- Great overview of Japanese culinary history and food culture
- High quality, delicious food and beverages
- Fun, interesting way to spend an evening
- Engaging, passionate guide leads you through the tasting
- Incredible value
- Set menu can't be customized for vegetarians or people adverse to eating raw fish
- Focuses on the basics of sushi, so don't expect very unusual types of sushi
- Menu Highlights:
- 7 different tapas
- 3 types of sashimi
- 3 pieces of nigiri
- 4 pieces of tuna maki
- Mocchi ice cream w/red beans
- Sushi and Japanese Tapas Food Tasting Event Price: $65 ($75 with beer and sake) (reserve online)
- The Sushi and Japanese Tapas Food Tasting Event lasts 2-3 hours.
- The Sushi and Japanese Tapas Food Tasting Event is offered on Thursdays and Saturdays.
We began our meal with a beer and a selection of five different Ippin Ryori(Japanese tapas). Each tasting was delicious, whether it was the rare beef in a ponzu sauce, tender squid or a Japanese take on fried chicken.
After this, the crab and yam cake in dashi broth gave us the opportunity to experience a delicious dish that the owner used to prepare for his children.
Next, we had tofu denganku: skewers of warm tofu each coated two different types of miso, one sweet & mild and one strong & chocolately.
Sashimi was presented next, along with a delicious, premium cold sake. We learned to apply the freshly grated wasabi directly to the fish before dipping in the soy sauce and about the Japanese custom of pouring sake for our companions.
The nigiri sushi course included buttery seared salmon and flavorful eel. We were encouraged to use our fingers to eat the sushi, and to dip the fish (rather than the rice) into the soy sauce.
The final savory course featured four pieces of maki highlighting two different types of tuna: Blue Fin Toro and Hawaiian Big Eye.
I was surprised and impressed to experience so many new and unusual foods throughout the evening and found a new appreciation for even the familiar foods and flavors, because of the history and explanation that accompanied the tasting.
Our host, Raheem, was tirelessly informative and entertaining, as well as being tremendously friendly. He was able to answer any questions we had, whether it was about tea, sake, sushi or yakitori, apologizing only for sharing so much information, though no one seemed to mind.
