Class A sashimi
Tonight I had a gastronomic experience that made me say, ‘I could die now!’ But I’m not gonna die just yet… so it means I’m in trouble. From now on, I don’t think I could ever have sashimi again… unless it’s Class A tuna.
See, tonight, at a Japanese friend’s home, I was served Class A yellow-fin tuna (kihada maguro) — this is what is exported to Japan and sold for loads of moolah per kilo. It’s the 
kind of sashimi-grade tuna that’s sweet and oh-so-fresh it feels like angels caressing your palate.
My one-time client, Nakamura-san, he prepared tuna belly sashimi and tuna senaka (back) sashimi — the latter is wa-a-ay better (but I gorged myself in the former just as much). Dipped in shoyu and lightly powdered with fresh wasabi… to die for! And I’m talking about wasabi daikon that’s still in its vegetable form — Nakamura-san just grated the horse radish, and voila! 
the real thing. This was my first time to have honmono no wasabi, and I tell you, it’s way different from the packaged stuff. For us, it’s just like the difference between using gata that’s freshly-extracted from coconuts, and instant gata. Another Japanese, Yano-san, had me try the daikon leaf off of the vegetable, and it was wonderful! The taste was so unlike anything I’ve ever had before. Very refreshing in the mouth.
The place was simple, not at all ostentatious, but the cooking was fantastic! The sashimi tasted so subtly and yet slightly sweetly it boggled the mind. (Now I understood why our other friend, Azuhata-san, burst into tears when he tasted this kind of sashimi here in Davao, after being away from Japan so long.) The sushi as well was sugoi oishii!! Yano-san had brought sushi rice from Japan, and OMG!, the way Nakamura-san cooked it? no need to dip the sushi in Kikkoman. And for contrast, we had tako (octopus) sashimi as well — very smooth and soft. I guess Nakamura-san stripped it of its tough outer membrane, just like how my pop prepares kinilaw na pusit.
That was just for appetizers. Main course was kamameshi and — Yano-san’s idea — green papaya tenpura bacon maki, or: young papaya flash-fried in batter then wrapped in bacon. I didn’t think it would fly, but it did with flying colors!! And the kamameshi, also using sushi rice, it was just heavenly.
Then we had more of the sushi maki. It’s called gunkan maki, topped with mashed avocado (and mixed with something that Nakamura-san just 
won’t share with me). Sprinkled with wasabi and dipped oh-so-slightly in shoyu… you’d forget your name! The Japanese guys loved it. But when Nakamura-san served the sushi maki topped with sliced avocado, I got to like that better. The nori‘s taste, mixing with the subtle avocado flavor, and the tinge of soy sauce, and all of those brought together by the soft, chewy sushi rice… it was ecstasy!
Just how am I supposed to enjoy local Japanese fare now??
Hi Blogie – I am a real lover of Sashimi myself. I particularly enjoy Maguro (that’s the tuna, right?), but other types as well. I thought the local grades of Sashimi were great, but now I’m curious about the Grade A stuff that you tried. Can it be purchased here? If so, tell me where I can get some.
The meal sounds delicious! And to think, I’ve been enjoying Rai Rai Ken so much!! :-)
hey Bob! yep, maguro = tuna.
Nakamura-san bought it in Davao, yes. Actually it was undersized, he said. I believe he said he got it from Sta. Cruz (after Toril?), and that sometimes he gets from the fish port.
I can still taste that sashimi now…
yummy… i have not had sashimi for a long time… makes my mouth water… par pumunta ako ng davao, saan ako pupunta for my dose of sashimi? sabi nila Luz Kinilaw is not that good anymore. Yung good quality yet affordable price.
off topic: Thanks for the link Blogie. Does your father momong personally maintain the site. May i get your email and his? I was going to nominate wordgodspells but i don’t know what email to put…
hi jun! good place for sashimi… well, i haven’t tried it there in awhile, but why don’t you check out Marina Tuna? it’s a ways after the Insular hotel but other side of the road.
thanks for wanting to nominate my pop’s blog! i’ve already emailed you the info. :)
Hi blogie-Sa picture palang parang gusto ko nang umuwi dyan
sa davao,I miss davao’s kinilaw.Wla yan dito sa america.
wala ba? meron yan pihado, pero baka nga lang sobrang mahal…
actually kahit dito mahal eh, even if it’s from here! accdg to my japanese friend, if he were to sell that sashimi-grade tuna here, it would cost around P800 per kilo!! dang…
Meron,pero frozen at di na fresh.Iba pa rin ang timplang
Davao at Gen.San. Im in Mid west kasi,mlayo sa dagat.
i see. well, when you get back home! pero bilisan mo, baka ubusin na ng mga hapon at taiwanese ang mga isda natin! ;)
hi blogie,
for a while i was contemplating on eating sweet sashimi tuna but the cost of having to eat it here in alabang, muntinlupa is just exorbitantly high.. dang!
@enri — Hi there! Even in Davao, the cost of class A sashimi is too expensive to be everyday fare. :)