at More Vino... However, I was pleasantly surprised that neither the tobiko nor the beef overpowered the delicacy of the crab salad. the slight crunch of the cucumber also added to it texturally.

Juju

The Juju was- less rapturous for me. Don't misinterpret me at all- It tasted okay and I ate it, but somehow it didn't 'click' for me that the other two did. Maybe it was the acidity of the curry mayo, maybe it was the sesame oil. Maybe I was full and just playing greedy so I couldn't appreciate the Juju to its full potential. Who knows?

Pairing wine with sushi can be tricky with strong flavors like wasabi and ginger. Dining on a spicy tuna roll? Pair it with a very barely off-dry Riesling because you need a big-bodied white for the meaty fish. If your choice extends to salmon a dry Rose will do the trick because the salmon will make the tart cherry and citrus in the wine pop. Having a mixed menu? Try a soft, dry white like Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc. The rich, rounded qualities of these wines, without excessive alcohol, make a dependably seamless match with the rich, fatty-textured taste of the fish and seafood being served.

Suffice it to say that sushi is now one of my absolute faves, ranking just under pasta. If you've read my blog, you will understand just how sacred pasta is to me. I have already recommended More Vino more time than I can count, I have also recommended that I be present too but nobody took me on... I do declare that I shall retain my optimistic despite this minor setback. Until then, Happy Eating!!!

Make Your Own Sushi At Home! Try this delicious and healthy California Roll! 

California roll, as the name suggests is a very western type of sushi, made with crab sticks and avocado and is commonly topped with tobiko. California roll is made without any raw fish, making it easier to prepare and safer to consume. Find out more on California roll sushi, how to make it, and view the full recipe on: How to make California rolls at makemysushi.com