Serious question: How do you eat Sushi gracefully?

Question

I love Sushi, and I enjoy using chopsticks, but I find it very annoying and embarrassing to put the whole piece in my mouth at one time. It's too big, and feel like I don't have good manners! You cannot cut it or bite it because then it breaks apart and you lose half of the filling on the plate. Serious answers only please.

Answer 1

Japanese etiquette calls for you to put the whole piece in your mouth. You are not supposed to bite it in half or put it back on the plate once you've started eating it. If it is too big, simply ask the sushi chef for smaller or thinner cuts of fish. Make sure to thank him graciously, and tell him how good it is. If the fish is a little smaller is should be more managable. Otherwise order maki or sashimi instead of nigiri, as they tend to be smaller.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

First, keep in mind that you must only dip the fish. This means making a twist with your hand to flip the sushi just before the dipping bowl.

OK, now to your question...

If properly prepared, you should have only a single bite. However, this is rarely the case. So, you should bite off a piece, chew, and then eat the second "half." Do not put the half-eaten item back on your plate. You can have the most grace by keeping the chopsticks near your mouth so that it does not appear that you are putting half-eaten food back on the plate.

The use of hands is appropriate in only specific cases. In general, stick to the chopsticks.

Answer 3

I've been eating sushi since '88, and I seldom use chopsticks. I just pick it up with my fingers and bite through half of it. I hardly ever have problems with it falling apart that way. It also depends upon how firm the sushi piece is and how "biteable" the fish is. For example, salmon and tuna bite very easily, but octopus is very chewy and you have to work it. Just answering this question is making me very hungry.

Answer 4

hahahahaha

I hate that too! I convince myself that no one else has this problem, but now maybe they do! It's a choice: you try to bite a piece of the sushi and have everything unravel on the table like you don't know what you're doing, or shove the whole thing in your mouth like a g-ddamned pig. I try to keep my roll on the plate, and kind of pry the nori and the rice apart, and then it's more manageable, eat it piece by piece.

Answer 5

I'm sorry honey, there is No way to eat it gracefully. I love sushi, but you just take the good with the bad. I do just stick the whole thing in my mouth. Don't be embarrasst, because if you're where thier perparing sushi, then everyone around you understands. And if not how cares. Just enjoy your meal!!!! :>
From one sushi lover to another,
Karen

Answer 6

I have struggled with this myself if I try taking a bit the whole thing falls apart and I I put the whole thing in my mouth I feel like a pig But I love sushi I have learned to accept it put the whole thing in my mouth If I look stupid so does everyone else!

Answer 7

My friend grew up in Japan and loves to eat Sushi. She reminds me frequently that it is a cultural thing and that eating to them doesn't require American manners. She says that they use their chopsticks and fingers, slurp, and find it rude to return bitten off pieces of food to their plates. I think it's supposed to be the Sushi experience.

Answer 8

Usually the larger the sushi in a restaurant the less they are trying to make you look like a classy chick. Just tear into it. Are you talking about Saburo's in Portland. I don't think anyone looks good eating sushi there. usually you do take the whole thing in one bite though.

Answer 9

I use the chopsticks for rolls and such, but when i eat sushi (fish on the rice), i generally use my fingers, and bite only half. I have more control over the bite and don't tend to loose any rice.

Answer 10

I am a sushi lover too, and unfortunatly I have yet to find a way to gracefully eat it without having to put the entire piece in...I have tried "cutting" thru the meat but because it's raw it dosen't work to well...