Our Food Choices
NORI (Seaweed Paper)
Nori is the first ingredient to touch a taster's tongue.
The best sushi chefs in the world know of nori's understated yet key role in creating a superior piece of sushi. In fact, in an exceptional piece of sushi, the nori is sometimes even more expensive than the fish itself! Connoisseurs of nori know that it can transform a recipe from mediocre to amazing.
Although countries like China and Korea also produce nori, the world's finest nori is produced in Ariake Bay, on the island of Kyūshū in Southern Japan. Called Ariake Nori, the nori cultivated in these nutrient-rich waters is highly prized and meticulously processed. Like tea, nori is harvested in "flushes," with higher quality nori being harvested earlier in the season. Location, water temperature, currents, and mineral content all play a role in giving nori its unique taste. We recommend eating the Hand Rolls right away as nori begins to loose its crispiness once in contact with oxygen.
FISH
We work closely with our suppliers to find the best products in the market. Provenance can vary between years, seasons or unexpected climate changes for instance.
RICE
When it comes to great Hand Rolls, rice is crucial.
The process of making rice is very important as you need to wash, season and mix it in a meticulous way.
Our rice is known throughout the world as the signature of quality. It has been evaluated by the Japanese Association of Rice Taste Appraisers and was ranked among the top Koshihikari grown in Japan. The rice makers only select the finest Koshihikari paddy which is produced by our farmer in the Sacramento Valley near the base of the Sutter Buttes. The combination of their cultural practices, the soil characteristics, climate, and the pure crystal clear water that flows out of the Sierra Mountains, produces the perfect Koshihikari kernel.
