Sushi Lover Alfred of Phoenix, AZ

Today’s Sushi Lover-Boy is immigration attorney Alfred of Phoenix, Arizona – www.ffimmigration.com.

 

 

 

How long ago did you begin eating sushi? About 20 years ago I had my first bite.

 

 

How were you introduced to sushi? A friend in gradeschool who now designs missile guidance systems gave me a California roll his parents brought home from dinner.  He loved the stuff even then.

 

      Did you like sushi the first time you tried it?  Yes.

 

If not, when/how did you start to like it?  I loved the California rolls but did not get into much else really until I moved to DC for law school.  Café Asia on 19^thjust below Dupont Circle and another location in Arlington, VA had sushi happy hour for a few hours a day.  You would get plates of sushi delivered to your table and of course beer and sake.  It was right on.

 

 How often do you eat sushi?        Whenever I can.

How often would you like to eat sushi? 1-2 times a week.

 

 

What is your favorite (or favorites) sushi?  I love the marinated eel.  Man o man.  Anything with shrimp or tuna I am game for.

  

What is your favorite sushi restaurant?  I like Ichi Ban on Central just below Thomas.  Why?  I’ll tell you why- this chick I used to work with (yes, this would be MakiMom) - she took me there and the owner Seth is always on site.  He always says hi and makes sure you and your party are cool.  And, if you go with MakiMom there is usually some free stuff on your table too.  The food is good and your business is respectfully appreciated. Seth is the man.  They have some special big long twisty rolls with yummy sauce.  (note from MakiMom – this is the Hawaiian roll) You have to get at least two or three so you can sample.  The Phoenix Suns roll is also very yummy indeed.

 

What is your most memorable sushi experience?  The nasty raw quail egg Julie Eadeh talked me in to trying at Café Asia.  I kept it down, don’t ask me how.  I think I wanted to look cool.  Don’t try to be cool, skip the quail egg.

 

Where is the most unusual or exotic place/city you’ve eaten sushi?  Tijuana.  Just kidding.

 

Have you converted/introduced anyone to sushi? Not personally. How many people?  None myself but I have witnessed the conversion of two Turks.  For real, watching them have sushi for the first time was kinda like watching Borat.  But in the end after spitting some into their napkins embarrassedly they took to it.

 

Yes or No (comments welcome) – do you enjoy:               

Nigiri sushi (slice of fish over rice) love

Maki (roll) sushi love

Temaki (handroll) sushi love

Chirashi (sashimi over a bowl of rice) love

Sashimi (slices of fish – no rice) yes, but would rather have some rice to round out the gastronomic experience

Cooked sushi only – nothing raw cooked is good too I do not discriminate

            Miso soup the bomb

            Edamame also the above-mentioned bomb

 

Any other comments:  MakiMom rocks. (Note from MakiMom – I swear I didn’t ask Al to say these things!)