| If you have easy access to a japanese translator | | | | it closely. Is there an expiration date? Sushi should |
| who can help you find the best sushi, go for it. | | | | be eaten the same day it is made. Can you ask |
| That way you can delve deep into the heart of | | | | the chef how recently it was made? If the chef is |
| Tokyo town or Little Japan, to restaurants that | | | | not around, inspect the condition of the fish. Even |
| cater especially to Japanese. | | | | the brightest, freshest looking sushi may smell |
| Since 99% of Sushi restaurants in the U.S.A. have | | | | stinky when opened. The price on store-bought |
| English on their menu, you probably won’t | | | | sushi is usually not much different from buying it |
| need that Japanese translator just to find good | | | | directly in a sushi restaurant. So, for a fast |
| sushi. A professional translation might be fun if | | | | grocery pick you may want to opt for a salad or |
| you are obsessed with learning more about | | | | sandwich instead. Save your sushi experience for |
| Japanese culture. Think of how fun it would be to | | | | when you can get it really fresh. |
| get a lesson in Japanese as you order your sushi. | | | | |
| BUT, For those of you who are not linguistic | | | | - Go where everyone else is going |
| enthusiasts, but just want great sushi, follow | | | | A barren sushi place is suspect. If the lunch hour |
| these steps to find the freshest platter: | | | | brings only a couple customers, don’t go |
| | | | | there (unless it is a brand new restaurant, then |
| - Go for High Turnover | | | | you may want to give it a chance). You want the |
| In most cases “high turnover” is a | | | | place that is crowded with sushi lovers. Also, avoid |
| negative point for a business. But we’re | | | | the restaurants that have slimy pieces of fish on |
| talking about high turnover of fish, in this case. | | | | display. |
| You want a restaurant with a constant flow and | | | | |
| turnover of customers, because that means the | | | | - Take a long look at the chef and wait staff |
| fish is getting eaten quickly. A steady flow of | | | | Do the chef and wait staff carry themselves with |
| customers means a steady movement of fish. | | | | pride? If so, they are probably proud of their |
| You don’t want fish that has been sitting | | | | restaurant, an excellent sign. If instead you notice |
| around. That’s when you get odorous | | | | a depressed, embarrassed look, it could be |
| plates that make you a tad queasy. It might | | | | connected to the quality of food or dismal state |
| taste okay but something feels wrong about it. | | | | of business. A successful business boosts the |
| Hours later you might get an upset stomach, or | | | | spirit of everyone involved. Look for that spirit. |
| worse. Plus, with the considerable price of sushi, | | | | In the end, there will always be some risk when |
| you don’t want to end up with something | | | | trying a new sushi restaurant, but that’s |
| unappetizing. | | | | part of the fun! Trying a small dish to start |
| | | | | can’t take you too far wrong. At the |
| - Don’t get Sushi at the Store | | | | worst you’ll be vomiting for hours, at the |
| Those little sushi containers at the supermarket | | | | best you’ll have a hot spot to tell all your |
| are not worth it, even for a quick fix. Unless you | | | | friends about. Once your trust is established in a |
| have a store with it’s own sushi | | | | restaurant, be sure to branch out and try some |
| restaurant, with lots of customers, that sushi box | | | | unfamiliar dishes. |
| has probably been sitting there for hours. Look at | | | | |