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How to survive sushi

By Ragan Robinson | Hickory Daily Record

Published: January 22, 2009

Hickory - Sushi chef Jessica Nguyen had the same first-time reaction to sushi as many of us. "Ewww," she said before trying her first bite at 14.

Her reaction afterward? "I didn't know what I had been missing," Nguyen says now. She went on to take a class at the Sushi Chef Academy in California before doing an apprenticeship in Hickory.

She's been the sole sushi chef at Sakura on Springs Road for three years. Here are some of the things she learned as she went from sushi novice to sushi specialist.

1. It's not all raw and it's not all fish. Usually, your menu will tell you which sushi rolls contain vegetables only and, if you're getting fish, how it's prepared. The word tempura means the item is fried. You'll see tempura vegetables, too.

2. Start with the rolls. Sashimi is simply a piece of raw fish and it's going to be less palatable for the beginner. A lot of the rolls include things you're familiar with such as cucumber, avocado, cream cheese and even pineapple. They're all going to come wrapped in rice, seaweed or a combination of the two.

3. Don't feel weird about asking for a fork. Unless you're in a strictly traditional Japanese setting, no one is going to get of-fended. It's also OK to eat sushi rolls with your hands.

4. When possible, eat pieces of your sushi roll in one bite. The chef designed the roll to give you all the flavors in one bite. But with the monster pieces, it's OK to go for two bites.

5. The traditional Japanese etiquette calls for sushi eaters to put a bit of wasabi (that is the EXTREMELY HOT, horseradish-based green paste that comes on the side) on the sushi and then dip the roll in soy sauce. That little hammock-shaped bowl that comes with your meal is for soy sauce. At most of the restaurants around here, it's perfectly acceptable to mix your wasabi into the sauce.

6. Beginners should try something familiar like a shrimp tempura roll or a California, which usually has crabmeat, cream cheese and avocado. Want to go raw your first time? Get a single tuna or spicy tuna roll to start with.