Dishin': Sushi as a Symbol?

Seattle seems to be embracing kaiten sushi; Blue C is doing well, while a battle is brewing in lower Queen Anne with Genki Sushi now taking on Sushiland. Watch the plates revolve around on the conveyor belt, but choose carefully, as quality can be a (sushi) roll of the dice.

Same can be said for the kaiten sushi places in Tokyo, where Seattlest still resides for a few more days. Some places scream low prices, but they're usually the lowest quality. In doing exhaustive research about where to eat all kinds of food in the Shinjuku area, we came across two that we can heartily recommend: Kitazawa Club and Numazukou.

Above right is the scene at Kitazawa Club, which feels more traditional and perhaps offers a more interesting experience. It's street level and fairly easy to find, therefore drawing more gaijin (foreigners), but it doesn't have an English menu, so be prepared to ask your neighbors or the workers for help--especially since the conveyor belt can be sparse, meaning you might need to shout your order to the chef.

Numazukou is almost directly below Kitazawa Club in the underground shopping area. It's more modern feeling and while it has fewer foreigners, it does have an English menu. Still, it helps to know Japanese (or go with someone who does) to read the specials board, or to know to try unusual items like nama shirasu (raw small anchovies, pictured left) or konbu and shirako (seaweed and "white children"--the milt, or seminal fluid, of fish).

As always, we've experienced great sushi (and yakitori and ramen and teriyaki and more) in Tokyo. We will return home in a few days with appreciation of the availability of so much Japanese food in Seattle, but with desire to demand more choices and higher quality, as well as the energy to educate others to expand their expectations. Might that be a general food theme for 2009, as a tough economy and increased desire for healthy eating combine to create a culinary challenge for all?