Sushi - Love it or Hate it? | Serious Eats : Talk : Food and Drink

LOVE IT. Would eat it for every meal if my wallet allowed.

What is it in particular that you find unappealing, just out of curiousity?

I enjoy going out for sushi with friends but I think I enjoy the experience of eating sushi more than the actual sushi if that makes any sense. I love eating with chop sticks and find the sushi and Japanese sishes very aestetically beautiful. I only order maki rolls now, I've tried most common types of sushi and sashimi. My two favorites right now are spicy salmon and avocado and spicy tuna rolls. I also love miso soup and edamame. While I enjoy this, I never crave sushi. I wouldn't buy take out for one. If I'm very hungry, I don't find it fills me. I also think my questions about sushi are about its texture, not its tast. I love cooked seafood and fish of all types. I think if I did not like fish sushi would be a no go. I did hear of a place that makes meat loaf and filet mignon rolls, perhaps you would like those?

KtMc24 at 3:17PM on 10/15/08

I'm not sure I really understand the question. You don't like fish and you don't like the things you've had at sushi restaurants. There's no mystery there. And there's no reason to keep banging your head and dollars against a wall to try to convince yourself to like something you don't. Perhaps you and your friends can find restaurants that excel at both sushi and other kinds of Japanese food. There's a lot to explore in that apart from sushi.

That said, the rolls you've tried are not the best examples of what's out there to try. There's much that could be decidedly unappealing even to those who love sushi.

I quite like good sushi.

ccbweb at 3:18PM on 10/15/08

I have to be in the mood for sushi. There is nothing wrong with you. Everyone has different taste in food. I too am curious about what you find offensive.

LeahsJourney at 3:18PM on 10/15/08

I've only ever had one bite of sushi, and I found it altogether meh. I'd try it again, if the opportunity arose, but I'm not excited about it.

nightowl at 3:19PM on 10/15/08

How about just plain sashimi with a side of sushi rice or nigiri? Some of the people I have talked to don't like the seaweed taste, and it may be an acquired taste. The 3 you've listed are probably not the best examples of "sushi". If you don't like fish then perhaps sushi isn't for you, or perhaps you haven't had the good stuff.

the_o at 3:21PM on 10/15/08

Love, love, love... drool...

LoCo at 3:25PM on 10/15/08

Love cooked fish. Sushi? Will not pass my luscious lips. I tried and I didn't like.

PerkyMac at 3:37PM on 10/15/08

I am in the "No Thanks" club. Don't like rice, don't like that green s#*^ that wraps around it, wasabi makes my nose run and let's see, what else. i guess that covers it.

izatryt at 3:49PM on 10/15/08

"Is there something wrong with me?"

yes.

simon at 4:01PM on 10/15/08

I'm not a sushi lover either, and feel like I'm missing out as well. My friends and co-workers love it! I've tired a few that I like fine and can get by, but I also don't eat a lot of fish and therefore don't like most rolls. I tend to favor the hot pot end of Japanese cooking. So you're not alone!

Laurel E at 4:01PM on 10/15/08

Those gigantic rolls with everything under the sun in them do not count as sushi. Those are vile, unfortunately most Japanese restaurants you go to will have menus that consist mostly of the silly overwrought things named after cars or I presume, favorite customers. Teriyaki everything and tempura somethings round out the rest of the menu.

You guys just have to try the good stuff! Most sushi joints around here don't do sushi worth eating.

fuuchan at 4:03PM on 10/15/08

I loathe sushi. Tastes like nothing but bland, salty rice with vegetables and fish in it. It boggles my mind as to why it is so popular. Seems like most people who eat it are pretentious a-holes too. I'd rather eat Taco Bell.

ChuteBoxeValeTudo at 4:19PM on 10/15/08

I'm the opposite of Perky - I don't eat cooked or tinned fish, but I love sushi and sashimi, always dipped in soy sauce. I could certainly eat sushi every day, or at least 4-5 times a week. However, I wouldn't ever order the three kinds you listed - eel, california roll and cucumber roll:-).

brooke29 at 4:25PM on 10/15/08

@izatryt ~ we're two peas in a pod, but I think we need to make room for more. I thought we would be in the tinest minority on this one. who knew?

@Kt ~ I love meatloaf and filet mignon, but I'd feel cheated if they were wrapped in a little seaweed round. I'd rather just stay away from anything labeled sushi.

PerkyMac at 4:27PM on 10/15/08

I love sushi. I crave it all the time and would eat it every day, if I were able.

Junie at 4:27PM on 10/15/08

@simon ~ Remember, each to his/her own!

izatryt at 4:31PM on 10/15/08

@brooke29
But unagi prepared properly is a beautiful thing...!

I just hope people realize there is good sushi and bad sushi!

That said, I'm always on the look out for Japanese restaurants that have MORE than sushi on the menu.

fuuchan at 4:43PM on 10/15/08

@embolini9, you could opt for a veggie roll, which is what I do. They usually have avocado, cucumber, carrots and other assorted non-fish goodies. I LOVE vegetarian sushi (YES, it's not real sushi but it help when everyone you're with wants it). I think it's because I'm a slight masochist and love making myself almost cry with wasabi--mmm.

emes1 at 4:54PM on 10/15/08

Please do not discount sushi because you don't like rolls. While the word sushi technically refers to the rice, you have to try sashimi (just a piece of raw fish) at least once. It's not cheap (you don't want cheap raw fish), but try a nice piece of seared rare tuna or maguro, it melts in your mouth. No seaweed, no rice, no wasabi or soy or ginger if you don't like it. The place downtown that I like sprinkles roe on the sashimi platters (I'm a fan, did I forget to mention LOVE IT?) and it's all flavor all the time. Now if you try quality raw fish and don't like it, I'm not here to yell at you (more for me in that case, after all). But there is plenty of bad food to be eaten, and unfortunately sushi often falls into that category and it would be a shame to miss out on a great cuisine because of poor experiences in the past.

joyyy at 4:58PM on 10/15/08

@ iz: it was a joke. and she did ask... kinda set herself up for it :)

Anyway, thanks for appointing yourself as my surrogate SE mom. I clearly need the supervision.

simon at 5:12PM on 10/15/08

@simon: Awesome! I was gonna say that.

Chaoss at 5:17PM on 10/15/08

@simon ~ I am screaming laughing right now! I guess I am taking things a bit to Serious today! At any rate, I would be honored to be your SE "Mom". Too funny. ;-D

izatryt at 5:20PM on 10/15/08

The sushi I've tried never won me over. I honestly don't understand its appeal, but that's only my opinion, and I have no problem with others enjoying what they like.

moibec at 5:26PM on 10/15/08

I guess my biggest problem is the seaweed. And I know there's lots of sushi without the seaweed, but, like some of you, the other ingredients seem kind of boring and bland to me. I also don't really like the consistency of the rice, and there's something about cold or lukewarm food that just doesn't say "meal" to me.

I think I'll keep tasting it every once in awhile though when I have the chance, in case my tastebuds suddenly wake up and realize it's the best thing ever -- happened with brussels sprouts! I try fish about once every two years, so far I still hate it!

embolini9 at 6:53PM on 10/15/08

Sushi is pointless without fresh, high quality fish. And there are towns where you just can't get it--I never bought sushi in my hometown in Michigan, and I hesitate even in my college town in New Jersey. In my experience decent size cities are the only places to get fresh enough fish for decent sushi.

youattal at 7:23PM on 10/15/08

I love Japanese food very much... Maki rolls are about all I get as far as sushi however, as I have found a lot of really bad sushi restaurants.

Pavlov at 8:39PM on 10/15/08

Yum! I have to say, I think not liking sushi is just a function of a lack of good restaurants or close-mindedness or a combination. And this is from someone whose parents thinks that "raw fish" is dangerous.

devaleena at 10:34PM on 10/15/08

mmmmm love it.
favorite = tuna sashimi

nightmoon at 10:43PM on 10/15/08

Love it with fish, eel, octopus, scallops and various sea critters I can only guess at. The only kinds I don't like are shrimp and Korean style. It was my first post pregnant meal.

By the way, any fans of Trader Joe's Wasabi Tempura Seaweed Snack?

LearP at 10:48PM on 10/15/08

@fuuchan - you know, as I typed "eel", I thought to myself that I would, actually, be open to properly prepared unagi. Many years ago, I had one bad experience that somewhat set me back, but I reckon I'm ready to give unagi another try at this point. I do stand by never ever ordering cucumber and/or california rolls though:-).

brooke29 at 10:55PM on 10/15/08

i used to absolutely love it, now i don't eat it anymore. i think i've been reading too much michael pollan or something.

cybercita at 12:00AM on 10/16/08

I love it. I don't eat it often - sustainability, mercury levels, etc - but I eat it a couple of times a year and enjoy every delicious bite. There's nothing quite as delightful as a well prepared piece of sake or maguro nigiri with a hint of soy sauce - keep your green colored horseradish, though.

Ironically, I don't much care for cooked fish.

jenilowrance at 12:20AM on 10/16/08

Love it. Maki, mostly though--I find the nigiri and sashimi to be a little bland just for my taste. Also, Hawaiian poke is awesome.

buffy at 1:07AM on 10/16/08

Sometimes unagi has a funky grassy muddy flavor that speaks of where it came from, but when it doesn't, yum!

I want to try saltwater eel to see if it has less chance of having that off flavor.

fuuchan at 1:10AM on 10/16/08

OK, just as a general comment, sushi's kind've a picky thing. i hated it until I found a roll I liked, now I love any kind of sushi. some things you may not know: sushi isn't just raw fish, or even just fish. you can get sushi made of cooked fish, you can get vegetarian, you can even get sushi that's been tempura fried.
so yeah, just some thoughts.

rasellers0 at 2:33AM on 10/16/08

I'm leaning more towards hate than love.

IndyGal at 9:00AM on 10/16/08

I don't know...I've tried it in supposedly really good restaurants in both Boston and NYC (Fugakuyu is the only name coming to mind,) and haven't loved it. Maybe I'll give it another shot, since I'll be in NYC this weekend. Anyone have any suggestions for beginner sushi? Without seaweed or raw fish? I don't really like any fish, actually, but I do like shrimp and can tolerate lobster and crab.

embolini9 at 9:32AM on 10/16/08

I tried it for the first time when I was 16. I hated it, it was disgusting. The next year, it seemed like everywhere I turned, people wanted to eat it or were talking about it. So I tried it again. Not so great, but not as bad. A year later, I loved it. I really think it is an aquired taste for most people - and these posts are right: there is good sushi and BAD sushi.

csbrown at 9:53AM on 10/16/08

LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Would happily eat it every day.

And if you don't like it, there's nothing wrong with you -- more sushi for me! :)

CookiePie at 10:01AM on 10/16/08

Suggestions for beginner sushi - sashimi (just a piece or two of quality, fresh, raw fish with no seaweed or rice). I

joyyy at 10:24AM on 10/16/08

Love it!

Have been trying to save money, and have not been out to eat in quite a while. I miss sushi!

To the OP: Nothing wrong with not liking sushi- fish just isn't your thing. I don't like pork chops. Now stop trying to make yourself enjoy something that you've tried and simply don't care for.

Kerosena at 12:06PM on 10/16/08

LOVE IT TO BITS OF SUSHI! MMmmm.... I LOVE ANY RAW MEAT! Yay for natural proteins!

hungrychristel at 12:09PM on 10/16/08

Maybe it's something you have to be brought up with? As someone who started eating with chopsticks before a fork and knife, I guess it's obvious where I stand on this issue : )

There is nothing better than chirashizushi at a solid Japanese restaurant. If I had to pick one thing to eat for the rest of my life... But I have friends who only tried sushi in college, and absolutely hate it.

Lilly at 12:14PM on 10/16/08

I'm not a fan of the nori, so I opt for either soy paper or onion paper in my rolls. My favorite roll is a sweet potato tempura, it's delicious!

mevers at 12:15PM on 10/16/08

If you want to like it, there are a few things you can try that are easy "beginner" sushi:

Philadelphia roll: smoked salmon + cream cheese
Spicy Ahi roll: spicy tuna
Seared Ahi/Ahi Nigiri: lightly seared, still-rare tuna (sometimes with a little pepper), or just raw tuna, on a little bit of rice.

Dipped in just a "touch" of soy sauce. If you don't like Wasabi (like me - can't stand that "horseradish" flavor), most Nigiri has a dab of wasabi between the rice and the fish - you can ask the chef to leave it out. Most people mix in a little wasabi with their soy sauce, but feel free to leave it out.

Fortunately, most sushi places have other things to eat. If you still dont' like sushi, try to find a sushi place that has a good selection of Teriyacki beef/chicken or some Yakisoba noodles, and then when your friends want to go you at least have some options.

JGordon at 12:38PM on 10/16/08

Love it now!!! Was not a fan at first(didn't try it till college...heck, didn't hear of it till college...rural west tennessee was not a hotbed of asian cuisine) but I really enjoyed the hot and salty combination of the soy and wasabi so I became committed to finding something I liked. It began with the first time I actually got served some decent tuna sashimi and thought the texture was the most wonderful thing. Now over the years my tastes have broadened and I love all sorts of things the local sushi restaurants have to offer.

brickh at 12:55PM on 10/16/08

Love. There are finally a couple of sushi spots in my town, so when the boyfriend turns to me with fire in his eyes and says "Dsasumo?" I know we're about to drop a LOT of money at Dsasumo. When he gets a sushi craving he goes nuts. I love it too - but I'm not as crazy as he is.

lo82070 at 1:07PM on 10/16/08

@ izatryt: the green #### is called "nori." It's good to know the name of foods and refer to them properly, even if you don't care for them. Now who's the mom? : )

JustNancy at 1:57PM on 10/16/08

I love most all sushi, but I wouldn't say there's something wrong with you for not liking it -- Means there's more left for me! :D

bansidhe at 2:11PM on 10/16/08

Tried it once and felt it was vile. I almost threw up part way through the meal. One the worst things I ever ate. the Seaweed had a terrible texture/taste combination, and I don't like fish, cooked or otherwise. Oh well, at least I tried, now I can move on to something tasty.

thepirateking at 2:24PM on 10/16/08

I agree with everyone who loves sushi and has said there's nothing wrong if you don't love it.

Personally, I cannot understand the appeal of a soft-boiled egg in the shell.

Live and let live!

annien at 2:25PM on 10/16/08

i love sushi.........i don't have it enough and i just gotta have enough wasabi to make my nose tingle. and you can't forget some edamame with it.

dozertx at 3:48PM on 10/16/08

Love sushi! Can't get enough, but can't afford to eat it all the time. If only...

pequenalooloo at 4:46PM on 10/16/08

I've been eating less sushi lately and more sashimi. I just don't need all that rice - although I always add an order of eel sushi to my sashimi order.

therealchiffonade at 4:46PM on 10/16/08

I enjoy it quite a bit. My first few forays into sushi were less than successful due to poor quality product. But once I tried, high quality, well prepared sushi, the heavens opened up, angels sang, stars twinkled and I learned the meaning of life.

Well, not really, but I discovered the joy of sushi. :)

AmazonGoddess at 6:08PM on 10/16/08

im surprised at all the sushi haters. when i saw little containers of cali rolls and some basic salmon/tuna sushi pieces start appearing in Price Choppers in upstate new york, i assumed it had really penetrated middle american culture, not just the self-selected food enthusiasts who visit a site like this.

personally, i could eat it nonstop every day. i love some good, super-high quality sushi, but i'm not opposed to eating prepackaged sushi from said price chopper, or pretty much anywhere else for that matter.

then again, if you don't like fish to begin with, i doubt you'd like raw fish (although sushi, i find, has a milder flavor than cooked fish).

mr guy at 6:19PM on 10/16/08

Love it, love it, love it. Salmon, tuna, yellowtail, spicy or not. I need to treat myself sometime...been a while.

renoles at 7:09PM on 10/16/08

@JustNancy ~ *thumbs in ears, waving fingers, sticking tongue out*

izatryt at 7:25PM on 10/16/08

@mr guy - I don't like fish to begin with (other than cured fish, such as lox), and I don't eat cooked fish, but I love raw fish. To me, super fresh raw fish, dipped ever so lightly in soy sauce, is completely devoid of that fishiness that I find off-putting in cooked or tinned fish. Go figure.

brooke29 at 7:34PM on 10/16/08

LOVE IT. It's hard to find affordable quality sushi in LA - there seems to be a chain sushi restaurant on every block, but we have a whole-in-the-wall place we love to go to, they serve great fish at larger-than-average portions. I always get the same thing - seared tuna, spicy tuna roll and unagi (these always come sizzling hot off the broiler, sometimes I swear they are 4" long). Yum!

meechiko at 8:14PM on 10/16/08

Sushi? Hmm...

L O to the V E!

Gah - I would have it every meal if possible. Tho I have been enjoying it for some 19 years now - I have learned the in's and out's of the "special rolls" at certain sushi joints (yes, I said joints). The rice get's to be too much. The Frying gets to be way to much. If you truly love sushi, you need to go to a really good high-end sushi bar. Order a few favorites - then ask the sushi chef to make you something that THEY feel is off the charts. Tell them what you like (me = TORO, oysters, uni, masago, ponzu, etc.) or loathe (too much rice) and let them wow you.

You will AMAZED at what you get the opportunity to taste.

Now, if you don't LIKE it - when you go out with friends to these places - get some tempura (think Japanese beer battered shrimp) or some teriyaki. And if someone offers you a taste - take it.

bodaciousgirl at 8:20PM on 10/16/08

I love sushi - especially the variety and myriad of ingredients used! Yesterday, I had a roll with mango (sour), asparagus and avocado; the tanginess of the mango went so well with the rice and avocado and then with the wasabi strong soy sauce, it was delish!

arathi at 8:26PM on 10/16/08

Heh well I don't like fish when it's cooked, so raw fish? Forget about it!

There is a sushi place near my job and I get this awesome bowl of bi bim bap when I go ther with my sushi loving co workers.

missjess at 8:41PM on 10/16/08

When it is made right in front of you by a professional sushi chef, it is a culinary experience. Always go to a busy restaurant. The seafood tastes like the ocean. There is a restaurant next door to my business. They offer a deep fried crab leg roll as a special when they get the best. It melts in your mouth. Incredible. I referr to a sushi restaurant that is not busy as
a bait shop.

andywho at 9:26PM on 10/16/08

you gotta start out slow. find ONE thing you like. try the supermarket stuff even, that is beginner sushi stuff rather than eating a whole slab of visible fish.

sushi is awesome - tuna is meaty, salmon gets fatty, eel is salty. theres a lot of different emotions pieces evoke.

just try it little by little.

jeffsayyes at 10:30PM on 10/16/08

Sashimi? Yes. Sushi? Ekkkk!

I worked 10 years in a pet store... the old fashioned way to clean out the fish tanks was to start the siphon with your mouth -- inevitably getting a mouthful of dirty fishy aquarium water.

The taste of the nori paper throws me right back to those awful moments. I just can't get past that!

foodfighter at 10:48PM on 10/16/08

Hate it! I've tried a variety of rolls and sashimi, just not a fan. I think for me it might be a texture aversion--and the awkward size/shape.

Luckily, DH is understanding and perfectly content with me ordering teriyaki or a fabulous Japanese noodle bowl...all finished with a little dish of green tea ice cream. Yum!

thehostess at 11:17PM on 10/16/08

I just didn't "get" sushi until we visited our nephew when he was living in Japan. We all took the train to Hakodate in the north (aunt, uncle, mom, dad, and long-suffering nephew). His Japanese father took us to dinner at a beautiful restaurant where we were served a wonderful dinner which my DH ate with his usual enthusiasm (it's not that he didn't know better - empty plates and glasses are a no, no, etc.). J. father said that he thought uncle must be very hungry. I was hugely embarrassed. And more so when a rectangular tray of, perhaps, 9 pieces of sushi was brought to DH. And then a similar tray was brought to each of us - we were 8 in all. Well, we all ate. I don't know how. A long story to say that this sushi I got. It had so much flavor; and the texture of the fish was beyond amazing. It was one of the two most earth-rocking food experiences I've had. There was several other pretty great experience while there.

islandexile at 2:55AM on 10/17/08

Sush is delicious, and I like to make it home. My friends gobble it down at parties, and my boyfriend and I love going for conveyor belt sushi at Geinki. I have to sneak in my own little bottle of Braggs though because of the wheat in the Kikkoman soy sauce.

amandaonmaui at 4:13AM on 10/17/08

I love most rolled sushi but have issues with nigiri and sashimi. I have a fish phobia (yeah, weird, I know) so I have trouble with the thicker pieces of fish. I can do tuna and octopus no problemo but mackerel, salmon, or anything with any semblance of skin gives me the heebie jeebies. Spicy yellowtail rolls are my favorite at the moment.

Rottenmom at 8:43AM on 10/17/08

Chalk me up to a "hate it". I want to love it, it looks so delish the way it's all artfully presented and such, but in the end...it's all just raw fish to me.

DeaconVolker at 10:13AM on 10/17/08

I used to think I liked sushi when all I had had was the kind from the supermarket. Then I moved to the city and started going to actual sushi places and head damn near exploded!

Sushi is one of my top 5 favorite foods.

jonny509 at 12:10PM on 10/17/08

I love it and would eat it pretty much everyday if I could afford it.

I would say that if you've been to higher end places, like Fugakuyu, and you still don't like it, stop beating yourself up and enjoy the other stuff on the menu.

I'd like to thank you all for this thread. I must now make chirashi for dinner.

Amandarama at 12:29PM on 10/17/08

I am definitely in the "I love it" camp. I always crave sushi at least once a week. I'm obsessed with salmon nigiri and just plain salmon maki rolls. I used to like tuna but I somehow grew out of that phase. Now, salmon sushi floats my boat.

Hillary
Chew on That

Chew on That at 2:48PM on 10/17/08

If you don't like canned or fresh cooked fish, chances are that you're not going to like sushi. Its not rocket science.

I love sushi and have been eating it very happily for about 20 years. Everything from sea urchin to CA rolls -- yes, I know they're fake sushi, but I love them anyway. Eel is the only thing I won't eat. I once smelled some that reeked of swamp and can't get past that.

Good sushi for beginners -- try this at home first if you can't afford to drop at lot on money on an expensive restaurant dish you may not like -- is just a Choice grade tuna steak that you've marinated for about an hour in a soy, ginger, garlic, scallion and rice vinegar (or rice wine or even a small splash of regular distilled vinegar in a pinch). Cook the steak at the highest possible heat on each side just until its marked -- not more than a minute per side. Most of the center should be completely raw. Pour some of the marinade, some toasted sesame oil and/or some sesame seeds over the fish on the plate. You could add some wasabi if you like hot stuff. You can mix up a fresh batch of marinade if you think it will taste like the raw fish.

maxthecat at 5:47PM on 10/17/08

Love it. We have one of those awful chinese all you can eat places near work. Costs about $6.95. Their food is not very good....but, their sushi and their rice paper rolls with pork or shrimp are soooooo good. Very limited sushi (tuna, salmon (not smoked), a couple of others) and a few of those california rolls, granted the variety suffers, but for $6.95. Oh, and tea is included....lol.

Most of the patrons spend their time at the steam tables.... while I'm all by myself in the sushi area.

lochaven at 10:31PM on 10/23/08

Just a thught, why don't you try the crunchy rolls that they have..

I think you might not like the Sashimi......which is the raw fish.....

Chef of hearts at 12:29AM on 04/07/09

Love it! Not only do I like the taste, but the whole experience. We have a wonderful sushi restaurant nearby, which is amazing considering we live in the "heartland", and we go there just about every week. In fact, they just sent me a birthday coupon as I am a member of their Sushi Addict club! The bad thing is that lately I get a bit sick at my stomach afterwards, not sure what that's about. But it sure is tasty going down! Sorry for the TMI.

gourmetgal at 1:02AM on 04/07/09

Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Talk

Food and Drink

Sushi - Love it or Hate it?

79 Comments:

Add a comment:

Previewing your comment:

Start Talking!

Recently Commented On in Talk

Keep Reading

More

Serious Eats Family

Email Newsletters

Our Feeds