OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. E-M5 (20mm, f/1.8, 1/15 sec, ISO2500)
It’s not everyday that I get to eat food that is both fresh and amazingly thoughtful. But when I do, it really makes me appreciate the details a team went through to prepare it.
The Aji (jack mackerel) sushi above is from Momotaro in Chicago…and it is special. Yes, the fish was fresh. Yes, the rice was cooked perfectly. Yes, the thin layer of soy sauce on top was just the right amount.
What makes it so special though is that little bit of Japanese cypress powder (sawdust, if you will). I vividly remember the small cloud of smoke puffing out as the server presented the dish, then the calming fragrance of the burnt cypress filling the air around our table. The smoke delicately danced as we each picked up a piece of sushi, entertaining both our eyes and nose as it continued to give off its scent. The cypress accompanied the sushi to our bodies flawlessly.
Details do make a difference and I will always be happy to eat the details a chef has put into a dish.
