What's the difference between real Japanese sushi and the sushi sold in grocery stores here in the States?

Question

My friend from Japan says they're really different but he couldn't think of the word to describe it. His English isn't that great.

Answer 1

you can only get japanese sushi in japan

Answer 2

grocery store sushi should never be purchased. It is an American invention and is totally counter to the concept of sushi. Sushi is and must be made on the spot and fresh. Anytime you eat anything, raw, you have to make sure, as best you can, that it is as fresh as possible. That sushi in the store was made on a day that will be different from the day you see it.

Answer 3

Generally, slightly inferior ingredients.

The fish in Japan is fresher.

The seasoning for the rice in your grocery store's sushi is probably adjusted to make it more suitable to Western tastes, and cheaper..!

They probably use fake soy sauce, because it's an all American invention, and it's dirt cheap - tastes like dirt too, but the customers don't know the difference!

They probably use US grown rice too, which would be genetically modified to make it resistant to mould and bugs ... that must affect the flavour.

The sushi chef is probably just out of school, and doesn't even know where Japan IS.

Plus, the vegetables will taste different depending on which soil they were grown in.

Answer 4

My friends from Japan always come to Los Angeles to eat sushi when they have a chance. Their reason is that in Japan, sushi are really expensive. Fresh fishes are hard to find hence the small island - that's only my observation. I also heard, in a different source that sushi is actually really small compare to the states tho I disagree.

Answer 5

When food is packaged to be sold in grocery stores they have to add preservatives and usually the sushi made in japan is made right when it is ordered, and fresh always tastes positively different, in a good way.

Answer 6

most grocery store stuff is actually mayo-laden California Rolls. Go to a an actual sushi store. And probably in Japan the fish is fresher.

Answer 7

There are HUGE difference between them.

A good sushi rice requires delicate balance of sweetness and tartness. Most fast food sushi in US have way too much vinegar and sugar in it, so it lacks the delicateness of the flavor.

Also good sushi requires fresh fish - almost impossible to get in US, as in Japan, they were usually caught that morning and sliced that day, where-as US versions come from days ago.

Also, the assembly.... A good sushi is byte sized - as in whole thing in mouth in ONE byte. Most US versions are way too big. Rice needs to be small and fish just perfectly sized to slightly drape over it. Not so from grocery stores. Fish are too small and rice too big. Grocery store versions have rice packed too tightly. Feels like packed rice sometimes. Not supposed to be. It is supposed to be tight enough so it won't fall apart, but start to come apart once in your mouth.

Answer 8

If you are short on funds and in the mood for sushi then visit the supermarket, otherwise go to the restaurant. There are different grades of fish and I doubt the stuff at the store is the highest grade.

Answer 9

In Japanese cuisine, sushi is a food made of vinegared rice combined with various toppings or fillings.

In Japan the word sushi refers to a broad range of foods prepared with sumeshi or sushi meshi, vinegared rice. Sushi toppings or fillings can include seafood, meat, vegetables, mushrooms or egg, Sushi toppings may be raw, cooked, or marinated. In the Western world, sushi is often misunderstood to mean clumps of rice topped with raw fish, or even simply raw seafood, which is properly called sashimi.

Answer 10

Grocery store sushi is awful, that's the difference!

Answer 11

Sushi, in my opinion, shouldn't be eaten cold or be chilled, like they do in supermarkets. Some of it is alright, but the best is freshly made at a sushi-ya (sushi restaurant).