As we approach the end of the year, we celebrate fatty and delicious seasonal fish, enjoy the broad representation of rice, and look forward to the continuation of Seattle Restaurant Week through November 9!
Dine-In Reservations Takeout Orders
Seattle Restaurant Week
Thank you for your amazing support during the first half of Seattle Restaurant Week (SRW).
Through Saturday, Nov. 9, we will continue to offer the Chef’s Choice Course Menu, which includes a 19-piece nigiri sushi set served over five courses. Our Chef’s Choice Course, usually priced at $85, is available for $65 during SRW. We are thrilled to provide this fantastic opportunity for guests to enjoy our high-quality sushi at a great price! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!
Contents:
SRW 19pc of Chef’s Choice Course ($65 plus tax)
Dining table guest-only
Available through Nov 9.
*** Seattle Restaurant Week menu is available only at tables. Sushi Bar serves Shiro’s Omakase at the regular price ($140 per guest).
Celebrate the season of Buri
It’s that time of year again for wild-caught yellowtail!
Wild-caught yellowtail (Buri) is known as Tenjo-Buri. This is a premium brand of wild-caught yellowtail sourced from Yoichi, Hokkaido. Buri is a migratory fish that travels north in the fall to the waters of Hokkaido and then migrates south during the winter. The term “Tenjo-Buri” indicates the northernmost point of the species’ migration. In Japanese, “Tenjo (天上)” means “above the sky.”
From late November to February, wild-caught yellowtail is celebrated and enjoyed for its rich and delectable flavor. During this season, as the fish prepare for spring spawning, buri is referred to as Kan-Buri (寒ブリ) and is noted for its exceptional richness and size.
While the standard buri only reveals its richness in the belly, the Kan-Buri has a luxurious fat content up to its back. In contrast, Tenjo-Buri, caught in fixed nets from mid-September to November, offers a brief yet cherished experience and is called the pioneer of cold yellowtail. It may not boast the same luscious fat as its Kan-Buri counterpart, but its refined, melt-in-the-mouth texture creates a unique culinary experience. The renowned Kan-Buri brand is “Himi-Kanburi” (wild-caught yellowtail in winter from Himi, Toyama Prefecture), which also shines brightly.
At Shiro’s, we will feature “Tenjo-Buri” throughout November and “Himi Kanburi” in late November or December, depending on market supply. Please ask your server or chef about the buri types available when you dine.
Washoku
Last month we discussed the type of rice used in sake brewing. This month, let’s explore rice as it is used in food, including shari (sushi rice). In Japan, there is the concept of “sushoku”, or staple food, and “fukushoku”, or non-staple food, with rice being the primary staple. Typically, it is served as steamed white rice accompanied by miso soup, while other dishes—including those that might be considered main courses in Western cuisine, such as meat or fish—are classified as non-staple foods, or “okazu.” This structure is standard in Washoku (Japanese cuisin
Rice is the most important food in Washoku because of its role as a staple. Despite this, rice consumption in Japan has declined dramatically over the past fifty years and is now nearly half of what it once was. This trend reflects a diversification in Japanese diets, yet the central role of rice in Washoku remains unchanged.
Of course, some Japanese foods do not feature rice as the main staple, such as spaghetti or hamburgers. However, sushi is made by mixing steamed rice with vinegar to create shari, which is then topped with various ingredients and shaped into individual pieces. This broadens the consumption of rice, giving people more flavors and textures in which to enjoy instead of plain, steamed rice.
Currently, there are 934 types of rice registered by the government for food use, of that, about one-third of all rice produced in Japan belongs to the Koshihikari brand. The top three brands account for roughly half of all food-use rice production. This concentration of a few leading brands, despite nearly 1,000 available types, is due to Japan’s diverse regional climates and the variety of consumer preferences and uses for rice. In other words, rice has maintained its place as a staple in Washoku by adapting due to intense competition, increasing variety, and improving overall quality.
Share your #sushipics on Instagram + Facebook + Twitter for all #shirossushi fans to see.
