By Matthew Boudreau, Contributing Columnist
It is that time of year again where we start to see an uptick in gatherings with family, friends, and co-workers as the holiday season approaches. The question of “where do you want to eat?” or “what type of food are you feeling?” can be typical as a group tries to determine which restaurant to go to.
One of my favourite foods is sushi, and whenever these questions arise, I do not hesitate to suggest a restaurant that serves sushi. There are many great restaurants in Clayton Park and Fairview that offer sushi and can be found with a quick internet search.
Often when I suggest going for sushi, it is met with hesitation. The misconceptions and reasons for not wanting to eat sushi are diverse as well and come from many people who have not tried it. I am going to address some of these misconceptions and hopefully I can encourage you to either go to or get takeout from one of the great restaurants in our area.
Sushi is always made with fish. This is not true. Sushi can be made with fruit, vegetables, tofu, beef, and cream cheese to name some of the potential ingredients. Mango and cream cheese as well as cucumber and avocado are two non-fish sushi dishes that I personally enjoy.
Sushi is always served raw. This is also a myth. There are many types of sushi that are not raw. Deep fried tempura shrimp or a beef or chicken teriyaki are some examples. If this is a concern for you, take a look at the menu before saying no to a sushi restaurant to see what cooked options they have. Many restaurants offering sushi also offer nonsushi dishes such as stir-fry and noodles. You need to eat sushi with chopsticks or your hands. This is also inaccurate. You can certainly use a fork to eat sushi. I certainly did not know how to use chopsticks the first several times they were given to me. Practice makes perfect however, and if you are uncomfortable practicing at a restaurant, you can find reusable chopsticks you can purchase for your home at many kitchen retailers. As the holiday season approaches and small businesses need your support more than ever, I encourage you to try sushi or a new restaurant serving sushi. Perhaps you will find yourself a new holiday favourite!
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