Sushi

[Wandering Hermit]

Been thinking about where I can eat out once in a while....

Now I absolutely love sushi and sashimi. I'm thinking this should be safe, except for the big unknown of the soy sauce. Oterwise I think the rice and the fish gets marinated in rice vinegar or something like that, and the wasabi I imagine is probably not tainted, it is some kind of ground-up root I think. Perhaps someone knows?

I'm thinking I could smuggle in a very small bottle of my own soy sauce and surreptitiously use that.

My kids love other japanese fodds, it might be one of the few places we can all eat out together that is okay for me.

Any thoughts?

[jessman]

The only other issue I know of regarding Sushi is to avoid the imitation crab as that usually contains wheat. Most Sushi restaurants I go to don't mind if you bring your own soy sauce. Enjoy!

[lovegrov]

I don't think there's any need to "smuggle" in your own soy sauce. Just bring it. The wasabi should be safe.

The fake crab almost without exception has wheat. Anything marinated, like the eel, will be marinated in soy sauce. Some brands of the orange fish roe have wheat.

Enjoy!!

richard

[pixiegirl]

I eat sushi often and I always take my own soy sauce, I plop it right on the table and just tell them I need wheat free soy... they could care less as long as I'm ordering sushi!

Susan

[skbird]

Sushi is the only eating out I seem to do these days. I BMOB - "bring my own Braggs" and sometimes make cracks with the waitress about the corkage fee. One time at the sushi bar the only actual Japanese guy behind the counter wanted to take a look at my Braggs bottle as he'd never seen it before and then he kidded me about it. He thought I brought my own because it has less sodium - couldn't understand the wheat part (there was a little bit of a language issue there). Anyway, even my tacky Braggs bottle didn't put them off. I did go out though and buy a smaller glass bottle that I can fit in my purse to take with me that is a little more discreet.

I usually order rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. No "krab" and for me, no shellfish, but I definitely eat tons of the wasabi and pickled ginger is a natural for folks with stomach problems!

Enjoy!!!

Stephanie

[tarnalberry]

As others have noted, be careful of imitation crab meat. Also, any of the marinated meats - like eel - will have been marinated in something with a soy sauce. Some of the rice paper wraped items can have a sauce in them that you'll need to be careful of as well. The raw fish itself isn't usually marinated in anything, and it should be just fine.

My rule of thumb is to be very careful about reading the ingredient list in the particular role. I usually cross california rolls off the list unless I can confirm they're made with read crab, not fake. (Standard california rolls are made with fake crab - it has a stronger taste; real crab often gets drowned out by the other flavors.) I also avoid anything with a sauce or marinade.

Wasabi is usually gluten-free, and I make the assumption in restaurants that it is, but in the grocery store, please check the item you get. One or two do have modified wheat starch. Pickled ginger - assuming you accept that distillation doesn't allow the protein particle to pass through to the final product - is also safe, assuming no additives.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Most places rarely use REAL wasabi -- too $$$$$$.

They use a mix. I know the mix has some type of starch, but they vary.

Be careful..

Bronco

[kvogt]

I frequent a sushi bar, which stocks San-J Tamari wheat-free soy sauce for me.

Some eel can have soy, possibly Kikomann, containg wheat.

A nice dish is Chirashi, which is a flat bowl of rice with sashimi, roe and vegs. Ask for no crab and no eel. Usually very nice bargain, most places I've been.

Careful of other sauces like eel sauce and ponzu sauce.

Konichi wa?

[aljf]

also, sometimes the ginger has m.s.g., which is no good. and avoid "spicy" sauce stuff (like spicy tuna, etc.)-- usually has soy sauce involved w/wheat. i love sushi too! oh, and i think the salad w/that great japanese ginger dressing is a no-no-- again, soy sauce in the dressing. i *think* miso soups are usually fine, but i'm not sure on that one... anyone??

[lovegrov]

I don't worry about MSG but the miso soup can indeed have gluten. You have to check.

richard

[dperk]

Some miso is made with barley.

[GF-Jen]

I love eating sushi at Japanese restaurants and they stock San-J Wheat-Free Tamari. If not, I'll bring my own. I avoid the wasabi and ginger, although I do miss them. Miso soup is safe - it's just soy beans, water, and sea salt. Be careful if you order sushi with tofu - they usually marinate tofu in soy sauce.