Pickles

Yes. And even some "new school" type places. I don't recall ever being served salmon sushi, except once, at Suzhizen in Sapporo. The itamae remarked that it was unusual they were serving it, but there was something special about it, it was Japanese salmon, not Norwegian or Scottish or whatever. And it was indeed outstanding.

Jay71

I've got to admit that I don't recall getting salmon during the handful of times we've eaten omakase sets in Japan; no high end places: Tsukiji market places, mom & pop shops, etc. But we do usually grab a plate or two of salmon type dishes when eating at kaiten-zushi places.

mjm

I am always pretty tolerant towards a serving of Keiji Salmon. :-)

Pickles

And that's what Sushizen in Sapporo was serving. Do you think Saito could offer it also?

mjm

It constitutes 1 in about 10,000 caught and is really a treat for a chef to have to serve. They do not plan for it but quickly adjust that day's menu when it is found in the catch. I am fairly sure Saito would be happy to serve that as it is domestic, and of the very best quality. Considering their uni offerings, sourcing domestic product of the highest quality seems to be a knack for them. As a counterpoint, or given its lightness, preceding a beautiful piece of Chutoro it would be exciting. I would be a happy guinea pig I can assure you.

mosburger

Let's not call Norwegian farmed rainbow trout salmon, two related but different species.

bocastephen

As mentioned upthread, the risk of parasites is higher in fresh water fish, or saltwater fish like salmon, caught in fresh water.

Fish used for sushi in Japan is rarely frozen unless imported - but the best sushi fish is from local Japanese waters, and served fresh, usually within the same day as it's caught. The tuna is caught elsewhere, and is frozen for transport, as would any other imported fish including salmon (which is farmed garbage). I've had the most delicious wild caught salmon from Alaska at one of the best sushi restaurants in North America, Vancouver's Ajisai and it's delicious - but alas, frozen per Canadian rules.

Tuna in Hawai'i is fresh caught, but is frozen for raw consumption (per regulations), and needs to be frozen anyway for shipment to the mainland or other markets.

Parasites might be an icky situation, but they are treatable with medication and probably less of a problem to deal with vs buying sushi from a restaurant that does not follow proper food temperature and hygiene rules and you get sick from bacterial contamination, and anything ground is usually the greatest risk, so avoid western style preparations like "spicy tuna" or other ground/mixed/chopped fish rolls.

mkjr

not all of the tuna is frozen. and there are fresh tuna auctions daily at tsukiji of imported tuna. before 2007 or so, before all the tourists ruined the visit to tsukiji, you could see the fresh auctions....now people only see the frozen ones but those are not the only auctions...

bocastephen

It depends on imported from where - much of the tuna comes from the mid Pacific (Hawaii), or the US east coast, so it has to be frozen. If some of the tuna comes from Asian waters and can get to Japan quickly without spending much time on a boat or plane, then I guess it could be fresh - but if caught from the South China Sea, do I really want to eat that? Probably not.

mkjr

Yes. Because some of the most valuable fresh tuna imported and auctioned at tsukiji comes from the south China Sea.

bocastephen

Which is tuna I'd rather not eat - those are some of most polluted waters on earth.

mkjr

Firstly, you have no idea where it comes from and secondly I was being sarcastic to your response in which you appear to suggest the only imported fresh tuna into Japan is from there and that's just absurd. But I'm sure you'll come back with something else.

bocastephen

What is absurd is thinking you can import fresh fish from across the other side of the world. Fish that is caught off the coast of the US northeast on Monday might not even come into port until Tuesday, or even Wednesday depending on the boat and how far out they went, then it needs to be weighed, sorted, tagged and sold to a broker who will transport it to Japan (or wherever) - and it won't arrive in Japan until the following afternoon JST time, then it's auctioned the next morning.

So explain how it would be possible to import this fish unfrozen?

Therefore, the fresh fish served in Japan is caught locally. I don't eat fish or shellfish imported from countries that fish in, or are near the South China Sea - no imported shrimp from Thailand or Vietnam, for example, no farmed products like Tilapia from the same area.

When you go the supermarket and buy fish, do you not read the sign that tells you where it came from and how it was caught? So I guess only the rest of us know where our fish is from. I know my supermarket tells me:

1. fresh or frozen
2. country of origin
3. wild caught or farmed
4. if color was altered by feed

mkjr

I'll invite others to inform you about the fresh tuna importation into Japan. Added. This is more sarcasm in case you missed it.

abmj-jr

Dude! Nobody else gives a rat's a$$.