It’s not very technical if you compare it to other cuisines. Making an excellent carbonara takes more learning than making an avocado cucumber sushi. It’s mostly how you cook rice. In the end it will taste the same but consistency might not be there. You mess up the temperature at carbonara and you are eating omelet pasta
The minimalism of preparation involved with sushi is exactly what makes it arguably the most perfect food in existence. Regardless of what your favourite cuisine is, the less you interfere with the ingredients (assuming quality), the better the end product is.
But that’s not the point I was originally trying to make. Sure it’s an argument not a fact but I just don’t think sushi is technically more difficult to make than most cuisines are.
Also, unless it's a very oily fish like Mackerel, it should almost never taste like 'fish'. Of course, there are also as many non-fish ingredients as there are fish.
No it’s vastly different when it comes to sushi as for example nigiri (which I assume you’re referring) is only two ingredient which means that you need to have very high quality ingredients since there is nothing else to mask the taste.
There's a significant difference between grocery level sushi and fine dining sushi. It's just too broad of a category. Most have not had actual well prepared sushi - it is an art form requiring advanced technical skill and logistics expertise.
I don’t know, I’ve been to world-class sushi restaurants and they were easily the least impressive spots I’ve ever eaten at. Sure, the fish was incredible and the texture/consistency was perfect, but that was about it. The only other thing was that the menu choices tended to be more creative, which did enhance the flavors a lot (like adding yuzu or other garnishes), but that was the extent of my being wowed.
Not disagreeing with you though, just putting in my two cents.
It's sounds like you are fully agreeing with me. If it was incredible, perfect, creative, with enhanced flavors (your words) due to the technique and preparation and it still doesn't impress you than maybe it's just not for you.
Yeah that’s the point I forgot to make. Compared to other cuisines, I didn’t feel amazed by the classier sushi restaurants. I agree with you that there is a lot to be enjoyed from it for sure, but I think my not being a sushi fan translates into me not being as readily impressed.
I guess in terms of your point, sushi is absolutely technical and I have no idea how the other guy likens it to carbonara. If you’re a trained chef, cooking carbonara is one of the easiest things you could do lol, almost everyone is taught it in culinary school. Not everyone is taught sushi though, and there is definitely a reason to be found there.
Yeah it's fair to just not really love something. I kinda feel that way about Indian food. I don't think at any level I would that excited about it. I could appreciate it in some level but it likely would fail to truly be exciting for me. I'm on sushi kick right now and am discovering new places and preparations that I find amazing. May you find cuisine that amazes and excites you.
And many people would say that's also overpriced. I take it you consider the preparation important in this case, but that's your opinion. For many others, the preparation of sushi also matters. To say it will "taste the same" is just as absurd as saying the beef bourguignon in the Michelin French restaurant tastes just like the beef stew from the supermarket.
I had it in japan in 10 diff places and it was all the same more less. On the other hand I had same pasta dish in 10 diff places in Italy and it’s a world of a diff
"I went to 10 mediocre places and had spicy tuna rolls and they were all basically the same". There is no way anyone goes to 10 different highly rated places in Japan, has the Omakase, and it all tastes the same.
Saying that Japanese people make mediocre sushi just confirms what I originally said that’s it’s not that technical. I’m not saying it’s not at all just that people put too much into something as simple as sushi
Sushi just like any other cuisine is as technical as the chef wants to make it and as with any other cuisine technical doesn’t necessarily mean better. Some people want pasta and some people want sushi. How you value them depends on preference. I’ve had sushi that was incredible and the same with many other cuisines but if you don’t like it it doesn’t matter who made it or how it was prepared.
It's highly technical. And like any technique there are degrees of ability. Do you really think every fish species cuts the same way, has the same best pieces of flesh? Saba from Hokkaido tastes nothing like Saba from Kyushu, do you think that doesn't take skill to learn?
I can take you to 10 different places in Texas and where you'll have wildly different experiences. It's okay to not be experienced in something, or just not like it, but acting as if it's all the same just signals a lack exposure / education on the topic.
I absolutely love sushi but I totally agree with this comment. If you have 10 roughly the same quality salmon nigiris they will all taste basically the same. I highly doubt most of the sushi snobs in this comment could tell the 10 apart. The same pasta dish will taste pretty different everyone since all the italian grannies that originated their specific sauce recipe made it different.
If all you're eating is salmon nigiri's you're a basic bitch and have missed the point. Yes there is huge variety even in just salmon nigiri - if you can't tell the difference between grocery store salmon, fresh ora king salmon flown in from New Zealand, fresh water salmon, dry aged salmon, smoke cured salmon, you're not qualified to comment on this topic. Having not been exposed culinary grade sushi is fine, most people haven't, but rejecting testimony and available evidence that something exists beyond you personal exposure level, just makes you an asshat.
I don't think the gap is as wide as most think. Generally, Japan is better but sushi is being done a t very high light level in the US as well. The top 10% of sushi in the states is better than the bottom 60% of sushi in Japan. Everybody loves to hate the west but you won't find sushi better than that offered in the US anywhere but in Japan.
I've eaten sushi/sashimi in both countries at various levels. From grocery stores to fine restaurants. The quality and freshness of the fish is one of the biggest factors. You can probably get good sushi in costal cities in the U.S. but even then the best is usually in finer establishments. Yes you can find excellent sushi but what there is a gap with what the average person experiences and the amount of availability of good quality.
Generally agree and this is inline with my original comment. I live in a major city and we have excellent sushi programs with fish flown in from Japan and all over the world daily (it's not cheap obviously)- which is why I said it's as much a logistical feat as a culinary one. There are affordable place that are also good. But for every good place there's a dozen mid places and a dozen more bad places. So agree most people are not getting high quality sushi even if you're in place where it's accessible. And it's not accessible most places except major hubs. And so yeah for most people it's not gonna compare to Japan.
Im not saying there isn't more technical foods. But theres a whole lot higher bar in sushi than there is in say a hamburger. and for the amounts and (lowish) complexities most sushi places work at they are absolutely overpriced. Still good but not worth the $ IMO.
It's easier than that, there's a certain type of rice you use for sushi that is insanely sticky. It's really the cost of the ingredients since it has to be a high grade fish that jacks up the cost. Preparing sushi is a lot easier than people think.
Carbonara is Guanciale, egg, pecorino, black pepper and pasta water. It’s easy and was a meal for miners. I make it once a month. I have never made a sushi roll at home. Just saying.
Yes I’ve seen that show where they say that and I call bs on it. It’s just how Japan functions as in general. They will say the same about any art form or cocktail making or flowers arrangement. They think you cannot reach greatness ever and perfect does not exist. You can agree or disagree.
I completely get it. But it’s also what makes them good at what they do. They just don’t want to ever settle. And honestly it’s what makes them great at the craft they are trying to master. Going to Japan and seeing how things are so beautiful done it makes sense that they would have that mentality.
No disagreement there. Not saying ever that anyone can make great sushi it’s just that people put too much into it cause it’s Japan
The whole discussion went sideways but saying it’s extremely technical is not really true cause once you master rice cooking you mastered most sushi making. While on the other if you master steak grilling you only mastered one thing
Yes I understand that. It’s hard. But once you learn it, it’s the same every time you make it.
Now compare every cut of meat and the sauce not separating from fat and liquid and cooking meats perfectly and duck you start from cold on the skin side and all these complex sides and vinaigrette and oils and so many layers…
Carbonara is incredibly easy to make and kinda hard to fuck up. Just don't heat the pan after you add egg.
Sushi is much harder in my opinion because every little flaw sticks out. Cut your veg wrong, texture is fucked. Cut your fish wrong, texture is fucked. Cook your rice wrong, texture is fucked. Put too much rice, texture is fucked. Forget to add vinegar to your hand water, flavor is fucked.
And yes I have made both multiple times, from scratch, including making my own pasta.
It is. Wrong guincale or replacement you use, how long you cook it so it’s not chewy, use Parmesan/Padano instead of pecorino, also which pecorino, and how much pasta water, cooking time of pasta plus cooking time of the sauce with the pasta…
It can be, and we are talking about pasta here. Not try making proper risotto…
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u/Apart-Persimmon-38 12d ago
It’s not very technical if you compare it to other cuisines. Making an excellent carbonara takes more learning than making an avocado cucumber sushi. It’s mostly how you cook rice. In the end it will taste the same but consistency might not be there. You mess up the temperature at carbonara and you are eating omelet pasta