Taken from “Dear Sushi Eater: With Love, Sushi Snob” in Food. – By Sigalle Barness.
Never order “spicy ___” roll. Seriously – don’t do it. These rolls usually consist of chopped fish with god knows what inside. It’s the ground beef of sushi. The mystery meat of Japanese cuisine. If you order this with me, I will judge you.
A California roll is not a “beginner” role. There is a difference between the imitation crab from your local take-out place and the fresh crab real California rolls embody.
Put the rolls to rest for the night. To truly appreciate sushi is to appreciate the skill in slicing a good piece of fish. Order some sashimi and nigiri.
Don’t drown your sushi. If you submerge your sushi in spicy mayo – you don’t like sushi. In fact, I would wager you don’t even know what sushi tastes like. You just like spicy mayo (which is really just mayonnaise with hot sauce).
Sit at the sushi bar. It’s one of the few times where you can look at the fish before its served to you, discuss your options directly with the chef before you order and learn while your dining. Unless you are in a large group, there is no reason not to take advantage of this opportunity.