Your friends finally talked you into going out for sushi. You have wanted to try it, but had some misgivings about eating raw food. You are excited about your upcoming meal and ask the waiter to make a recommendation. When your plate arrives, you are a bit taken aback. You know what sushi is, but what else is on your plate? Here’s a quick tutorial of what you may see on your plate of sushi and what to do with it.

1. The “Green Stuff”

The green mash that you see is wasabi. Most people refer to this as Japanese mustard. It is grated horseradish root prepared in paste form. It includes mustard and food coloring. It’s spicy, so be careful! Take your chopsticks, pick up a tiny bit of wasabi, mix it in with your soy sauce and then use your sauce as a dip for your sushi. It’s that easy. You can add more wasabi to your soy sauce or directly to your sushi if you want an additional kick.

2. Ginger

Along with wasabi, you will find thin slices of ginger on your plate. These strips or slices are called gari. It has been marinated in sugar and vinegar, and usually colored pink. This ginger is used to cleanse your palette. Follow each piece of sushi with a slice of gari. It helps to distinguish between the flavors of fish you will find on your plate.

3. Radish

You will often also see white strips on your plate. This is shredded daikon (radish). It is used as a garnish on sushi plates. Like many garnishes on American dishes, you can eat it or push it to the side. It’s quite tasty, so be sure to give it a try!

Depending on the sushi house you visit, you may also see cut carrot or lemon wedges on your plate of sushi. What is included may be up to the chef. If you have any questions, speak to your server. They want you to enjoy your meal and will be more than happy to answer your questions.

If you have a craving for sushi now, we don’t blame you. At RuSans, we are happy to serve our local patrons as well as guests from out of town. We promise you a wonderful dining experience at the best Japanese seafood restaurant in Kennesaw!