Hotels anticipate the opportunities that WTM 2024 will bring
business7 hours ago
Most of us are familiar with sushi and sashimi, but what's the funny sounding "nigiri" that's on most restaurants' menus?
Well, nigiri is a specific type of sushi, for starters. Aesthetic-wise, it's pretty simple to look at - just a simple, oblong slice of raw fish placed atop a wad of rice. What you think of as "sushi" is actually maki sushi or mostly maki rolls, because after strips of fish and vegetables are placed in rice and rolled in nori seaweed to make a long cylinder shape, it's cut into the little round, or sometimes squarish, colourful pieces that makes for the quintessential sushi experience, at least outside Japan.
In fact, in its motherland, it's nigiri that is the most popular sushi, not maki rolls.
Nigiri is also, generally, served in pairs for each type of fish (we aren't complaining about that). In rare instances, you'll also spot a nigiri piece with a 'seatbelt' on it! That's what they call the strip of seaweed used to bind some fish toppings that might not stick to the rice so easily otherwise.
But for all this talk about nigiri, it wasn't the one we enjoyed the most at Downtown Toko restaurant's 'All you can eat sushi' night (Mondays, 7pm-10 pm); it was the almost creamy, dreamy sashimi. Their skilled sushi chefs had us raving over a platter of salmon, red snapper, tuna and yellow tail, perfectly straight sliced pieces that are so good that it's not cringe-inducing to use "melt in your mouth" to describe them.
The maki rolls did not lag far behind, with the baked black cod, spicy tuna rolls, the crowd favourite California rolls, and red and green 'dragons' with prawn, salmon, unagi fillings going a long way to satiate.
For the number of pieces plated and the lovely, garden-setting strung with fairy lights - an oasis amidst the bustle of Downtown (Vida Downtown, 04442 8383) - the price (Dh248 per person, minimum 2 guests) is so totally worth it. Plus, there's shisha, if you fancy an offbeat sushi + shisha pairing.
marypaulose@khaleejtimes.com
Hotels anticipate the opportunities that WTM 2024 will bring
business7 hours ago
The 12-day event will witness 2,523 publishers and exhibitors from 108 countries and close to 1,400 literary and creative events
uae7 hours ago
On day one, the Sharjah Expo Centre's halls were packed with visitors despite it being a weekday
uae8 hours ago
The new lanes will be added in four key locations, said the transport authority
uae8 hours ago
The Northern Irishman said he would put everything into the final two weeks of the season, and then take a well-deserved break
sports8 hours ago
Short game coach Peter Cowen says the Chilean is in top form and 'One to Watch' at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
sports8 hours ago
The Republican candidate triumphed over Democrat Kamala Harris with a clear margin, defying polls that had predicted a tight contest
uae8 hours ago
Farmers can showcase, sell organic products directly to consumers, including fresh agricultural produce, dairy items, and home-grown projects
uae8 hours ago