Vegas: Sushi Wa dinner

When it comes to food, there's absolutely no question in my mind that the supreme contender for my utmost favorite thing to put into my face-hole has to be sushi. I love most forms of seafood to begin with, whether it's black-bean coated stone crab at the All-You-Can-Eat Chinese buffet nearby during their seafood special night, or slippery slabs of cold salmon sashimi bedecked with golden orbs of salmon roe upon a bed of steaming hot white rice. I will gladly consume most things you can dredge out of the ocean, though sea cucumber and daebul aren't things I'd eagerly seek out again. Sushi, though, is the kind of food I can eat any day, anywhere. I mean, there's definitely a huge distinction in quality between your typical grocery store ready-made packages of sushi and a legit sushi restaurant, but when you're in a bind there are the occasional lucky finds.  Luckily for us, we weren't resigned to eating sushi pre-packaged in thin plastic containers from the deli section! Sushi Wa is a good bit more out of the way than we would normally dine at, but when Antho and I happened to be in the area, hungry and in need of fuel, Sushi Wa was there so we decided to give it a go. We weren't disappointed! 

We had to have our usual favorites, of course, like the fatty goodness of salmon or the unctuous briny essence of the sea that is uni, but there were some fun new dishes available for the curious consumer to sample, too, like this dish below with tuna and sweet, sticky rice crisped on the outside drizzled with a spicy sauce and a piquant pickled jalapeno to wake up your tastebuds. Everything we tried was tasty and fresh, full of flavor and contrasting textures, like in the fried ice cream! Yes, fried ice cream. I know that's not a novelty to some of you, but it's always an amusing conflict of temperature states and textures to me when I find it on a menu. Overall it was an excellent meal and the only reason we didn't frequent the restaurant when living in Vegas was the fact it was so far removed from us. There's no shortage of delicious places to eat in the city, but if you happen to find yourself out in Henderson this is an excellent option to fill your belly with some quality sushi goodness!  

Vegas: Sushi Twister

When it's time to #TREATYOSELF, to pick out one of your utmost favorite, most luxurious and decadent choices to eat, what would you choose? For me, there's no doubt I'd veer hard into the seafood section, especially towards things like sea urchin, sweet shrimp, salmon, and salmon roe. I'm a sucker for sushi, what can I say? I won't say it's the penultimately perfect food, though it's bite-size portions with their perfectly balanced balls of tender seasoned rice and meticulously sliced servings of succulent fish are definitely getting pretty close to what might entail perfection. Each bite of rich, creamy sea urchin gunkan (or battleship) style sushi floods your palette with that briny essence of the sea and deep umami flavor that makes sea urchin such a decisively loved or hated food for many, much like raw oysters who's texture and flavor I find absolutely enjoyable, despite their resemblance to some kind of awful lung-lump you might hock up during a particularly bad chest infection. Maybe I'm the weird one here, but Antho loves many of the same oddities I do, so perhaps they're not so odd after all.

If the gonads of sea urchin and roe of salmon are too freaky-deaky for you baby, you can always opt for the warm, flaky, oily goodness of grilled eel smothered in a sweet and sticky sauce that compliments its flavor. Not only is the eel cooked, for those who struggle to stick cold slices of raw fish into their maw, but it's also served warm fresh from the grill so it's extra-enjoyable! There's also a ton of different side dishes available, along with "hidden" extras like the fried sweet shrimp heads, which a chef may politely inquire about your interest in prior to dishing it up. I recommend the crispy little craniums, but I've also mowed them down in raw, living form while living in Korea, so it's safe to say I love all things shrimpy. What I'm trying to say here, though, is that Sushi Twister has long been a staple restaurant of mine for sushi in Vegas for a very good reason: their food is good, very good! And consistently, at that! That's a wonderful thing, because there aren't that many restaurants on this side of the Strip offering sushi, let alone quality sushi, so Sushi Twister is a unicorn of sorts. They were the first decent sushi restaurant I ever encountered this side of Eastern, and the chefs have always been extremely pleasant, or at least polite when I interacted with them. This place is a gem, and while I no longer reside within a reasonable distance to visit them, I hope they are able to prosper and dish up these delicious dishes for years to come!

Korea: Mystery sushi

How adventurous are you? Are you willing to eat the unknown, the mysterious, the...uh...crunchy? On this particular evening, I decided to take a leap of faith and purchase an unknown seafood platter at the local market... Living in Hwajeong, I had access to multiple varieties of fresh seafood and fresh markets where all sorts of delicacies from the oceans were made readily available...With so many options available, I felt I absolutely had to experiment and try a few new things, given the ready proximity to the seas that the Korean peninsula offered. There's a mixture of sweet and spicy chili-pepper paste that you will frequently find served alongside Korean raw fish that sets it apart from it's Japanese equivalent, where wasabi and soy sauce may be the regular choice (some fish varieties are served with grated ginger or garlic instead of the wasabi)... trust me, however, when I say that the Korean sauce is exceptionally tasty, with a balance between pungent spicy goodness and sweet, savory smoothness. It's an invigorating way to enjoy the fresh seafood, with the complex flavor profile of the sauce adding to the satisfaction you feel upon completion of your meal. I enjoy most presentations of raw fish, so long as the fish is of good quality. 

This fish was very fresh! It had a beautiful reflective skin and mild fishy flavor that was enjoyable...but I'm the kind of girl who enjoys a good mackerel from time to time, so strong oily fishes aren't something that bother me. I don't fully understand why they were sliced in this specific way, though, as it meant that many of the bites had tiny bones that could potentially revenge the fish's death by stabbing your mouth as you eat. Not that I can blame the vengeful fish spirits...given the size of the cross-sections, the fish themselves are likely not that large, to begin with. I ate a fair portion of it with soy sauce and wasabi before trying the bright red sweet and spicy sauce.  Like I said above, I appreciate most preparations for raw fish as long as the fish is good, but with all the bones to contend with in this batch I found the sweet-spicy chili sauce helped me finish the generous portion.  

Overall, it was pretty good. There's always the chance that my foolish self simply dove headfirst into it raw, when the preferred preparation for this specific fish would have been cooking... but as I don't know, I went for it and was pretty happy. The bones were mildly annoying, but when you're consuming the flesh of little beings sliced up whole you kind of have to expect some degree of anatomy to be involved. I know there are plenty of people out there who can't handle chicken or fish on the bone, and I respect that. The bones were certainly not my favorite part of this meal... 

Live and learn, and try new things!

Until next time~

🐟

XOXO,

NAU

Vegas: Krazy Buffet

Antho and I are people who love to eat, but don't necessarily want to spend our entire income dining out. As someone who's traveled a wee bit and lived abroad for a time, I'd like to imagine I've expanded my palate and refined my tastes, but let's be real here. As much as I enjoy a delicately handcrafted noodle in a light savory broth atop a majestic Japanese mountain, or still squirming shrimp fresh from their aquatic homes devoured in Seoul's famous Noryangjin market, sometimes a girl just wants some good ol' greasy Americanized Chinese goodness. American Chinese food is certainly it's own distinct branch of the culinary tree, fusing the appetites and preferences of Americans (mm, cheesy sugary starchy deep-fried goodness) with what might have started as a Chinese dish. Believe it or not, there's actually some real mystery behind the origins of some of the most ubiquitous dishes we've come to know and love across Chinese restaurant menus throughout the US. 

When you're done contemplating the historical trajectory of a dish and the possible connections or revelations it may unfurl like some kind of InterNational Treasure odyssey, sometimes it's best to just eat it and enjoy it for what it is. Krazy buffet is a good place to do that. It's cheap, like really affordable, especially at lunchtime. The parking lot is often packed with people eager to get their fill. There's a dedicated sushi section where the chefs slice and roll away. Steaming hot fish, buns, shumai, and skewers crowd in next to slices of pizza, noodles, and glistening vegetables and meats for the limelight. The food is pretty good (not outstanding) and being a buffet you can pick and choose to your heart's content. We've seen people carrying multiple plates loaded to maximum capacity with crab legs, and while we definitely and absolutely judged them poorly for getting 8+ pounds of crab in one swoop, you're free to do what you want. This is America, and if you want to eat ALL the crab you can... at least, unless management stops you, which they might, because crikey there, mate. 

And while the food isn't necessarily outstanding, it's consistent. It's not the best sushi I've ever had, but it's passably satisfactory when served alongside big crispy salt and pepper shrimp, bao, and other goodies. Sometimes the staff can get behind on bussing and cleaning, but they're pretty good at staying on top of the buffet and ensuring the trays are full with fresh food so I'd consider that a win overall. I don't mind a couple straw wrappers here or there if the food is being prioritized and handled. 

The location is a bit out of the way for us, but we do find ourselves out in that neck of the woods every so often. Given our propensity towards forgetting to eat until we start to grow hangry, having a place like this where we can consistently fill up on a variety of foods (thus negating the arguments of where to go) cheaply is great. We'll be back. 

💙💚💕

3.5 stars

Does what it sets out to do effectively and satisfactorily. Not exactly winning any awards for gourmet food, but it's consistent and cheap!

Thanks for stopping by.

💗💖

XOXO,

NAU

Vegas: Biwon Korean BBQ and Sushi

If you're offended or upset by food porn, or it's getting close to lunch but you've got some time left yet before you can fill the aching void in your digestive tract, turn back now. This post is full, absolutely stuffed to the gills, with photography of a culinarily salacious and seductive manner. At least, it is if you're into things like smoky, hot grilled meat and cool, sweet and supple sushi. Not only can you get your Korean-barbecue fix at this awesome restaurant but sushi too! I'm not kidding. It really is the best of both worlds. It's like some sort of drama where a sassy Korean girl who loves meat won a stoic Japanese sushi chef's heart and their kids got sick of them bickering over what to have for dinner and opened this place, happy ending. At least, that's how I can imagine this place being brought into existence, but I'm absolutely not the expert on this one. Whatever fantastic fortune of fate collided to make this place happen is one I'm grateful for. 

It really is genius. Korean barbecue is made at the table, requiring a hot grill and a measure of patience as you watch your food sizzle and cook before your eyes. Your nostrils (and clothes) will fill with the scents of seared meats, and a bounty of banchan will likely proliferate. One thing I found interesting was that things like lettuce and rice were ordered ala cart, but it makes sense given that their business model is all you can eat. That's right, my friends- not only are you able to satisfy your need for piping hot bulgogi and samgyeupsal steaming off the grill, but gobble up salmon and sushi rolls, too, and as much as you can stuff inside your face! There's an upcharge for going the combined route- you could absolutely dine in the sushi dining room, or opt for just Korean barbeque, and that's totally okay. We, however, we hungry and wanted to treat ourselves, so we went all out.  While you wait (hungry, impatient, drooling) for your meat to cook, sushi orders can pop up and fill that void in your life. Isn't that sort of like heaven?

And overall, it was good. Damn good. We left absolutely stuffed, and I don't think we ate anything else for the rest of the day. We could barely move...and we had barely even scratched the surface of their extensive menu. There's all sorts of ways to upgrade your meal, from opting to do both sushi and barbeque to paying an extra charge to have the high-end cuts in your barbeque or getting boozy with some soju or cocktails. Some items are limited, like at most all you can eat places, so we don't resent that. Again, the business is here to make money, and they can't give away all their food at low prices or they'd have to shut their doors and that would be a crying shame. I've been wanting to go back, though it was a bit expensive since we had to #treatourselves ... soon, though, we'll be back. I'm definitely curious to try other parts of their menu and to share this find with friends who'd enjoy it as much as we did. Definitely a place to have a celebratory meal, and I feel like there's more to celebrate coming our way this year. 

More photos below!

Homemade Sushi Party April 2018

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you might have noticed that Antho and I are both big fans of sushi and seafood in general. I'll eat it while it's still squirming when I can get it, even if that means having to chase my meal down the alleyway (yes, it's happened). 

Here in Vegas we're fortunate enough to have access to a wide array of fresh seafood from a variety of markets, which helps to keep the prices more reasonable (competition, baby). Fresh shipments come in often from all over the globe, so we can find an incredible selection not far from our abode. Many of the markets sell sushi grade fish ready to take home and devour, which is fabulous! As much as we love to eat sushi, our wallets and our budgets can't always swing the cost. The base components, however, aren't that expensive! To make your own sushi at home you'll need:

Sushi rice

Rice vinegar

Sugar

Toasted seaweed

Sushi grade fish (or smoked salmon, imitation crab, whatever floats your boat!)

Bamboo mat

We've made batches with cream cheese and without. Avocado and cucumber are staples for our simple rolls, though, as they add richness and crispness which help to compliment the fish. Salmon is my absolute favorite, while tuna is a classic. We can buy the sushi fish at a nearby market for under $10 for the two, which is a whole lot cheaper than going to a restaurant and ordering a few small pieces of nigiri! We can never just order ala cart and end up spending upwards of $50 for a sushi meal out, while making it at home I can buy several kinds of fish and groceries for the week with the same money. I'll be making bossam (Korean style boiled pork belly) with one of the slabs of pork belly I picked up ($7.50 for a 6" by 10" by 2" hunk cut into thirds, which will make at least 3 meals), pork and shrimp dumplings to make a wonton noodle soup using the shrimp broth (from when I poached the shrimp for sushi, then reserved the shells and boiled again to increase the shrimpy-goodness in the broth), and several other meals. Once you cook up your rice (which I do in my electric pressure cooker by Farberware), you season it with the rice vinegar and sugar (google for the ratios for the amount of rice you're making). Wet your hands before touching the rice (to keep it from sticking) and roll away! If you have a hard time trying to get the pressure right on your rolls, you can always opt to make handrolls or sushi bowls instead! There are so many recipes and videos out there to help guide you on your way, whatever your favorite sushi rolls are! Don't feel intimidated, try giving it a roll!

Vegas: Dinner at Sushi Twister and love for a sick girl

Surf clam and octopus in the forefront here.

Sushi Twister has been our go-to All You Can Eat sushi restaurant in Las Vegas for years now. I've written several Yelp reviews on them over time and my opinion has changed with subsequent visits. My very first impression wasn't super positive as I felt they stuffed too much rice into their rolls, but since then the balance has been established and their rolls and nigiri are delicious. On the best of days they have super white tuna nigiri available, which is Antho's favorite, but we're always happy to have uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) with amaebi (sweet shrimp). If they offer to serve you the deep fried heads, take it! They are delicious! The heads have all that delicious shrimpy flavour but with extra crunch as they get a quick bath in tempura batter before hitting the oil. You can eat the whole thing, brains and all, and I absolutely recommend it. It's the next best thing to eating the live shrimp in Noryangjin market in Korea. 

Eating live shrimp at Noryangjin market. I feel a bit like a monster for doing this x_x #liveseafood #liveshrimp #shrimp #noryangjin #seafood #seoul #korea #southkorea #food #foodporn

A post shared by Jessthulhu (@shethatisnau) on Aug 29, 2016 at 3:51am PDT

We also really like their baked mussels, but there's a ton of hot food options available in their appetiser menu- everything from gyoza and deep fried tofu to rice bowls and salads. Their tempura has been consistently delicious too. If you're not big on sushi there's a lot of options, too, like teriyaki chicken and rice to a roll made with grilled beef instead of fish. We love ourselves some fish and will take it in all it's forms, form raw to deep fried, so there's hardly an item on their menu that we haven't tried at least once. The only real complaint that's ever come up is an item being too spicy for Antho, but if you order off their spicy menu you go into it knowing you run that risk. Lucky for us I can handle the heat and I was able to clear our plate, as the rule for most AYCE places applies here as well: any plates you do not finish will be charged at full take out price. Unfortunately for Sushi Twister we've yet to take on that challenge and walk away defeated. 

As always we had a delicious meal. We never feel rushed here. Sometimes the chefs might get swamped with orders, but if you're patient they'll be more than happy to take care of you when they get the opportunity. We've seen some customers get rude with the sushi chefs and I always hate seeing that... being unpleasant with the people handling your food doesn't incentivise them to cater to you! This restaurant can get quite busy with all the take-out orders, All You Can Eat customers, regular customers ordering off the menu....  being a dick to the girl taking your drink orders isn't going to do much good. If you're in a hurry to get a specific meal you can always order ahead and get your food to go, otherwise relax and enjoy your stay. The food is well worth it if you let the cooks do their jobs. 

Another bonus to dining at Sushi Twister is their rewards card- if you visit their restaurant often enough and have the All You Can Eat meal you can earn a free one! This is great for people like us who adore sushi and go together, as each meal for the two of us garners us two stamps on the card, getting us closer to a half-price meal each time we indulge. Fabulous. 

Japan: 2012-05-10 Tsukiji Market

Tsukiji Market is the world famous fish market in Tokyo featured in multiple travel shows, a must-see location for any fan of sushi or sea food. During the time of our visit the early morning tuna auctions had been closed to the public, but there was still tons to see from hulking crabs to unrecognisable squiggly things. Yuka's lovely mother joined us for this outing, meeting with us at the markets after Yuka and I walked there together from the station.

Las Vegas: Halloweeny sushi date with Antho

いくら軍艦寿司, Ikura gunkanzushi

Antho and I have many things in common, from our blue-tinged hair to an enthusiasm for Doctor Who and backpacking. Happily, sushi is one thing that we both greatly adore so our choice on date nights is usually quite an easy decision. We even share a profound appreciation for the glory of sea urchin! As such it makes an ideal choice for those rare nights we two get to go out and celebrate our coupleness.

A top choice for us to satiate our need for sushi in Vegas is Sushi Twister.

One of the bigger selling points for me is that the restaurant is owned and operated by Japanese staff, so I get to bust out my rusty Japanese skills and impress my guy. Winning!

Their specials board changes often, but we're always happy when they have super white tuna!

シマアジと白まぐろ握り寿司

shima aji in the front, super white tuna behind

Shima aji's appearance made me exceptionally happy as shima aji is traditionally considered a summer season fish in Japan and I don't think I've ever encountered it in a restaurant stateside. The oily fish has a rich, supple flesh without the fishiness of other mackerel. I'm a big fan of aozakana (blue fish), and the seasonal specialties of Japanese cuisine are one of the things I miss most. 

Japan: Kaihin-Makuhari & Ishizawa home visit 2012-10-17 「日本語も」

One drizzling day I met with my friend Yuka at Kaihin-Makuhari messe for a girl's day out.

Kaihin-Makuhari is easily accessible by the Keiyo line and provided a good meeting point for Yuka and I after I completed my weekly acupuncture treatment.

ゆかちゃんとあたしは雨の日海浜幕張で遊びました！

舞週に稲毛海岸の針のあとで葉線から行ききました。ゆかちゃんはホームでお待てました！

Japan: What I ate & what was in my fridge 2012-10-12

From left to right, clockwise:

  

そばつゆ：soba tsuyu, soy sauce & dashi based dipping sauce,

ざるそば：zaru soba, cold soba noodles

めかぶ： mekabu, slimy seaweed salad 

たこさしみ：tako sashimi, cold fresh slice of lightly-parboiled octopus w/soy sauce & wasabi

つけもの：tsukemono, mixed vegetable pickles

This is what the interior of my fridge looked like… lots and lots of vegetables, sauces, juice, etc.

And for dinner; rare steak with tomato salad and toasty potatoes. 

What did you have today? :) 

2015 August Update

I can't believe it's already September! 

My, how time flies when you're having fun... 

It's been a busy one for us, with promotions at work, art projects, events, vehicular issues and more…

Since I've been neglecting my blog, I thought I'd sum up the month with a photo post!

More detailed posts to come!