Sushi Quality Fish... How Does it Work?

First of all, we would like to thank Tim Rosenblatt (@timrosenblatt on Twitter) for submitting the inspiration for this blog topic today. His question can be found here. We immediately felt that his submission was very relevant to the industry and after a little bit of research, we were unable to find much about the topic. So, this is our chance to shine.

Everybody knows someone that will not eat sushi. That person may claim that they have "tried it" and "didn't like it," but everyone knows that they are afraid of raw fish and concerned with the fraction of possibility that they might get sick from eating raw food. While we can understand the initial fear, it is important to know the ins and outs of how sushi actually works, where the fish comes from and why it isn't dangerous to consume.

For those who don't know, there is a website called Sushi FAQ that covers a wide range of topics on sushi, the process of making it and what to look for when eating it. It is a very useful website for anyone looking for more information on sushi as a whole, and in our case, it covers this topic better than anybody. Before we extract some items from the site, you can read all about sushi-grade fish on their site here.

For whatever reason, the FDA does not have any legal documents surrounding what constitutes "sushi-quality" fish. The only requirement for raw fish from the FDA is that it must be kept frozen or on ice at some point throughout the process. This guarantees "parasite destruction."

As a consumer, you have no idea whether the fish supply company froze the fish properly or if the restaurant kept it fresh in their kitchen. The only way you can determine if your sushi is adequate and safe to eat is by smell (and sight ofcourse). If your sushi has a strong fishy odor, there is a good chance that the fish was not nurtured correctly. In this case, you should grow concerned and inform your waiter or waitress of your discomfort immediately.

Aside from the smell, which is an occurrence you will never experience at Ichiban, there is really no other way for you, as a consumer, to uncover the history of the raw fish that you are eating. The best thing to do is ask the restaurant's staff about the fish. Inquire about where they get it, how it's stored and what the average turnaround time is before service.

Since the FDA doesn't feel like sushi-quality fish is that much of an importance in the U.S., it is evident that you will have to fend for yourself and be cautious of what you are putting into your body. As long as you attempt to be an empowered sushi lover, you should never have a bad sushi experience. And for your friends that simply "don't like" raw fish, forward them this post and tell them that you are on to them. Then, invite them to dinner at our restaurant... 10% off of your check for your hard work of course.

Introducing: Sushi Cake

Have you ever wanted to eat sushi and dessert at the same time? Well, now you can have your sushi and eat it too. Introducing Japan's latest culinary creation.....

Sushi Cake!

This information becomes from Danny Choo. The original post on this product can be found at:
http://www.dannychoo.com/detail/mac/eng/image/11230/Sushi+Cake.html

FYI - These cakes will run you anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 yen. Hopefully, we will start seeing these beautiful creations start popping up around the States very soon.

The Importance of Ambiance in a Restaurant

I'm sure our customers realize it every time they are inside our restaurant. The atmosphere and surroundings that we have created within our quaint space is a welcoming and encouraging one. This aspect of our dining experience didn't just come by luck or coincidence, it was something our staff worked hard at achieving.

First of all, we thought about how most Japanese restaurants are perceived. Often times, sushi restaurants also serve hibachi (or live entertainment cooking - i.e. Kobe) at their restaurant. We don't offer hibachi, but still wanted to give that effect to our sushi bar. Therefore, we designed an open layout for Ichiban; allowing all customers to see virtually every part of our restaurant at all times. This concept allows diners to feel private, yet a part of a larger culture that can be seen, heard and smelled simultaneously.

The next aspect of creating a desirable atmosphere was wall decor. Orlando is saturated with talented artists, and a lot of our city's merchants exploit that fact within their walls. We didn't want to be the ones Downtown that fell short in offering a unique taste of Orlando's thriving art culture. At all times, we host a plethora of paintings, sculptures and other forms of artistic expression on our walls. We try to diversify our pieces by offering wall space for a variety of local artists to promote themselves.

Finally, we hire some of the most personable and charismatic wait staff in the city. Obviously, knowledge of our products and the Japanese culture is a must as well, but we like to base our decisions on their personality and ability to welcome our customers.

Without a friendly staff of employees, it doesn't matter how a restaurant is laid out, or how beautiful the decorations look. It's our people that keep our customers coming back again and again. Customer service is the most important aspect of running a business within the hospitality industry. We hope to continue to capitalize on that notion throughout the unforeseeable future.

Inside The Roll: Orlando Roll

We live in Orlando, so it's only necessary that we offer an "Orlando Roll." Comprised of all of the traditional features of a California Roll and wrapped with Fresh Salmon and Black Caviar, this roll simply melts in your mouth.


If you are a salmon fan, there is no reason you shouldn't be ordering it in your sushi every time you are in our restaurant. Personally, I am a huge salmon fan, and that is why I can't get enough raw salmon in my sushi. I love raw salmon so much, that I even order it on my bagels and cream cheese at Toojay's.

Mmmmmm....

Have you had our Orlando Roll? Leave your comments below.

Why We Don't Serve Uni Anymore

@tanizaki on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/tanizaki) publicly asked us if we served "uni" last week. Much to our dismay, we had to become the bearer of bad news by telling him that we stopped serving the interesting treat recently. Although we haven't heard from him since, we hope that he understood our reasoning and won't hold a grudge against us for it.

Many of you are probably wondering what exactly uni is. Well, for those of you that can stomach the idea, it's the eatable part of a sea urchin. What part of the sea urchin is that, you might ask? It's the gonads.

Uni may not look too appetizing, but it is surprisingly delicious.

The real reason we stopped serving items like uni is because we always keep our seafood fresh, and never frozen. You can only imagine the money we were wasting bringing in uni and having it sit in the back unordered. It became quite a hassle for us. Yes, we would have the occasional customer swallow their pride and order uni, but for whatever reason, it's just not a piece of sushi that lends itself to mainstream desire.

So unfortunately, if you want to try uni, you are going to have to look elsewhere in Orlando. However, if we do start seeing a strong desire for it, you never know - we may end up ordering it consistently again.

Would you want us to order uni? Leave your comments below.