Chirashi: a Big Bowl of Sushi

Most of the sushi at our Lynnwood Japanese restaurant is easy enough to identify as such. The rolls, the classic nigiri, these are the dishes that we all tend to imagine when we hear the word “sushi”. However, sushi can come in some surprising forms, and it may be hiding on our menu in places that you wouldn’t think to look.

This first thing to realize is that the word “sushi” refers to the special vinegared rice that is used in sushi dishes, and not the fish that usually goes with it. The term is therefore applied to pretty much anything that makes use of this rice, be it as small as a bite-sized roll or as large as a full bowl. Bowl-sized sushi exists in the form of chirashizushi, often called “chirashi sushi” in English speaking countries. These generally take the form of a sushi-style donburi, with a scattering of sashimi or nori sitting on a bed of sushi rice. You can try this traditional dish today at Wild Wasabi!


What is Agedashi Tofu?

Tofu has an unfortunate image as a bland and unappetizing dish in the West. In Asia, however, the culinary practice surrounding tofu is old and rich enough to have been honed as a cultural art. Japan produces a wide range of tofu dishes, sure to appeal to even the strictest carnivore. If you yourself have never looked at a tofu cube without wrinkling your nose, our Lynnwood Japanese restaurant invites you to give agedashi tofu a try.

Agedashi is a well-known preparation of tofu dating back hundreds of years. A tofu cookbook gives us an agedashi recipe from as early as 1782. The recipe calls for tofu to be dusted in potato or corn starch and deep fried to a golden-brown color. This is then topped with chopped onions and served in a hot sauce made from soup stock, rice wine, and soy sauce. The end result is so hearty and flavorful, you’ll forget that you’re not eating meat! Try it out for yourself at Wild Wasabi today.


Rediscover Ramen!

The word “ramen” is best recognized in the US as the name of those dry wads of salty noodles that you can break a dollar with. It is therefore understandable that you might cringe to see it featured on the menu of our Lynnwood Japanese restaurant. However, you may be glad to hear that there is a world of difference between supermarket ramen and the ramen we offer. Both in overall taste and nutritional value, ours is a ramen that beats anything that comes out of a plastic wrapper.

When you buy a restaurant-quality ramen, you’re getting better ingredients. Nothing has been dried, powdered, or packed in preservatives. The noodles, themselves a much more satisfying affair, derive their taste not from copious amounts of sodium but rather from meats, vegetables, and proper Japanese seasonings. So leave the supermarket brands on your old dorm room hot plate where they belong, and come to Wild Wasabi for a taste of what ramen is supposed to be!


What is Oshinko?

If you prefer not to consume meat, you need not be left out at Wild Wasabi’s Lynnwood sushi restaurant. Even if you eschew the flesh of fish, there’s no reason that you can’t enjoy a real sushi experience! Our menu has a number of vegetarian options, including the exotic oshinko.

Even if you’re not familiar with the name, you might recognize the oshinko roll for the distinctive, bright yellow brick of vegetation rolled up inside it. This is the oshinko, a pickled Japanese radish. An acquired taste for many, these radishes have a strong flavor that goes well with the mild taste of the rice. They can also be well complemented with soy sauce and wasabi as your particular tastes may dictate. Try this popular vegetarian option at Wild Wasabi today!


Tonkatsu: and Early Piece of Japanese Fusion

Are you bringing a Japanese-food first-timer with you to our Lynnwood Japanese restaurant? Try recommending a classic tonkatsu dish. Even for the more unadventurous of Western diners, this well-loved pork cutlet is a surefire thumbs-up. Many find it to be one of Japan’s most “familiar” dishes, most resembling the kind of fare you might be used to finding at a common US diner. Indeed, this is exactly the genesis of the tonkatsu in the first place.

Tonkatsu is thought to have first come about at some point around 1890 in Ginza, Japan. Though the details are obscured in history, it would seem that there was a restaurant in the area that was known for serving food inspired by European cooking techniques. Though the idea of “katsu” had existed for a long time, the deep-fried “tonkatsu” was a true novelty. The first tonkatsu dishes were actually eaten with a fork, which was a practice that was all but unknown in Japan at the time! Come down to Wild Wasabi and try a taste of early Japanese fusion for yourself.