Now trending: Sushi. Sushi has certainly become the ideal girl date, and the go-to quick, healthy meal. What could be better than going out for a sushi dinner with your best girlfriends and adding a little bit of sake to the mix? Plus, trying all the different types of sushi and sharing them makes it all the more fun. It is part of the whole sushi experience. The only issues with sushi are that it can be expensive, and not every place has “good” sushi. Here are my favorite sushi spots around Boston.
1. Yamato-Brighton, MA
This is the best sushi place I have been to in the greater Boston area. They have a great deal for all-you-can-eat lunch ($16.99) and dinner ($22.99) Sunday through Thursday. They have other prices for Friday and Saturday. You might be thinking, “Ew…a buffet of sushi…no way!” I promise it is not what you think. Depending on when you go, they give you a menu where you can choose from a variety of appetizers, individual sushi pieces, maki rolls, and soups and salads. So all of the food is served fresh! Plus, if you pay in cash you get a dollar off. Just be warned, if you cannot finish what you order, you do not get to order more. You will also have to pay the full price for what you did not finish. Besides that, it is a MUST for on your next sushi date. P.S. There is no problem getting seated!
2. Fin’s-Beacon Hill, MA
Fin’s is delicious! It is close to school, and it is a great place to gather with your girls between classes and gossip. They have a great lunch bento box. You get two pieces of house sushi, fruit, a protein of choice, rice, miso soup and a salad. It is a great balanced meal, and ranges from $7.50-$9.00. They also have other sushi options, temaki and maki rolls, but unfortunately they do not have deals for their rolls. It does get busy during the lunch hour, but it never takes long to get seated.
3. Whole Foods-Boston, MA
The Whole Foods on Cambridge Street actually has great sushi chefs. They have a variety of rolls, from simple avocado and cucumber rolls to dragon rolls. It is a great place to grab a package of sushi when you are on the go. Plus they have a variety of drinks to pick from to go with your sushi.
4. Zen’s Sushi-Boston, MA
Zen is a quaint little sushi restaurant by the State House. During the summer they have outdoor seating. The place is very small, so it can be hard to get seating where you can see the sushi chefs, but they do have seating upstairs. I have been here a few times, and I think the best time to go is during the end of the week. When I have gone earlier in the week their fish seemed a little dry. Maybe it was just my experience. It is another great place to go to close to the dorms and school. They have a beautiful way of displaying their dishes. If you get a termaki hand roll, they put it in a cute cone holder!
5. Snappy Sushi-Boston, MA
They have beautiful outdoor seating right on Newbury Street during the summer. Their sushi is good, but I mostly go there for the seating after some shopping on Newbury. Their presentation is great, and they give you the option to have brown rice. The sushi is somewhat expensive, but if you get one of their lunch deals you will not break the bank.
Sushi Vocab:
Nigari- Sold as individual pieces. Small mound of rice, with a choice of fish laid on top.
Maki- A roll wrapped in thin crisp seaweed. They are rolled using a bamboo mat. Inside there will be fish, vegetable, and rice.
Temaki- Like a maki roll, but instead of it being rolled closed, it is rolled into a cone.
Sashimi- It is a slice of seafood or fish, with nothing else added. It is cut and displayed elegantly.
Roe- Large fish eggs
Tobiko- Small fish eggs
Toro-Fatty Bluefin tuna
Uni-Sea urchin
Anago- Eel
Ika Nigari- Squid
Tako Nigari- Octopus
If you do not understand something, do not be afraid to ask your server to explain the menu to you.
Fun Facts You Might Not Know About Sushi:
1. Ginger is not to be eaten with your sushi. It is supposed to be eaten between different types of sushi as a palate cleanser.
2. Sushi is meant to be eaten with your fingers. So do not be embarrassed if you haven’t mastered the use of chopsticks.
3. Sushi was not invented in Japan; it was invented in Southeast Asia.
4. How pink your sushi is does not determine the freshness. Some industries will gas their tuna with carbon monoxide to make it look fresher longer.
5. You can get sushi anytime of the week. People assume that you want your fish as fresh as possible. That is not the case. Many types of fish taste better after they have aged a day or two. If you have a good sushi chef, he/she is practicing the art of serving each fish at the moment when it has aged to perfection, but also a time before the texture has started to reduce.