People who fear to try a conventional sushi, thinking that it consists of raw fish, can feast on Gen Sushi. Gen sushi, or New Generation sushi, came into existence with the blend of western tastes and has a variety of vegetables and cooked dishes including scallops and tuna, for the timid people who wish to experience sushi. A few things should be kept in mind if you are thinking of trying gen sushi.

Gen sushi offers a way for people willing to try Japanese dishes without tasting the raw fish. However, these dishes are a spin off of traditional styles of sushi. For instance there are maki rolls in California and Boston which are Americanized. This style becomes acceptable to try before venturing into the raw fish domain which contains dishes like sashimi and nigiri.

The sushi should be eaten in a specific way, whether you are trying the gen sushi or feasting on traditional Japanese sushi. Japanese culture has polite methods of eating sushi which are also observed in the western restaurants as well.

For instance while sharing a common sushi platter, never pass sushi from one chopsticks to another. This activity is marked only at funerals and while eating, this looks very rude.

Additionally, do not support your chopsticks by putting them on table with their edge lying on the plate. They should either entirely be on the table or on the plate.

You should also be careful as to the amount of soy sauce you take, as it should be not more than you need, so it does not get wasted.

You should be careful to finish off the food that you ordered, so no food is wasted as it is considered bad manners.

You can generally find gen sushi at a specialty sushi store, but many grocery stores and Asian markets do have it in stock as there is a growing demand for it now. You can also try gen sushi at a restaurant, as many chain restaurants are now open that are special only for their style of sushi. Also, some American sushi options will also be found at a traditional sushi restaurant, though that variety would be less than at a gen sushi restaurant.

Ingrid Preube
Find additional facts on sushi menu and gen sushi.