The joys of the small Japanese sushi bar! Big Frank loves sushi in generaly, but the food is only a small piece of the whole, and when in Japan, he is able to complete the entirety with a visit to a real sushi bar. You bend down slide open the door and are immediatly greeted with "Irashaimase" [welcome], and they say it like they mean it (not sure how heartfelt it all is, but it sure seems real). Big Frank prefers the smaller, family-run sushi bars. Typically there is a sushi chef or two behind the bar and one or two other family members helping to wait on tables. There is always a TV that is invariably turned to some kind of sporting event - usually baseball, but occassionally golf. The bar has seating for 5 or 6, and then in the back there are usually a couple of tatami rooms. Typically groups of business men sit in the tatami rooms and talk, eat, drink, and smoke - rehashing the day's events. At the bar there are guys sitting, watching TV, eating sushi, and reading papers. The atmosphere is warm, the sushi is superb, and the service is spot on. The typical "seto" has a variety of sashimi and sushi with a liberal mound of ginger, a bowl of miso, and a large glass of beer. The sushi is usually served on a wooden plank of sorts, or sometimes - more recently - on a banana leaf. All the while you can watch the sushi chefs chop, mold, press, and prepare. They are dressed in white jackets with white caps. They don't talk, but when an order is placed they will shout that it's received - and, of course, to everyone entering - "Irashaimase" and to those leaving "Arigatogozaimashta".
No comments:
Post a Comment