Simplicity is Everything

Pictured: Sushi Ota San Diego, CA “Tokusen Sushi “

It’s crazy how your palette can adapt and change over time. I used to love rich, saucy foods, with a ton of ingredients. I used to think that mixing more flavors and more ingredients was creative, something different. What I’ve learned over time is that simplicity is everything. It’s not about the quantity of the ingredients that make a dish memorable, but the quality. Easier said than done right? Quality is expensive sometimes too. When you read the words “salmon, truffle ponzu, scallion, chili crisp” your mouth is watering (unless you’re vegan of course). The roll is spectacular to be honest, but I’ve grown to appreciate the flavors of each ingredient stand alone.

For example, I’ve always loved raw salmon. Philadelphia rolls, Salmon California rolls, Rainbow rolls with spicy mayo on the side, and more. Now I feel like it’s a SIN to eat a Philadelphia roll lol. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure I’ll cave sometimes, but I have been studying the history behind different cuisines, and typically you don’t mix cheese with seafood (ask any Italian you know). In America, we tend to push bold flavors on menus. In Japan, it’s all about delicate flavors.

So I urge you… I challenge you… try simplifying your plate. The next time you go to a Japanese restaurant to order sushi, order Nigiri instead of a roll. Order Sashimi. And if you can, try Otoro (tuna belly). You won’t regret it. Really savor and enjoy the wonderful flavor of the fish alone. If we find reasons to mask the fish, that means we either don’t truly like sushi, or the place you ordered from is no good. Of course, always find a restaurant that’s high volume, always busy, because that will guarantee you that the food is always fresh and not sitting around in a walk-in cooler for weeks on end. I used to think sushi buffets weren’t clean because everyone has access to your food; it’s sitting on serving platters all day waiting to be picked up and placed onto your plate. I was wrong! You’ll find some of the best sushi here because of how many people walk in and out of the place, and the sushi chefs are constantly preparing more sashimi and more rolls to change out the old platter with a fresh platter.

I’m also picky with how the sushi or sashimi is prepared. I like when the raw fish is thinly sliced (not every place does this and you can always ask for it to be sliced thinner). I think many of us can agree we don’t want a big block of raw tuna to gnaw on. So these are all things to consider. Try not ordering a side of spicy mayo next time. Try not drowning your sushi in soy sauce. I hope this helps you appreciate the simplicity of food.