February at Shiro’s

The country of Japan has the benefit of stretching from sea to mountain. February is a perfect illustration of that as seasonal fish are sourced from the waters, and we pay tribute to the country’s tallest mountain – taking in all the true grandeur of Japan.

Valentine’s Weekend Sushi Platter

Our special sushi platters continue to be so well-received that we will once again offer a Valentine’s Weekend Platter! Celebratory couples can look forward to the sushi platter designed for two, featuring: 6 kinds of nigiri (2 pieces each), 6 kinds of sashimi (2 pieces each), Uni & Ikura Don (bowl), and chef’s new addition for this year, umami chicken and vegetable terrine!

Price: $190 plus tax
Available for takeout only
Offered February 11-14 (Saturday-Tuesday)
Order 24-hours ahead

Fish in February
Hirame (flounder)

Hirame is a type of flat fish found in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Hirame is much smaller than halibut, another flat fish, yet similar in size to Karei (yellow striped flounder or littlemouth flounder). Another difference in appearance is that Karei is a right-eyed flat fish with a small mouth and small teeth, but Hirame is a left-eyed flat fish with a larger mouth and sharper teeth, used for eating other fish.

Although there are some farmed Hirame, the volume of the wild harvest is still scarce and therefore, Hirame is considered a luxury fish over Karei and other types of flat fish.

Hirame is active in its everyday life and it is also very rich in umami, especially during its peak season of winter. It has a perfect texture for sashimi, and when enjoyed as nigiri sushi, Hirame is served with shredded Daikon radish and chopped green onion on top.

Sake in February
Yuki No Bosha “Cabin In The Snow” Junmai Ginjo

Saiya Shuzoten, Akita, Japan

Saiya Shuzoten was founded in 1903 in Yuri-Honjo city of Akita prefecture in Japan. Yuri-Honjo is famous for infiltrated (or subsoil) water from Mount Chokai, which makes Yuri-Honjo one of the best areas to brew sake.

Winning Gold Prize 19 times in All Japan New Sake Appraisal, accoladed Saiya Shuzouten created this limited release of Yuki no Bosha, Junmai Ginjo using a 50% higher polishing ratio than typical Junmai Ginjo. The acidity of Junmai Ginjo and clarity of the refined grain produces a well-balanced sake with a crisp yet fruity strawberry nose that pairs well with sushi and sashimi, especially shellfish.

Japan in February
Fuji-san no Hi (Mt. Fuji Day)

February 23rd is Fuji-san no Hi, a day to celebrate and note the continued protection of Japan’s tallest mountain. Fuji-san no Hi was legislated in 2009 by the Shizuoka prefecture government, where Mt. Fuji is located. In Shizuoka many events take place on Fuji-san no Hi.

Mt. Fuji stands 3,776 meters tall (nearly 12,400 feet), and is a worldwide symbol of Japan. In 2013, it registered as a World Heritage.

Japanese sometimes uses numbers by relating them to similar-sounding words. Fuji-san no Hi was decided to be on February 23 (2/23) in that way. In Japanese, two can be pronounced “Fu” or “Ji,” and three can be pronounced “San.” When these words are combined it makes Fu(2) Ji(2) San(3). Moreover, February is the best time to see Mt. Fuji with the highest visibility during the year.

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