Feature Article

North Carolina Signature
July/August 2008

Sushi Roundup

Hold your sea horses - we've got your guide to sushi hot spots around the state

by Debbie Moose

Twenty-six years ago, my husband and I went to San Francisco for our honeymoon. We visited an old friend of mine, who had been living in the Bay Area for about five years. She insisted on taking us to Japantown for something called sushi.

Raw fish. On rice.

She ate it all the time. We'd never heard of it. We thought she was joking. Today, even in North Carolina, sushi is everywhere. You can find it from the supermarket to the mall, and it's showcased in restaurants with just about every kind of cuisine. I'm waiting to see a sushi bar at a Carolina barbecue joint - no doubt it's coming, with the sweeping popularity of the little bites of fish.

Now that sushi is no longer a rarity in these parts - and the first image upon encountering it isn't a hook and pole - there are notable nibbles around the state.

Wilmington: Bored with the traditional sushi-bar decor of tatami mats, pale wood and shoji screens? Yo Sake blasts away the sushi stereotypes by splashing its walls with colorful Japanese anime art. The menu bucks tradition as well by pairing unusual cocktails with its fresh fish, which is served from a red-tiled sushi bar. Rolls range from the basic to the sexy, using nontraditional ingredients like cilantro and nuts. Be prepared to see and be seen here as the nighttime party crowd heats up, as well as to sample some stellar sushi. Try the Tropic Roll with tuna, avocado, pineapple and cream cheese. Or the vegetarian Pink Lady, containing asparagus, avocado, sprouts, cucumber and other vegetables. Pair either with the signature Pomegranate Ginger Mojito, and you'll have the Yo Sake experience.

The Triangle: The airy, light sushi bar area is the first thing you see when you enter An, an elegant Asian restaurant in Cary. If you're dining in the other part of the restaurant, you may be envious as you walk past the action at the tables and bar, where gem-like sushi is passed to eager hands. An pays homage to Japanese tradition, but mixes it with elegance and creativity, and fish of impeccable quality. Try the unusual White Dragon roll with crab cake, torched white tuna, mango and eel sauce. Or the Land & Sea, a sort of surf and turf roll that includes beef tenderloin. The sushi bar has become so popular that reservations are suggested for Friday and Saturday nights.

Charlotte: At Sekisui, the sushi chefs say, "Envelope? What envelope?" Sekisui's sushi bar uses impeccable ingredients to push the boundaries of sushi, and the chefs have a sense of humor. The Charlotte Roll is made up of fried chicken nuggets, almonds and a sweet honey-mustard sauce - Southern fried meets Eastern vibe. For something more typical, try the Dancing Eel: tempura shrimp wrapped in eel and avocado. The nigiri menu also offers quail eggs for optional topping.

Asheville: I used to have one firm dining rule: Never eat seafood in the mountains - too far away from its home. But today, when fresh fish can fly across the country in a flash, there's no reason that there can't be a good sushi bar a chopstick's throw from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wasabi offers both sushi classics and items for the sushi novice. In a nod to the counter-cultural nature of the city, there are several vegetarian options, such as the Tempura Sweet Potato Roll. On the wild side, the Wasabi Roll contains tempura-fried soft-shell crab in the center, with eel, tuna and avocado on the outside. Yep, there's sushi in them thar hills.

Information

• An: 919-677-9229, 2800 Renaissance Park Place, Cary, www.ancuisines.com
• Sekisui: 704-992-1234, 14211 Reese Boulevard, Huntersville, www.sekisuiusa.com
• Yo Sake: 910-763-3172, 33 South Front Street, Wilmington, www.yosake.com
• Wasabi: 828-225-2551, 19 Broadway Street, Asheville

ROLL YOUR OWN

It is possible to get sushi-grade fish to make your own sushi at home, but it can be difficult to find (and you may be a little nervous about it). This recipe from our writer, Debbie Moose, uses vegetables and cooked ingredients to create delicious sushi rolls.

Special equipment:

• A very sharp knifeZ
• Small bamboo mat for rolling (find this at an Asian market or kitchen store)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sushi rice, cooked and seasoned according to package directions and cooled to room temperature
• 4 sheets toasted nori (see Notes)
• Powdered wasabi (optional)
• Your choice of ingredients: Avocado, cucumber, carrots, smoked salmon, steamed shrimp, and cooked crabmeat

Cut your choice of fillings into thin matchsticks, the thinner the better. You may want to steam or microwave the carrots briefly. Remove the peel and seeds from the cucumber. Remove any shell or other hard parts from the shrimp and crabmeat. Place the prepared fillings in small bowls.

Wrap the bamboo mat in a sheet of plastic wrap and secure on the backside, which you won't be using, with tape. Place 1 sheet of nori, shiny-side down, on the front side of your mat. Spread about 2 tablespoons of rice along the edge of the nori which is closest to you, going all the way to the ends of the sheet. Spread a very small amount of wasabi down the center of the rice, if desired. Arrange strips of your desired ingredients atop the rice. Do not overload it. Lift the edge of the mat closest to you (the rice half of the nori) and gently but firmly use the mat to roll the nori over the rice and other ingredients. Press firmly to help the roll hold together. When you have completed the roll, spread a little water along the edge to seal the nori, if necessary.

Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 1-inch slices. Cut cleanly, do not saw at the roll or it may come apart. Continue with the remaining ingredients. Wipe the knife occasionally with warm water if it becomes sticky.

Serve immediately with soy sauce and additional wasabi, mixed with a little water to make a paste.

Makes about 4 rolls.

Notes:
Make sure the sushi rice is cooled before using it. It helps to put it in a large, shallow bowl and stir and slice with a large spatula. Nori are large sheets of seaweed that come pre-toasted. Look for them in Asian markets or kitchen stores.