After several bad experiences with Japanese, Chinese, or Japanese/Chinese restaurants here, I have made it a practice not to go to them at all. Japanese food is my favorite of any cuisine, and having lived and worked in Japan, I am somewhat aware of what it is supposed to taste like. For one, thing, the sushi is not supposed to have cream cheese in it. Why, oh why, is this standard practice here? Did someone travel to Japan and think that sliced ”Filadelfia” resembled tofu?
I thought the presence of cream cheese in sushi rolls was bad until the other day I got dragged to a place that used FRENCH DRESSING. I don’t want to bash this place specifically, because it is a clean, comfortable family-owned restaurant and I wish them well. Besides, it had amusement value.
Another thing. I’ve been in Merida a long time, long enough to remember seeing open pick-up trucks loaded with dead fish, meandering southward from the coast to Merida in the sun, bringing fish to the markets. Even though I imagine things have improved, that memory puts me off of eating raw fish here.
IMHO, most of the stuff in the Asian places here is just plain inedible. Have you been to a Chinese buffet? Absolutely, incredibly horrendous. Don’t ever do it to yourself.
But yesterday I had a moderately pleasant experience at Sushi Itto on the Prolongacion de Montejo. It’s a chain out of DF. The miso soup wasn’t bad. I think they used one of the perfectly acceptable powdered mixes (a bit salty) and the dumplings were no doubt purchased frozen, but they were great. Then we had a salad that was a fortunate combination of shredded surimi, shredded cabbage, and carrots with a light touch of mayo. The sushi rolls were edible, although not great. The mixed tempura plate contained a lot of food, but they didn’t have the grease hot enough to make it a delicate, good quality fry.
We had a gorgeous and tasty drink of rice milk and mango, made into a slushy and served in a nice glass. Loved it. I could eat there again. I suppose.
hilarious – like finding a great kosher place here – although I understand this new place in the U district is wonderful/
I agree with you on the ‘filadelfia’ problem facing sushi eaters in Merida. Absolutely EVERYTHING has thick, cloying, artery-hardening. globs of white cream cheese in it. You can order your rolls ’sin queso crema’ and they will oblige. At Campay, they know that the Critic hates cream cheese and automatically exclude it from his rolls.
Millie what is the U district?
Millie is talking about the University district in Seattle. A new deli, supposedly New York style, opened there last month, but it is disappointing. THE place for Jew food is Goldberg’s in South Bellevue WA.
Try Miyabi owned by Yucatecan husband and Japanese wife. My husband and I are sashimi lovers and they have best sashimi we’ve ever tried in this town. It is located on prolong Montejo same place where the Carl’s Jr is located. The sunomono salad is excellent and Kyoza, Age tofu and soft shell crab roll are all good.