a good friend and i went to mashiko last night for one of our semi-regular sushi dates. when we got there, i noticed that they had uni on the specials board, so i decided to to get an order, nigiri-style.

i haven't eaten uni too many times (maybe 6-8, definitely less than ten), but am definitely developing an appreciation for it. the last time i was out with this friend (at Fuji in the ID) was the best until last night.

over time, though, i've begun to realize that i almost prefer it sahsimi-style. i don't want the texture of the rice and seaweed interfering with the experience of the uni itself.

so, i got my nigiri. i popped the first piece in my mouth whole. damn, that's good. for the second, i peeled off the seaweed and ate half of it with rice, half without. ok, that's *really* good.

my dinner companion knows when i'm having a sublime food experience (it clearly shows on my face), and acknowledged as much. i told her it was the best i'd had yet, and that she should think about trying some (she's had uni a few times, and described herself as "not over the hump" yet). she agreed to try it, so i ordered more, sashimi-style. this came with a bit of lemon.

i put a small piece on my friend's plate. she took the tiniest bite, and soon we were sharing the food-bliss. she finished it, as i slowly savored the rest. it was amazingly fresh, just the right amount of firmness, sweet and creamy-custardy, without the slightest trace of bitterness or the strong iodine/brine flavors tha i've noticed on a few occassions.

i squeezed a few drops of lemon on the last two bites worth. with the first of them, i almost wished i hadn't, as i felt it detracted from the experience. however, the second bite (sadly, the last uni of the night) worked! the lemon juice hit the roof of my mouth, where it provide an accent (crisp, tart, zingy) or counterpoint to the richness of the uni itself.

i could go on, as the reader can probably tell. and i haven't even started on the other items ... :)

cheers,
~stuart