Restaurant review:
In search of simplicity
Quite by coincidence, Yasmine El-Rashidi uncovers sushi superiority
My intention had been to break the bubble of cosmopolitan Cairo and allow my taste buds to mingle with the delights of traditional cuisine. My spot of choice was an obscure fuul and ta'miya place that had popped up in Zamalek a few weeks ago. Destiny had other plans for me that night; I discovered that just as it popped up, it also shut down. I ended up instead, at the other end of the spectrum; at Jo Sushi (run by the crew of former SUSHI YAMA).
I have tried every sushi bar in town. After Jo Sushi, I will never go back to any of them again.
The options were vast -- my friend and I deliberating endlessly on what to take.
We settled on "all you can eat for LE75", plus Tofu Miso Shiro (soy bean soup with tofu), and Maguro Tataki salad (dices of fresh tuna, ginger, green onion, with soy sauce).
We asked the super helpful, super polite, super un-pushy, and knowledgeable waiter if he had suggestions as to how to approach the concept of all you can eat.
"I can make you a platter with a few pieces of everything, and then you can decide what you like and order more of it," he proposed.
Good idea.
We started with the soup -- mild yet robust with flavour. Even the bits of Tofu were palpable -- silky rather than the coarse texture I'm accustomed to. The salad came with a selection of Sashimi (slice of raw fish without rice) -- presented to perfection. The dices of tuna (maguro) were the freshest in Cairo I have encountered -- deep in colour, moist, flavourful but not too "fishy", and extremely tender. The fresh ginger made it a bit too fiery for my tongue to handle.
Our combination platter was a super suggestion -- albeit humungous.
The selection: Tuna, mackerel (sawara), white fish (ha machi), salmon (sake) and crab (kani) sushi (raw fish on steamed, vinegared rice; Futo Maki (kanpyo, egg, crab, cucumber, pickles, tuna rolled in rice, and then seaweed -- like a swiss roll); Futo Maki sprinkled with sesame seeds; California roll caviar (cucumber, crab, salmon, avocado, rolled in rice and sprinkled with red caviar); with pickled ginger, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), and soy sauce on the side.
Once one gets past the chopsticks ordeal, the "way" one eats sushi is another little lesson. If you like things extra zesty (and would like your sinuses cleared), put a pea-sized bit of wasabi into your little bowl of soy sauce and mix it well. Then pick up a piece of sushi, or a maki roll, place it in the soy sauce, turn it over, and manoeuver the entire piece (easier) into your mouth.
Every item was exceptionally fresh.
Salmon is at its best fresh and raw -- offering exactly the same flavour with more moisture and a more tender texture as when it's cooked. Mackarel is not a personal favourite -- I find it slightly bland (like tasteless cooked fish), even with the added soy sauce. The white fish was a huge hit; full of flavour and a pleasing texture. Topped with slices of pickled ginger, sushi superiority was attained.
The Futo Maki was tangy and light, albeit slightly large. I struggled to bite through the seaweed wrap, and ended up almost choking on the entire circular concoction.
The platter as a whole was fabulous -- but far too large for the option of "seconds". For those of you new to the sushi experience -- and for those not quite convinced about the concept of eating raw fish -- Jo Sushi is the best place to start. The head waiter is knowledgeable and accommodating -- explaining every item, how to eat each one, and even how to use chopsticks. The atmosphere too is accommodating to beginners -- casual, simple, the sort of place one can go to in jeans or a suit. If you want to experiment at home, delivery is an option. A wide selection of "cooked" main meals are also available.
Given the quantity and quality, our LE195 bill was good value by local sushi bar standards.
Jo Sushi, 47 Mohamed Mazhar Street, Zamalek. Tel:735-7746.
