Wassssaaabbbiii!

I love Wasabi! The way that it makes your nose tingle, twinge, and then all of a sudden you can breathe the biggest breath! Better than any prescribed medication I know of!

What would sushi be without wasabi? What would a fishing blog be without a sushi review? Most of my friends tease me - just how much can you love and write about fish? Well, I am pretty sure that my interest in fish is innate. My father loves to fish and my mother was raised on a lake. I'm pretty sure that she liked to fish, too. Explains the connection, perhaps!

Anyway - sushi. I love sushi. Spicy tuna, eel handroll, bonito, and yellowtail. The key to sushi, for me, is the presentation and the consistent freshness offered by the restaurant. I have never had "bad" sushi - but it can happen. The tricks are:

• Crowds - If the restaurant is crowded all the time and/or you need a reservation, well, you can rest assured that there is plenty of "tuna turnover"


• Cleanliness - You know that cleanliness is next to godliness, right? Well, imagine raw fish in an unclean environment. Pick your sushi spot(s) carefully!


• Sushi Chef - A good sushi chef acknowledges you and will often remember what you order if you frequent the establishment. A good sushi chef will be constantly cleaning the area, showcasing his or her work, and may even offer you a sample of something to try. Sushi chefs are very calm, even-keeled people. No wonder they work with fish!

Connecticut actually has some pretty decent sushi restaurants. I have been to most of the following restaurants. Having lived in Washington, D.C. for 10 years after college, I was exposed to some pretty great sushi places (Cafe Japone, etc.). It has been tough to compare, but Connecticut ranks pretty high. Must be the close proximity to New York...or maybe the ocean in general. Could be a fluke (pun intended). I know, don't quit my day job!

Here is my list (in order of preference):

• Tengda Asian Bistro in Westport


• Feng Asian in Hartford


• Osaka in Brookfield


• Sennen in Monroe


• Taipei Tokyo in Danbury


• Nobe in Danbury - no longer open. Pretty sure wine bar (Barca) down the street stole the crowd

Some of the best sushi that I've ever had in my life was definitely in New York - here is the BEST OF LIST. Major cities seem to draw the best stuff in many categories (must be the law of economics, supply and demand). Most are affordable; others are more than a car payment.

So, consider the list of tricks I have provided. If you have never tried sushi, there are all different types of fish and preparation styles. For example, you don't have to eat raw salmon - you can have the chef prepare a salmon tempura with asparagus, for example. Sushi is one of those types of foods that provides flexibility, fun, and festivity! Enjoi!