Seattle Vacation: Day 6

On Monday, our last full day of vacation, we visited with family in the morning and met up with old friends for lunch. When we lived in the greater Seattle area, and Becca worked in Bellevue just east of Seattle, we frequently visited Sushi Land, one of our favorite local sushi establishments. It was an imperative that make it there before leaving the area. The sushi is fresh, as one may expect from any good sushi restaurant, but the ambiance deifies normal expectations. In fact, it is really the ambiance that draws us in. With a conveyor belt strategically located in the center of the dining area, and a variety of sushi continually passing by your table, you are momentarily transported into an authentic, though contemporary, Japanese context.

   The practice first serviced in Osaka, Japan, in 1958. A restaurant owner by the name of Yoshiaki Shiraishi invented the idea of a "sushi-go-round"after struggling to staff his small restaurant. It's said that he got the idea after watching beer being bottled on a conveyor belt.

   As the sushi goes around, you grab whichever one you desire. Not all sushi are alike, and so the price can also vary. But fear not, for the color of the plate indicates the price. For example, the orange plates cost $1.50, the green $2.00, and so on. And then, in the end, they count the plates and bill you for the damage. 

   After I confessed that the experience was more about the conveyor belt than the sushi per se, one of our friends who was willing to indulge my interest in the "sushi-go-round" offered to take us to another place just a few blocks away that was newer and better (the sushi and the ambiance). So we stacked our plates, paid our bill, and headed to Bellevue's Blue C Sushi.  

   As promised, Blue C was a more upscale version of the same concept. Whereas Sushi Land had a vague resemblance to a cafeteria, the Blue C had a much cleaner and fresher feel. Perhaps it was just newer and more visibly interesting, or maybe not. Either way, a few of the fish selections seemed to be fresher at the Blue C than at Sushi Land. Then again, the prices were nearly doubled.
 

  The favorite at both restaurants was the seared salmon sushi. Any fatty fish can be seared, but there is none better than salmon. As they sear it with a torch, the fat crisps and caramelizes, giving it a sweet rich flavor. If you were to attempt this at home, a butane torch works better than propane. Propane can, though not necessarily, leave behind an unpleasant flavor or odor. Furthermore, farm raised salmon will provide a fattier cut of fish, and therefore a richer and sweeter treat. If fresh farm raised salmon is not available, even the belly of a wild salmon should provide the necessary fat content. Or you could just go to a sushi restaurant and request seared salmon! If you are in Bellevue, here are two fine options. For the bargain eaters (though you might not want to bargain too much with sushi), I would recommend Sushi Land. But for those with deeper pockets Blue C Sushi wins the day.

Seared Salmon at Sushi Land

Seared Salmon at Blue C Sushi