Last week, I said I wasn't sold on Lauderdale's takeout sushi options -- even Sushi 1, the joint that seems to be a favorite according to many folks in the comments. After I blogged, I decided to ask an expert to help us out, so I hit up Trevor Corson, author of The Story of Sushi and the country's only sushi concierge, what he looks for in sushi takeout. His answer?
I actually like takeout sushi, but I'm not there for the fish; in fact, I'll go to great lengths to avoid takeout sushi that involves any seafood. Fish in takeout sushi is worse than pointless to me, because the quality is not going to be good, the tuna is likely to be tasteless and gassed with carbon monoxide for color, and the salmon may be satisfyingly fatty but is almost certainly cheap farmed fish that could well contain toxins, PCBs, and hormones. Plus, if it's going to be takeout and possibly sit for a little while, do I really want raw fish sitting around?
Happily, traditional forms of sushi can also include all manner of delicious marinated vegetables and cooked ingredients such as omelet, which is how takeout or picnic sushi snacks are often traditionally prepared in Japan. By far my favorite takeout sushi at the moment is made by an outfit called "Macro Vegetarian" and is available at specialty food stores in the NYC area. It's not strictly traditional in the ingredients, but to me it's much more faithful to the traditions of Japanese food -- not to mention that it's much more healthful -- than most of the typical takeout sushi out there,
Corson also included a link to some products.
What says you? Are you willing to turn a blind eye to fading fish that's gussied up for consumption to satiatiate hankerings for sushi on the run?
