Monday Munchies

(reported on Tuesday)

read on for descriptions of the items above

Scott and I decided back in August to do one of the "Food & Wine Tasting" events during the Festival this year. We thought the one entitled "Sushi, Sake and Sashimi" would be fun, because we like sushi, but haven't really exposed ourselves to anything really weird. And neither of us really knows anything about sake.

The weather yesterday sucked. It poured on and off all afternoon, and we got caught twice in sideways rain. It would have been a great day to sit at home with the windows open and read books. Instead, we hiked all the way around the World Showcase in squishy socks.

It was TOTALLY worth it!

The meal progressed from traditional to modern (American) selections:

The first of the three courses was the sashimi - tuna with fresh wasabi (yeah fresh - like ground right off the root! yum!) served with shredded dikon and seaweed. This was paired with Kurosawa sake.

The second course (pictured above) contained an unexpected treat for Scott. From left to right, they were Wagyu Beef Aburi with Fresh Wasabi (rare - seared on top with a blow torch right before serving), Marinated Tuna, Shime Salmon, and Eel with Egg Omelet.

The Wagyu was by far the highlight of the meal. The sous chef ("Tony") walked around during this course showing a piece of Wagyu and a piece of American steak to show the difference in the marbling, and Scott wanted me to help him steal the meat and run out.

The other items were good, too. The tuna was marinated in soy, and was delicious. The salmon (topped with fresh ginger) was better than Scott or I expected it to be. And the eel was sweet with a strange texture. Of course, I had a little trouble getting my eel onto the chopsticks. By that point, I had finished my second serving of sake (the "Katana") and was having difficulty with my hand-eye coordination.

The final "modern" dish was Tempura California Roll with Volcano Sauce. It was tasty, though the tempura had cooled and gotten chewy. I took the volcano sauce - mayo with chili powder - in moderation, and then Scott used what was left on my plate on his last piece. The final sake "Okuno" tasted more like vodka than anything else, and actually intensified the chili flavor on my tongue. Ouch!

And so, we walked out of the event with an appreciation for sake. I still don't think it's something I'd keep on hand at home, but I really got how well it paired with the Japanese food. And we're both craving more Wagyu sushi. Food for thought: That one piece of meat, would probably retail for about $10. And I'm sure Scott would agree: worth every penny!