The Journal

Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Opinion/Editorial

Megan Connelly

Trendy dining in St. Louis has a new look these days - from Wasabi on Washington Avenue to Drunken Fish in Westport Plaza - sushi is here.

When I bring up sushi, I still hear some people respond with, "Eww. No, I could never eat raw fish - that's disgusting. I'll take a hamburger."

I don't think fish, cooked or uncooked, is really such a bad idea when obesity is quickly becoming this country's plague. Sure, have another hamburger. A 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that 65 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. Don't forget the fries.

While most Americans mistake "sushi" to mean "raw fish," the truth is that "sushi" refers to the sticky rice often accompanying the fish, vegetables or other ingredients the chef includes in his/her masterpiece.

Typically, Americans choose familiar foods that are sure to fill them up and that they can easily scarf down. Sushi stands in contrast to these characteristics, and triumphs because of its ability to make you want to savor each bite. What sets sushi apart is the experience it provides for the eater. Slowing down to actually digest our food may seem like a huge sacrifice in our on-the-go culture, fortunately though, it's becoming a more popular choice.

The experience begins, for many diners, at the best seat in the house - the sushi bar - where they watch in amazement. The lively chefs are busy behind the bar making sushi with great skill and unwavering concentration. Pristine pieces of fish are carefully and artfully coated to make the most delectable presentation. Occasionally, an experienced chef will look up from his/her work to greet incoming customers with the traditional "Irasshaimase," or "Welcome" in Japanese.

Sushi preparation began as the practice of preserving fish with salt and fermenting it with rice, a process that can be traced back to seafood-preserving methods used in Southeast Asia. One that I'm willing to venture is more sanitary than the preparations found at your local McDonald's.

Today, sushi prices tend to be high because of the quality of fish and the expertise of the chef. In Japan, sushi chefs undergo years of schooling and apprenticeship prior to becoming "shokunin," or traditional master sushi chef. While many of the chefs making sushi in the United States are not Japanese or even trained in Japan, the training they undergo can still be extensive.

It may sound hard to believe, but connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine can notice the difference. Most Americans have little understanding of this surprisingly complex art. Nevertheless, Americans are growing in their appreciation of sushi in an attempt to eat healthier. It's about time we enjoy something that is good for us. Surprisingly, not everything has to be deep-fried.

Sushi restaurants are appearing all around St. Louis lately, with approximately 35 options for the sushi lover. Two of my personal favorites are Wasabi on Washington Avenue and Yoshi's, located on Clarkson Road in West County. I appreciate the variety offered at Wasabi, especially their Maki sushi, which contain strips of fish or vegetables rolled in rice and wrapped in thin sheets of dried seaweed.

There are many combinations that even the most hesitant can enjoy like smoked salmon, fresh crab or shrimp. The daring can sample delicacies like octopus, raw clams, sea urchin or salted fish roe, or eggs. Yoshi's, which opened in May 2004 by former chef of the I Love Mr. Sushi restaurant, Yoshio Aoki, provides the whole dining experience. Not only is the fish among the best in St. Louis, but also because the atmosphere is great and it is evident that Aoki loves what he does.

If only we could all be a little more like Aoki. We'd be a little more open-minded, a little less typical and have much lower cholesterol.



Megan Connelly, a junior journalism major, is a staff writer for The Journal.

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