There are two basic styles in which sushi can be prepared, Tokyo style (salty), or Kyoto style (sweet) and has different names depending on its shape. Rolled pieces are called maki, thin rolls hosomaki, thick rolls futomaki, hand rolls temaki, served on a plate is called chirashi, in a box hakko, pressed with the rice in the middle oshi, wrapped in sweet tofu bags inari, boat shaped and topped with vinegary mackerel batera, the dumplings topped with fish nigiri, wrapped in nori, gunkan, rolled inside out uramaki, and so on…

Shari is the rice, netta the fish or seafood topping and gari is the pickled ginger root. Wasabi is the hot green paste that makes you cry when you have mistaken it for it is guacamole, murasaki is the soy sauce.

Sushi is eaten by hand and should be like kissing, your tongue should experience the fish not the rice, so make sure to turn your nigiri upside down next time you soak it into the soy sauce.

Chopsticks are used exclusively for the wasabi and for the gari.

The wet towel (oshibori) is used to clean your hands

Sushi is accompanied with hot (kan) or cold (hya) sake; by the way, the Japanese expression for cheers is kanpai (a full glass of hot sake at once), with green tea (agari) or with beer (biiru). Sushi chefs are called itamae (he who stands in front of the cutting board).

The Best Sushi Restaurants in Mallorca

Hanaita
Plaza Navegación, 8 Palma
Tel: +34 971 452 013

Arume Sushi Restaurant
Ramón y Cajal, 7
Tel: +34 971 214 344

Wabitsuke
Joan Miró, 289
Tel: +34 971 701 873

Wasabi
Caro 16
Tel: + 34 971 456 593

Samurai
Monseñor Palmer, 2
Tel: +34 971 737 837 24