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Something’s (not) fishy in town
Friday September 5 2008
Tracey Duguay RANDOM PASSAGES
 
“It’s not raw fish,” I said for the umpteenth time to my co-workers.
It’s not the first time I’ve defended sushi. I’m not sure why I feel a need to step into the role of Japanese superfood protector, but I do.
It’s just so darn good; I can’t help myself. Without even thinking, I launch into a diatribe about the food I’ve dubbed “life in your mouth.”
My latest round of praising started after a new restaurant opened in Orangeville. I was so excited when I saw the sign driving into work, I did the sushi dance of joy all the way to my desk.
(Yes, I realize it doesn’t say much about my life when a restaurant opening sparks such passion and joy, but hey, I’ll take it where I can get it.)
I shared my enthusiasm with various co-workers during the day, and each time, my bubble of happiness was slightly deflated.
“Raw fish,” “slimy,” “yuck” — you get the point — were the standard comments. “A sushi restaurant in Orangeville? That’s not gonna last,” commented another naysayer.
I tried not to be judgmental, but I lost a little respect for them that day (shhh…don’t tell, I still have to work with them — just joking guys, no tacks on my chair please).
After living in B.C. for a few months prior to Orangeville, it was almost blasphemous to hear such comments. Sushi restaurants almost outnumber Tim Hortons there.
Even in my hometown of Sudbury — land of pickup trucks, nickel miners and red-checkered flannel jackets — the sushi business is a thriving one. When I moved to Orangeville, I was really surprised to learn there wasn’t at least one sushi restaurant in the whole town. I soon discovered the grocery stores that carried it, but it’s not the same as freshly prepared sushi.
And you can’t get all my other favourite Japanese treats like edamame or vegetable tempura at a grocery store. It’s like taking a hot bath without the bubbles.
The misunderstanding around sushi is that most people associate it with raw fish; however, it’s sashimi, another delicacy served in most Japanese restaurants, which consists of raw fish or seafood.
Many varieties of sushi rolls don’t contain raw fish or seafood; instead vegetables, cooked meat or fish, eggs, cream cheese and a host of other ingredients are used.
And, as with Chinese food, the sushi served in most Northern American restaurants has been customized to appeal to the palates of these diners.
The good news is, by all accounts, and contrary to the opinions of many of my co-workers, Orangeville seems to be embracing the new restaurant. There’s a steady stream of traffic and even getting a seat at the bar for a drink is difficult on some nights.
I guess the moral of this story is don’t knock it until you’ve tried it or you just might have to face a lecture by a sushi-loving editor.

Tracey Duguay is the managing editor of The Banner.