The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Okay, before I tell you about the new Tiger Sushi in Lyn-Lake (the original is in the Mall of America)   I'll admit that I have a Bad Attitude about sushi in general.

Who says sushi has to be raw fish?? The actual meaning of the word sushi means vinegared rice, so anything with vinegared rice is sushi.

As a chef my job is to provide the best products and cater to all tastes and pallets, and one that has always stuck in the back of my mind is vegetarians and vegans. So its time to put the thinking cap on.

In the next few weeks my team and I will be creating a sushi menu for vegans and vegetarians here is a teaser.

Wanna know what I like best about Moto-i, the new Japanese brewpub at Lake and Lyndale?

No sushi! That’s right – no rainbow rolls, no tiger rolls, no maguro, no hamachi. Also no soggy tempura, no sticky steak teriyaki, no fake Japanese chefs cooking up fake Japanese teppanyaki.

There are three types of Maguro that you will encounter at the sushi bar: Yellow Fin Tuna, Big Eye Tuna, and Blue Fin Tuna. While all three appear similar with their reddish hue, there is a world of difference among them.

If you have ever wondered how the fish in the display case starts out here ya go!

This is suzuki (new 30cc model)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Bistro2930/Picture011-2.jpg

japanese fish scaler
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Bistro2930/Picture012-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Bistro2930/Picture013-3.jpg
After scaling cut behind the head and through the spine then repeat on other side
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Bistro2930/Picture014-3.jpg

Start at the rear end and slit tward the head.

 Header photo by Denis Jeong 

I've been told that the whole Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet phenomenom has run its course, and that the next big trend for Chinese restaurateurs is sushi — the profit margins are better. A lot of Chinese buffets already offer a few varieties of sushi, but the new 98 Pounds Restaurant at 98th and 35W in Bloomington actually combines the concepts.

The question I get asked most often, (after "what's your favorite restaurant?") is "do you get recognized a lot when you review restaurants?"

Anyone who has tried to make sushi knows it is harder than it looks. But when you are plopped at the sushi bar watching the chef make rolls, nigiri, or sashimi it looks easy. I, too, thought it was easy when I first watched my master show me how to make a roll — until I rolled my fist roll. When I was done I didn't know if he was pissed or if he was going to burst out laughing.

Before we opened in January, I had my whole core team working with me, training at the restaurant in Eau Claire. I knew with all of the bad habits and the lack of outside chefs in the twin cities area it would be best not to hire locally and have to correct bad habits. I'm not saying there are not good chefs in the area, but the top chefs are already employed at good establishments — such as Nami's, Origami's, and Fujiya — and out of respect of the owners I would not try to steal their chefs.

In case you haven't already noticed - we have started a new group blog here at the Rake called Chef's Table. It isn't just for chefs, though - it's for restaurateurs, servers, gourmets, gourmands, wine sellers, cheese mongers, etc. - anybody who is an active participant in the Twin Cities' lively food scene.