General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama ate only half the sushi course:
Tokyo_
U.S. Barack Obama may have enthused publicly about the sushi he was served at an exclusive Michelin-starred restaurant, but he stopped eating half way through the meal, reports said Thursday.
Pictures showed the U.S. president being served sake by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the counter of the tiny Tokyo eatery, as part of a meal billed as a chance for bonding, at which neither wore a tie.
But a report Thursday said instead of making small talk and savoring Japanese delicacies at Sukiyabashi Jirodubbed the worlds best sushi restaurant and the subject of the 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of SushiObama jumped straight into discussions about trade.
The owner of a yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant that sits in the same basement as the exclusive diner told Tokyo Broadcasting System that Obama had put his chopsticks down at the halfway point.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/obama-ate-only-half-the-sushi-course-media
and: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001232570
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140424p2a00m0na003000c.html
Prophet 451
(9,796 posts)Sorry, I think there are legitimate reasons to criticize Obama but not eating all his dinner isn't one of them.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I know I would be.
pa28
(6,145 posts)She's 13 and can eat an astonishing amount of sushi in one sitting.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)You know what I will be eating.... Chirashi (fish over rice)
Nay
(12,051 posts)guy is skinny and, unlike most Americans, probably doesn't stuff his face constantly? And he probably stops when he is no longer hungry?
Also, he just may not like sushi....
MADem
(135,425 posts)Too much sushi, too much Suntory!
He was right to stop if he wasn't hungry.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,240 posts)he ate her pickle. Seriously, I think this President & First Lady are keenly aware of their food intake. They don't overstuff themselves, like me, and most Americans. With all the official luncheons & dinners they have to attend, it's a wonder they're not 600 lbs. each.
I wish I could find that clip of him at Michigan State, talking about that huge sandwich.
RoverSuswade
(641 posts)Another Obama gaff - not wearing a tie! Reagan always wore a tie in public! Plus he insulted Japanese cooking by eating only half of what was served. Obama just sunk a rung lower on the world approval ladder"
(SEAN HANNITY ON FOX NEWS...April 31, 2014)
eShirl
(18,503 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
Rex
(65,616 posts)Nothing like a Bush to embarrass the US.
Response to eShirl (Reply #6)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
Rhiannon12866
(205,993 posts)eShirl
(18,503 posts)Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Obama did good no
Bushu-suru
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/09/world/bush-in-japan-bush-collapses-at-state-dinner-with-the-japanese.html
eShirl
(18,503 posts)UncleYoder
(233 posts)we call that bait.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)when ever someone mentions SUSHI. The most embarrassing thing for me ever was once going with a girl friend to a Benihana Restaurant in JAPANTOWN here in San Francisco. Benihana always takes groups of people and put them at the same dining table. Now it just so happened there was a family from South Carolina visiting Japantown and stopped in to try some of that fancy smanchy "Jap-OH-Neese" food. These people were very forward with everyone, and you would have thought We had sat down to their home dining table for dinner. The father checked out the chopped sticks and said..." No~ no~ No!! these won't do" (Meanwhile his 12 year old son had removed the chopsticks from the paper wrapper and were wearing them a-la walrus like up his nose...asking everyone to look at him. The Father refused to have chopsticks and demanded the wait staff bring him a knife, fork and spoon, because "WE"RE IN AMERICA and we eat the American way!!"
Since I was at their table, they kept asking me questions all through the meal about what every little thing was, and what it was. Fortunately my friend can read kanji so she was stuck with the task of explaining what soy sauce was, and how wasabi was similar to
Horse raddish. The mother wanted me to teach her kids how to use the chop sticks which was totally a useless gesture and I hardly got the chance to eat my own food because Mia and I were stuck explaining every exhausting aspect about Japanese culture and how it was different from Chinese culture. (What no Fortune cookies? Where are the dayam fortune cookies??.)
And of course I had to sit and listen to the father Joke about how sushi was called bait where they came from, and they were not "touching the shit" (Yes, this was said in a public restaurant.) It was the most humiliating experience in my life, and I swore I would never go back to Benihana's if they paid me. The food there was good... ITS JUST I got tired of the daughter pulling her eyes back and going "Look mamna, I am JAPO-KNEES"... AND having to explain why the beer wasn't Budweiser.
seveneyes
(4,631 posts)I would have asked the cook to throw it on the grill for a few minutes.
newfie11
(8,159 posts)Yuck
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I live for the day when its payday and I can order a huge platter of sushi.
Will do
Dirty Socialist
(3,252 posts)Maybe I would raise an eyebrow if he passed on the Amberjack. That's the best.
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)I always though amberjack was on a par with bluefish
Dirty Socialist
(3,252 posts)It is quite lean, too!
There might be more than one kind of amberjack. Mine was from Hawaii.
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)I always thought amberjack is bloody and oily, but apparently, I'm wrong about that. Next time I'm fishing in the Keys, I'll given them a try.
BTW, bluefish are OK if they're iced down as soon as caught and then grilled, broiled or smoked the same day. Even then, there are many fish in the northeast that are better eating.
Dirty Socialist
(3,252 posts)The opinions are all over the place. I bet there is more than one type of it. The Hawaiian amberjack might be better. Also, the younger amberjacks taste better than the adults.
LordGlenconner
(1,348 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Don't eat it...ALL MINE!!!
Response to yuiyoshida (Reply #61)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Chrashi come payday.
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)that's what I was thinking too, among other unpleasant stuff in the sea these days. I grew up eating seafood, never ate it raw though. And I wouldn't touch the stuff now, of course, I don't live anywhere near the ocean now so seafood is out of the question for that reason alone.
Perhaps he stopped at the point where he realized that there might be whale meat on his plate?
I don't mean to be disrespectful to anyone who eats that kind of food, just seems like it's too dangerous anymore... as bad as pork, beef or chicken anymore.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)2naSalit
(86,775 posts)by "unpleasant"... trying to not be too callous sounding given the sub-thread topic.
It's a touchy thing, some cultures have different values that may be unhealthy given recent history.
roody
(10,849 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)I know I would have totally passed on the sushi...since sake was being handed out, probably wouldn't last to talk about trade.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Believe me, I know. That rice with the fish, will save him a hangover later.
Rex
(65,616 posts)With or without food. Scotch, sake, soju, baijiu - they all seem to love my gut. Then again I am not POTUS material.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)especially heated. Sake o tabette imasu sora kara Sake o nomimasu!
Sake = the alcoholic beverage (Kampaii!)
SaKe= smoked or fresh salmon (Itakimasu!)
Rex
(65,616 posts)The boss will be here around 2 and I want to be sloshed before then!
snooper2
(30,151 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)over the clear... There is such a wonderful flavor there!
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)to "nomimasu"-- otherwise, it'll sound like you are going to ride a salmon
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Didn't even realize I did that...will change it now.
mainer
(12,029 posts)No wonder he got full halfway through.
I would love to dine at that restaurant!
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)The movie...Jiro dreams of Sushi was made..
mainer
(12,029 posts)Boston's a lot closer to me than Tokyo.
http://www.oyarestaurantboston.com/menu.html
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)One, would never want to waste it, considering how much money sushi is.. of course if you are rich, I suppose you could do it and get away with it. Most people don't realize that the average Japanese family may only have sushi once or twice a month! Its too expensive to eat it all the time, although One time I tried to... after awhile your pay check tends to dwindle. Now I roll my own maki rolls. Its just easier to buy the Nori, make the sushi rice, buy soy sauce, wasabi and sliced ginger, and either use cucumber or Salmon.
But I prefer to do as most normal Japanese families do...live on Soba and Udon... and sometimes Ramen.
Sanity Claws
(21,852 posts)with my cats.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I never get to eat it any more. My cat has declared : "ALL SHIRMPS ARE MINE!!"
TexasProgresive
(12,158 posts)You should not eat shrimp out- bring it home to the little god. And the cat will know.
Niceguy1
(2,467 posts)With the price tag, something like $300?
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)for a carry home bag. They probably don't do that in Japan. I would ask for it though...
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)badtoworse
(5,957 posts)Is it really that good that it's worth the risk or is it more of a proving you have the balls to do it thing?
blogslut
(38,016 posts)I am quite sure the proprietor was duly honored.
3catwoman3
(24,041 posts)He has a favorite all-you-can-eat sushi place, and his record is 52 pieces. Very authentic and delicious stuff there. He would have been happy to help out President Obama.
He grew up eating sushi because my husband and I love it and introduced it to both our boys pretty early on. We met at Yokota AFB outside Tokyo when we were next door neighbors in the BOQ (bachelor officers' quarters for you non-military types) and regularly went out for sushi at a charming tiny restaurant within walking distance from the base. I was never brave enough to try the puffer fish variety.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)I would have puked on camera if I had to eat sushi.
Freddie
(9,273 posts)My daughter, who was one of those kids who only ate mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets for a few years, is now 27 and loves sushi.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)That is a lot of Sushi
hootinholler
(26,449 posts)Well, maybe if it's the white tuna I could do 11
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I would have helped him! Eating 5 pieces is nothing! My favorite is Hamachi but I love to eat Ikura and Tobiko Oiiishiii ne!!!
3catwoman3
(24,041 posts)...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
The only kind I have tried that was really awful was sea urchin eggs - they were furry.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)come from. I am careful to watch what I eat from the Gulf since the BP spill. What effect does the nuke problems over there have on the fish markets?
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Taiwan and they also fish around the southern regions near Indonesia or the northern waters near South Korea.. Some of the Deepest waters are off the coast of Japan, around the Mariana Trench,
jwirr
(39,215 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Xyzse
(8,217 posts)I'd probably eat my share and all of that too.
I still remember demolishing a 50 piece sushi tray with a friend or two.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)True story, I literally had an account at the sushi restaurant at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown LA when I lived there. I paid my bill once a month and they discounted it. I think I ate there 5 meals a week.
I L-O-V-E Sushi! And the amounts I can put away, let's just say it's a lot!
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I maybe small and wiry, but I can pack away a lot of fish!!
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Seriously, Obama, WTF.
Dirty Socialist
(3,252 posts)And I won't vote for Hillary, either! Have you seen her hold a glass of beer? LEFT HANDED!!! She's obviously a Communist!
freshwest
(53,661 posts).
..
...
Please, please, please!
bravenak
(34,648 posts)I can't eat that much at once either.
FSogol
(45,525 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)zappaman
(20,606 posts)IMPEACH!
LibertyLover
(4,788 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Obama would be going to a sushi place, I hoped that would be the place.
So, he put down his chopsticks and got down to business halfway through? So what?
At least he didn't pull a Poppy Bush!
JI7
(89,264 posts)i think the only sushi i have liked so far are the ones called california roll with the imitation crab and usually bought at some trader joes or similar level food place.
i haven't been to the highly rated sushi restaurants and there are a lot of them in this area.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)I have heard that using avacado in sushi rolls have become popular also to a few in Japan. I prefer sashimi over sushi, because there is obviously more fish than rice, but still, Japanese rice there is heavenly! Big, sticky grains of sweetness!
JI7
(89,264 posts)BlindTiresias
(1,563 posts)King Burgerking
undeterred
(34,658 posts)BlindTiresias
(1,563 posts)I bet President Major McDonalds likes maki rolls over proper sashimi too.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)can be celery or tuna depending on which you choose. I love both... but hey I grew up around it..and while my mother chopped tuna up for making them.. I would always steal a few especially if they looked like this..
BlindTiresias
(1,563 posts)But they aren't real sushi imo.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Refers to the vinegar rice. People often make the mistake of thinking sushi has to do with the fish. If you want just the fish, you can get Sashimi. I prefer Chirashi, as its fish over a bed of rice, along with the added ingredients of wasabi and Gari Shoga (Sliced ginger).
Peacetrain
(22,878 posts)I am an Iowan and we really do not get to access to sushi in the western part of the state.. and I maybe mistaken.. but I was under the impression that sushi was rice and the fish if you had it was another dish.. sushemi or sashemi not sure how it is spelled..
EDIT to add.. he might be watching his carbs if it is rice..
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Sashimi is the fish. The vinegar rice (with some sugar added) is Sushi. If you want the fish (Sarkana) over a bed of rice, in a bowl, that is called Chirashi.
boston bean
(36,223 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)of the Japanese press, and the prime minister, the President's handlers pulling out a Geiger counter and checking the rad count or what ever it is...TALK about in bad taste...and insulting the owner of the Restaurant. No one would ever do that even as a joke. Do you really think the Japanese government would be so damn stupid as to serve the President of the United States or anyone else for that matter radio active FISH? Really???
Skittles
(153,193 posts)former9thward
(32,077 posts)I would think the 'world's most powerful man' could make that happen. Especially when they charge $370 a plate for the crap.
Skittles
(153,193 posts)and that sushi sucked?
former9thward
(32,077 posts)then we know all sushi sucks. Something I already knew.
miyazaki
(2,249 posts)100 yen sushi, plus french fries! Many Tokyo locations, no reservations.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)If anyone read the article, the TPP talks appear to be at a standstill.
Response to yuiyoshida (Original post)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)Kushi Tsuru
One of the best Japanese Restaurants in Japantown in San Francisco. If you come to the city, you have to go visit there!!
Response to yuiyoshida (Reply #100)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)he cod do better next time!
JVS
(61,935 posts)MissMillie
(38,578 posts)Maybe eating only 1/2 an entrée is how he stays slim.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)"After the dinner, the prime minister told the assembled press that Obama said he had eaten a lot of sushi before, but that his meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro was the most delicious he had ever had."
yuiyoshida
(41,861 posts)so lucky...I can't wait for next Thursday...I will probably go for the Sushi platter myself. What I dun eat in one sitting will be consumed a few hours later...I can't wait!