the snack log

win rounds in the omakase game to fill the cards. pieces appear in order, easy first.

easy

• ???

  さけ

  sake nigiri

  = salmon

  salmon, raw

  in japan the menu usually just says サーモン (sāmon).

  my photo

• ???

  まぐろ

  maguro nigiri

  = tuna

  bluefin tuna, the lean red part

  plain "maguro" gets you the lean cut, called akami.

  my photo

• ???

  えび

  ebi nigiri

  = shrimp

  shrimp, boiled and butterflied

  the tail stays on. you do not eat the tail. i checked.

  my photo

• ???

  たまご

  tamago nigiri

  = sweet egg omelette

  rolled omelette, a little sweet

  chefs get judged on this one. it is harder than it looks.

  my photo

• ???

  うなぎ

  unagi nigiri

  = freshwater eel

  freshwater eel, grilled with sweet soy glaze

  always cooked, never raw. the sauce does a lot of work.

  my photo

• ???

  いくら

  ikura gunkan

  = salmon roe

  salmon eggs, salty and they pop

  the word came from russian: ikra means fish eggs.

  my photo

medium

• ???

  はまち

  hamachi nigiri

  = yellowtail

  young japanese amberjack

  the same fish gets a new name as it grows up. this is the teenager.

  my photo

• ???

  ほたて

  hotate nigiri

  = scallop

  scallop, raw and sweet

  soft, sweet and gone in one bite.

  my photo

• ???

  たこ

  tako nigiri

  = octopus

  octopus, boiled

  chewy on purpose. the purple edge is the skin.

  my photo

• ???

  いか

  ika nigiri

  = squid

  squid, raw

  the chef scores it with tiny cuts so it is easier to chew.

  stock

• ???

  たい

  tai nigiri

  = sea bream

  red sea bream, a mild white fish

  the party fish. its name sounds like the word for "congratulations".

  stock

• ???

  さば

  saba nigiri

  = mackerel

  mackerel, cured in salt and vinegar

  strong, oily and proud of it.

  my photo

• ???

  かに

  kani nigiri

  = crab

  crab leg meat

  if it says "kanikama", it is fish dressed up as crab.

  my photo

• ???

  あまえび

  amaebi nigiri

  = sweet shrimp

  small shrimp, served raw

  ama means sweet. it is.

  stock

• ???

  とびこ

  tobiko gunkan

  = flying-fish roe

  tiny crunchy eggs of flying fish

  much smaller than ikura, and it crunches.

  my photo

• ???

  うに

  uni gunkan

  = sea urchin

  the soft orange part inside a sea urchin

  tastes like the ocean made custard. people love it or do not.

  my photo

hard

• ???

  ちゅうとろ

  chūtoro nigiri

  = medium-fatty tuna

  tuna from between the back and the belly

  chū means middle: richer than maguro, lighter than ōtoro.

  stock

• ???

  おおとろ

  ōtoro nigiri

  = fatty tuna belly

  the fattiest part of the tuna belly

  pale pink, striped with fat, and it melts. also the expensive one.

  my photo

• ???

  ひらめ

  hirame nigiri

  = flounder

  olive flounder, a clean white fish

  so pale you can almost see the rice through it.

  stock

• ???

  えんがわ

  engawa nigiri

  = flounder fin

  the muscle that moves a flounder’s fin

  each fish only has a little, so it is a treat. chewy and rich.

  stock

• ???

  あなご

  anago nigiri

  = sea eel

  saltwater conger eel, simmered

  unagi’s gentler cousin from the sea: softer and less sweet.

  stock

• ???

  あじ

  aji nigiri

  = horse mackerel

  horse mackerel, raw

  usually wears a little hat of ginger and scallion.

  stock

• ???

  こはだ

  kohada nigiri

  = gizzard shad

  a small silver fish, cured in vinegar

  the old-school tokyo classic. shiny skin with tiny dots.

  stock

• ???

  かつお

  katsuo nigiri

  = skipjack tuna

  skipjack tuna (menus often say bonito), usually seared outside

  dried and shaved, this same fish becomes the flakes that dance on hot food.

  stock

photos tagged “stock” are from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the rest are mine.

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