What’s the best local dish you’ve ever eaten while traveling?
When we were visiting Japan, we were invited to a local’s home for dinner. We enjoyed the warm hospitality and were served the best sashimi I’ve ever tasted. I knew it was premium grade by the way it literally melted in my mouth. I heard my mom’s voice in my head to be a gracious guest and resisted the urge to chow down. Man, that took willpower.
Our host was concerned I wasn’t enjoying the meal because how little I ate. On the contrary, I explained, this was the freshest sashimi I’d ever tasted. He understood I was holding back. It turns out he was a tuna broker that sold freshly caught tuna directly to restaurants. He said not to worry, he had forty more pounds in cold storage and encouraged me to dig in. He didn’t have to ask me twice.
After our meal, I couldn’t eat sashimi or sushi for the rest of our trip because nothing would compare. It was that good. That was more of an experience than a meal.
I started searching for fish related songs and bands. I’m not sure why I was coming up empty. I’m sure there are hundreds out there to choose from. I ended up choosing a Smiths’ song covered by Hootie and the Blowfish. And even though nobody can really replicate Morrissey’s vocals, I do like how obscure this one is. I remember adding this CD to my collection eons ago thinking how cool it was that Darius Rucker covered songs from bands I loved like the Smiths and REM. Here’s their version of Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want.
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Good times for a change
See, the luck I've had can make a good man turn bad
So please, please, please
Let me, let me, let me
Let me get what I want this time
Haven't had a dream in a long time
See, the life I've had can make a good man bad
So, for once in my life, let me get what I want
Lord knows it would be the first time
Lord knows it would be the first time
A Tuna Broker. Now there’s a job I never knew existed. Lucky you getting invited to one’s home for dinner – in Japan! Cool story.
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I was surprised myself!
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Wow! That really says something. I enjoy sushi, but I’ve only had it stateside. If I ever make it to Japan, I’m sure I would find the sushi here lacking.
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I hope one day you are able to enjoy! I do enjoy the sushi here, though. That time in Japan was a rare experience
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A lucky situation indeed!
I feel similarly about the grilled fish dishes I ate in Kyoto. Nothing near that since and unlikely to have again!
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I do love the grilled fish as well. Sometimes I’d marvel how something so simply cooked could be so delicious
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Well, it’s been a while since I was here, sorry about that. I only know the original version of this song by The Smiths with Morrissey on the vocals, but Hootie and co. nicely capture the gentle, lounge-ish flavour of the song.
I’m not too big on sushi, as I have sometimes felt unwell after it. I suppose having it made by a fellow like your host might make a difference… As for other fish-themed songs, one that came to mind for me was “Fisherman’s Blues,” a fabulously spirited ballad by The Waterboys with Mike Scott’s unmistakable vocals (and his likewise familiar “whoops”): https://youtu.be/zuceIiM6vzk?si=srB2Rw_kbKr2ivVw
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Ah, my friend. Thanks for adding to the flavor! I do like this song. This is a great song for the song list. I only know a handful of songs by the Waterboys (I think). I don’t know their titles, but similar to this one, recognize it immediately at the intro. Great song, Steve. Thanks for suggesting it!
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You’re most welcome, glad to know another fan of The Waterboys!
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What’s the difference between sushi and sashimi?
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It’s almost the same thing. Sushi includes rice and sashimi is only the fish. Both are delicious!
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I see!
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The best thing I ever heard about sushi, and by extension sashimi, “Back in Texas we call that bait”
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That gave me a good laugh! I’m going to repeat that one to friends. I love it!
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Back in the 80’s I dated a few Texans…
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