Bonne Bouche 
by Sandra S. Juneau
Sashimi and Sushi
Like precious jewels, Asian restaurants specializing in the ancient arts of sushi and sashimi dot the landscape across the northshore. It may be the health benefits that account for their growing popularity or, perhaps, just the delicious taste of these individually designed pieces of art.
These delicacies have satisfied Asian palates since before the first millennium. Japan is blessed with an endless variety of fresh seafood. Sashimi features raw ingredients. Sushi was the method of preserving the natural resources of Japan in the centuries before refrigeration. Wrapping rice seasoned with sweet rice-wine vinegar around bits of fish was a natural marriage of native ingredients. The delicious rolls can be enjoyed with either cooked or uncooked fillings.
Louisiana’s bounty of seafood has found its way into these original creations that include such familiar fare as oysters, shrimp, soft-shelled crab, crawfish and even alligator.
For a cross section of the northshore’s great sushi and sashimi tastes, check out Kirin in Hammond, Little Tokyo and Megumi in Mandeville, Sake Café and Yujjin in Covington and Osaka in both Covington and Slidell.
Megumi
At Megumi, which translates to “grace” in Japanese, owner Chef Lulu Mo has created an atmosphere that truly complements his passion. Serving a variety of both sashimi and sushi, he is dedicated to his customers’ satisfaction. He says, “I prepare each dish to satisfy the senses so that the artful design, the delicious aroma, and finally, the tastes on your palate combine to produce that Wow! appeal.” This recipe for Tuna Martini is one of Megumi’s sashimi creations.
TUNA MARTINI
1 ounce seaweed salad base (nori). Found at Asian grocery stores.
2 ounces fresh tuna, diced
1 ounce mango salsa
1 teaspoon flying fish roe (caviar)
1 pinch fresh cilantro, chopped fine
MANGO SALSA
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup mango, diced
1/2 jalapeño pepper. Remove seed;
chop to a fine mince.
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup sweet sake
1/4 cup rice wine
Prepare mango salsa by adding ingredients in order given. Gently stir and refrigerate overnight. Thoroughly chill a 4-ounce martini glass. Loosely fill bottom of glass with seaweed salad base. Top with diced fresh tuna. Cover with mango salsa. Dot with fish roe, and then sprinkle top with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
