Whether you are a sushi lover or not, sushi is a well loved culinary experience around the world
and the funny thing about sushi is that no one ever bothers explaining what’s really going on in their sushi order.
Seeing all those strange unfamiliar terms and dishes at the sushi bar for the first time can be overwhelming
for many first time sushi goers. A traditional Japanese list of sushi rolls can feel very different if you’ve
been eating the modern sushi rolls. Don’t worry though, this guide will go through the basic parts of a
traditional sushi menu in Japan so you know what’s in your next meal!
So why are there so many items on the menu?
When you go to a sushi restaurant in Japan, or any restaurant that serves sushi in the traditional Japanese fashion,
you’re not likely to see flashy rolls with dozens of ingredients stuffed full of sauces. Instead you will find more
minimalist dishes and the pure, clean flavor of each ingredient. If you’re not familiar with words like nigiri, sashimi,
maki, and so on, it’s very hard to know what you’re ordering.
An Understanding Of The Key Elements Of A Traditional Sushi Menu
To help you know what to look for when ordering at a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant,
lets break down the most common items on a traditional Japanese sushi menu. Types of sushi, sashimi or other staples of this famous Japanese dish are included.
1. Nigiri
Nigiri is one of the most classic forms of sushi that are essentially made up of a little hand pressed ball of vinegarweed rice with a linear slice of raw or cooked seafood on top. Nigiri presents a pure fish for it is typically served served only with a light dab of soy sauce or wasabi. Some popular types of nigiri include:
Maguro (Tuna) Nigiri: Makes for a rich, flavorful option with fresh tuna in it.
Sake (Salmon) Nigiri: Raw fish, nice and smooth, buttery.
Ebi (Shrimp) Nigiri: Cooked and often with a little soy glaze.
With its simplicity, nigiri truly reflects traditional sushi as a real reflection of the fish itself.
2. Sashimi
Because like sashimi, they do not have rice, they are technically not sushi. Instead, it’s raw fish or seafood in thin slices, without any further ingredients. As with most other fish, it’s enjoyed sashimi style — with a side of soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger to help cleanse the palate between bites. If you are looking to get the pure flavor of fish itself then without distractions of rice or extra seasonings then it is a great option. Some popular types of sashimi include:
Hamachi (Yellowtail) Sashimi: Buttery, clean flavored popular fish.
Tai (Sea Bream) Sashimi: And mild and sweet with a delicate texture.
Ika (Squid) Sashimi: Soft, firm and slightly chewy, with a different texture.
3. Maki
Maki, on the other hand, is the sushi that’s rolled up on a bed of seaweed (nori), thus really sushi has become bite sized maki pieces rather than nigiri, which are sushi pieces with a top and bottom. Traditional maki roll are much more simple than what you know as modern rolls, they’re all about one or two ingredients.
Tekka Maki: Tuna rolled in a thin roll.
Kappa Maki: Ideal palate cleanser or vegetarian friendly refreshing cucumber roll.
Negitoro Maki: A roll of minced fatty tuna mixed with green onion.
Maki is usually served at Japanese sushi restaurants without the extra toppings and sauces you’ll see at Western restaurants. The playing cards allow the flavors of the ingredients to come through.
4. Temaki
It’s basically slices of roll, but it’s not, actually, and thus you get a larger portion of rice, fish, and other ingredients. Since temaki is made to order (and not pre sliced), the seaweed is normally eaten immediately for crispness. Fillings such as salmon, tuna, cucumber and avocado are common.
5. Gunkan
Gunkan is often referred to as battleship sushi, because the rice is fashioned into an oval and wrapped in a piece of seaweed to form a little boat (of sushi). Made up of this vessel filled with loose or soft toppings — uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), or kani (crab salad) for example — this vessel is filled. Toppings that would fly off traditional nigiri sit well in Gunkan, which because of it can handle toppings in a way that horizontal nigiri can’t quite do.
6. Omakase
If you really want the real traditional Sushi experiences consider the order of omakase (translated to: “I leave it up to you”). It is a chef’s selection menu, that is the sushi chef chooses and made the sushi dishes of what is freshest that day based. It’s a wonderful way to try new types of sushi that you may not have picked yourself, but also get to enjoy the art of sushi preparation.