Yama: Japanese Outpost and my thoughts on sushi

Sushi, a food that has consumed my life for the past three years has let my mouth experience tastes from culture on the coast of Yokohama to tastes originating in the big city of Tokyo. Flavor is what I think about when eating sushi. You can get sushi from your local grocery store or just even a 7-11 and you get that bland “sushi” taste. If you have eaten sushi you can understand what I’m talking about. It is that flavor of the slight sweet sushi rice and then the texture of the small piece of fish. I respect sushi no matter where it is from, but when a single piece of sushi touches your tongue and brings indescribable sensation to a palate just touched by a starter of miso soup. Thats when I consider sushi, “sushi”. Nigiri is probably the best style of sushi in my opinion. It keeps the traditional form of sushi without the stupid American twist most restaurants add to maki rolls. Biting into a piece of nigiri should consist of soy sauce brushed on top of the fish and then eaten in one bite, not two. So when I sat down at my favorite sushi restaurant near me, Yama. I was prepared for a quick trip to Japan. Right away I ordered Maguro nigiri. A classic piece of sushi that consists of rice and a lean piece of tuna. I got two orders and then a bowl of miso soup. Jumping right into the experience, I was greeted by a wooden boat full of sushi from what I ordered to my parents order. Colors jumped around making my eyes widen to capture the magnificent creation. I reach for my chopsticks but then stopped to slowly pour soy sauce into the small white dish. I grabbed my first piece of nigiri and slightly bathed the top of the fish in the dark soy sauce. I then ate. The sushi rice hits my tongue and before I know it my teeth sink into the fish and then met by the soft rice. The fish fills my mind of a cold morning in the fish market as it touches the top of my mouth. I chew delicately while my taste buds cannot process the euphoric pleasure from this single bite. Yama gets a 8.3 from me. It is the best food I can have where I live and it will always be my favorite restaurant.

Thoughts and review by Miles Olivetti

Ps: I took this picture after eating two of my pieces 🙂