Does your local grocery sell sushi?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I don't mean to go off topic but I feel this whole "sushi craze" outside of Japan is essentially over-rated.

I've been talking to many people (mainly North Americans and some Europeans and non-Japan Asians) about the "sushi" they eat. So much of what is available as "sushi" outside of Japan, I wouldn't call as such as a Japanese person.

Canned tuna, hot pepper, hot sauce, cream cheese, long-grain rice, stir-fried vegetables, fruit, kimchee, etc...

Just leave sushi to the real fish lover for once! I really don't care what they like to eat. I just wish they didn't call everything that comes with cold rice "sushi".

"outside of Japan" is a big place. I live in the west coast of the US, and there are basically two kinds of sushi restaurants: neo-fusion sushi and traditional Japanese sushi. I see the Vietnamese hot sauce here and there, but long grain rice, stir fried veggies, fruit, etc. has left the building. Traditional is traditional. No cream cheese...though California Rolls are hard not to find.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by MMM

"outside of Japan" is a big place. I live in the west coast of the US, and there are basically two kinds of sushi restaurants: neo-fusion sushi and traditional Japanese sushi. I see the Vietnamese hot sauce here and there, but long grain rice, stir fried veggies, fruit, etc. has left the building. Traditional is traditional. No cream cheese...though California Rolls are hard not to find.

I'm well aware of the quality of sushi on the west coast of the U.S. and around NYC. I apologize if I sounded like I was overgeneralizing.

It's just that I cringe at the mention of Kroger and such when discussing sushi.

[Jaydelart]

Yes, they sell a few boxes in the refrigerated section, next to hand-made sandwiches and chicken wraps. If my memory serves me right, they weren't too bad -- if a little "cheap." I haven't tried them recently, though.

I usually get my sushi from CostCo, which is about a 20-minute drive down the freeway.
They sell whole, foot-by-foot trays, complete with ginger and wasabi. I'm not easily impressed by sushi (not that I'm very well educated on them), but they're pretty decent, especially considering they're store-bought.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I'm well aware of the quality of sushi on the west coast of the U.S. and around NYC. I apologize if I sounded like I was overgeneralizing.

It's just that I cringe at the mention of Kroger and such when discussing sushi.

I just have to pipe in when I am told that no one outside of Japan knows what they are doing.

I can't speak for anyplace besides where I live, so I don't know what sushi is like everywhere, but the places I go the chefs are from Japan, the fish is fresh, and it tastes a lot like what I eat in Japan (if my barbarian taste buds are not lying).

Don't discount "everywhere". I won't defend "everywhere" but I will defend the NW US.

I don't think I know what Kroger is, so I can't comment on that.

[manganimefan227]

The local Grocery store around here, Resteraunt sushi may be better but Sushi in groceery stores I think get the main idea of the taste. No big noticable difference . . .

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by MMM

I just have to pipe in when I am told that no one outside of Japan knows what they are doing.

I can't speak for anyplace besides where I live, so I don't know what sushi is like everywhere, but the places I go the chefs are from Japan, the fish is fresh, and it tastes a lot like what I eat in Japan (if my barbarian taste buds are not lying).

Don't discount "everywhere". I won't defend "everywhere" but I will defend the NW US.

I don't think I know what Kroger is, so I can't comment on that.

I have always respected and admired your knowledge and judgement, and I appreciate the things you do on JF for all of us. This hasn't changed one bit even now but I want to state the folowing.

A post in a forum is a post in a forum, not a composition or research paper.

Do you seriously expect members to make 2-page-long posts that is completely free of any kind of overgeneralization everytime they want to post? If that's what's expected of me, I'll never post again, especially when discussing a cheap, 4-dollar-a-pack sushi that doesn't even use fish, let alone raw fish.

If you don't know what Kroger is, you haven't been around much. Even a Tokyoite like myself has been to Kroger many times. I've eaten sushi in about 20 of your states and I've seen all kinds, and it's "generally" true that it's hard to find a sushi place in your country that satisfies me, who has been eating sushi for 50 years. The exceptions are mostly but not exclusively found on the west coast and around NYC. However, even in San Francisco, where one might expect the best sushi in the U.S., there are aweful sushi places. Do you expect me to mention all these exceptions when I want to make a comment on the often-horrible supermarket-bought sushi outside of Japan? Who would even read it if I did?

I defend your country as if it were mine here in Japan, making it a tough solo act at times. I've done so even at the cost of near ostracization among my own circle. Now I merely state that sushi outside of Japan is crazy because they use hot pepper, stir-fried vegetables, fruit, etc. to make it and I'm called the King of Overgeneralization. That's hard to take when I personally think I've eaten more sushi, both in and ouside of Japan, than any other members here.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I have always respected and admired your knowledge and judgement, and I appreciate the things you do on JF for all of us. This hasn't changed one bit even now but I want to state the folowing.

The feeling is mutual, without a doubt.

Originally Posted by Sashimister

A post in a forum is a post in a forum, not a composition or research paper.

True without a flaw.

Originally Posted by Sashimister

Do you seriously expect members to make 2-page-long posts that is completely free of any kind of overgeneralization everytime they want to post? If that's what's expected of me, I'll never post again, especially when discussing a cheap, 4-dollar-a-pack sushi that doesn't even use fish, let alone raw fish.

Absolutely not. But when generalizations are made that include me and my location that are not true, I will pipe in and give my 2 cents.

There ARE places outside of Japan that serve good sushi. I am lucky enough to live in one, so I will let the world know. Like you said, it's a forum. I am lucky enough to live in a place that doesn't generally have "4-dollar-a-pack sushi that doesn't even use fish, let alone raw fish" and I am not defending those places, I am just saying not everywhere outside Japan is like that.

That being said, even grocery stores that make and serve raw sushi generally are delivering crap. It is cheap with cheap cuts of fish that are often bland and tasteless. That's why I never buy them...but obviously some people do.

I am reminded of the sushi served at Safeco Field in Seattle. I think it is the only ML baseball stadium in the US that serves sushi. It wasn't so bad (though very overpriced...but that is to be expected).

Originally Posted by Sashimister

If you don't know what Kroger is, you haven't been around much.
Even a Tokyoite like myself has been to Kroger many times.

I never said I have been around much. I just said your description of sushi outside of Japan didn't fit where I live. Probably 95+% of my life on earth has been spent either in the NW US or in Japan. That's my circle of understanding, but I have lived long enough to understand it well. Like I said, I can't say anything about anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I've eaten sushi in about 20 of your states and I've seen all kinds, and it's "generally" true that it's hard to find a sushi place in your country that satisfies me, who has been eating sushi for 50 years. The exceptions are mostly but not exclusively found on the west coast and around NYC. However, even in San Francisco, where one might expect the best sushi in the U.S., there are aweful sushi places. Do you expect me to mention all these exceptions when I want to make a comment on the often-horrible supermarket-bought sushi outside of Japan? Who would even read it if I did?

I didn't call you a liar. I just said that where I live your "truism" is not true. You don't need to write two pages, but "with a few exceptions" would have been enough.

If you are ever in Portland let me know. We can go get some pretty darn good sushi. As good as the best in Japan? Probably not, but as good as decent sushi in Japan at a reasonable price.

I agree about San Francisco. I have only eaten sushi in a few places there, but it was nowhere near as good as the stuff I eat in Seattle and Portland for the price we were paying.

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I defend your country as if it were mine here in Japan, making it a tough solo act at times. I've done so even at the cost of near ostracization among my own circle. Now I merely state that sushi outside of Japan is crazy because they use hot pepper, stir-fried vegetables, fruit, etc. to make it and I'm called the King of Overgeneralization. That's hard to take when I personally think I've eaten more sushi, both in and ouside of Japan, than any other members here.

And that is much appreciated.

It is very possible you have eaten sushi in more places than anyone here. And your opinion is duly noted and respected.

I didn't call you the King of Overgeneralization...or any names. I just said your description of "sushi outside of Japan" doesn't fit where I live. Nothing more.

[SSJup81]

Yep, quite a few places do. The main place that comes to mind is a store called UKrop's here (got bought out recently or something, and changing up, like having the store open 7 days a week as opposed 6 and now gonig to start selling alcohol and tobacco products -_- )

Anyway, depending on which you went to, you could ask the the person rolling the sushi what kind you want as opposed to picking up something that was already pre-made.

Of course if you want really good sushi or better quality, rather, compared to store-bought junk, just head to a sushi restaurant.

[Nyororin]

Looking at the level of controversy there seems to be surrounding this...

I may have to make a follow-up.
Perhaps asking if those people who do have a local grocery selling sushi if they`ve ever had real sushi (in Japan, not a possibly fake place in the US) to compare it to.

I`m getting the feeling that in a lot of places, "sushi" is not 寿司.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Looking at the level of controversy there seems to be surrounding this...

I may have to make a follow-up.
Perhaps asking if those people who do have a local grocery selling sushi if they`ve ever had real sushi (in Japan, not a possibly fake place in the US) to compare it to.

I`m getting the feeling that in a lot of places, "sushi" is not 寿司.

I feel very comfortable saying I have eaten 寿司 so I also feel comfortable saying you can get the something close outside of Japan.

But not at a grocery store. At least in my experience.

I have yet to find good pizza or a glass of chardonnay at a reasonable price in Japan...so it isn't like these issues are mutually exclusive.

EDIT:

And I know that isn't your point Nyororin. And the last thing I want to do is make this a "we are better at this" thread because that is meaningless. I defer to you original point.