Learning Sushi Etiquette

Are you planning to dine at a Japanese restaurant for Sushi? There is a certain sushi etiquette one should follow before dining. Keep in mind that these are merely general guidelines, and patrons shouldn’t concern themselves too much with adhering by these tips exactly; being respectful of the food and gracious to the staff is more than enough to ensure an excellent sushi dining experience.

* Upon arrival, the hostess will usually ask if you prefer dining at the sushi bar or at a regular table. The sushi bar is usually left for guests who enjoy watching the sushi preparation or to interact with the chef. If you don’t care for either of these, simply request a table.

* If you sit at the bar, only order sushi from the chef. Other items such as soup or non sushi dishes should be taken from your server.

* You will usually not be the only guest your sushi chef needs to cater to. Be respectful of this, and wait to place your order with him if you see that he is preoccupied with preparing another party’s dishes.

* Before dining, the server will generally hand you a warm washcloth with which you use to clean your hands. After this, neatly place the cloth back on the tray it was served on.

* Traditionally, it is acceptable to eat nigiri (rice topped with fish or any other topping) with your hands, but sashimi (fish only) should be handled with chopsticks.

* When eating nigiri, most people will dip the rice into the soy sauce, but it should actually be the other way around.

Dip the fish instead, so as to prevent too much soy sauce absorption, which doesn’t complement the taste of the nigiri. Also, dipping the rice in first causes pieces of rice to fall into the dish, making a mess.
* Nigiri sushi should be eaten in one bite.

* If the server doesn’t provide you with a spoon for your soup, don’t ask for one. Simply pick the bowl up and sip the soup with your mouth. Use your chopsticks to pick up any pieces that may be in the broth.

* Slivers of ginger are usually served on the same dish as wasabi. These pieces are used to cleanse the palate, and should be eaten between bites of sushi, never with them.

* Finally, thank you sushi chef when the meal is over. You will usually find a tip jar at the counter, as chefs shouldn’t handle money with the same hands they prepare your meal with.

Remember that your sushi chef puts a lot of time and effort into ensuring your meal is of the finest quality. Take the time to enjoy the beauty and flavors of your sushi; this is not a meal you quickly rush through. Make sure you taste all the delicate flavors of the different fish and don’t overpower the taste with soy sauce.