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A) Americans have no knowledge of Japanese cuisine, and
B) Most of those sushi places just opened to cash in on a craze, when sushi was the 'omg new popular thing' in the 2000's. *cough* most of them aren't even run by Japanese people.
There's some really solid Japanese eating options in LA, I can't speak much for anywhere else though. Ramen is more popular than sushi here, and there's also a good amount of shabu shabu and bowl-meal places, and izakaya.
A) Americans have no knowledge of Japanese cuisine, and
B) Most of those sushi places just opened to cash in on a craze, when sushi was the 'omg new popular thing' in the 2000's. *cough* most of them aren't even run by Japanese people.
There's some really solid Japanese eating options in LA, I can't speak much for anywhere else though. Ramen is more popular than sushi here, and there's also a good amount of shabu shabu and bowl-meal places, and izakaya.
A: no, 95% of American don't.
B: yes, most Sushi places are run by Korean/Chinese. There are some more real Japanese restaurants at Sawtelle as far as I know, but for most Americans, Japanese food seems synomous to sushi, which the Japanese rarely eat in restaurants.
Sushi is still common/popular in Japan but as mentioned probably more as a snack. I think it became faddish outside Japan because it's easy and convenient to make and they can turn a nice profit making it (it tends to be overpriced).
Well, in Japan 100 yen sushi is pretty popular so I don't know what you mean. Yes it's not a typical meal at a restaurant, more like a take-out kind of thing or a quick thing. The only thing I can equate to is, it's sort of like Italian restaurants here serving pizza, spaghetti, and lasagna as their main dishes. In Italy, they don't eat these on a frequent basis, I'd imagine. Although, I think "Chinese" food here is the worst offender
Pizza is surprisingly ubiquitous in Italy. It seems MOST restaurants there actually are pizzerias or have pasta, which actually surprised me since I thought there'd be more variety.
Pizza is surprisingly ubiquitous in Italy. It seems MOST restaurants there actually are pizzerias or have pasta, which actually surprised me since I thought there'd be more variety.
Now THAT is surprising, considering that pizza was popularized by Italian-Americans (even though pizza was invented in Naples) and not Italians
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Postman
Sushi is still common/popular in Japan but as mentioned probably more as a snack. I think it became faddish outside Japan because it's easy and convenient to make and they can turn a nice profit making it (it tends to be overpriced).
Tends to be overpriced? It's extremely overpriced outside of Japan. So much, that, I learned to roll my own (no pun intended )
It's because it is really different. Looking at GI videos from the 1950s, you would see the narrators talk up niku-jaga and beef pots, but say sushi tastes like " well ... boiled rice and raw fish."
But over time people saw the delicate flavors and unique presentation and uniquely Japanese, and cemented itself as "the Japanese food" in the midns of Westerners in the 1950s/60s. It's exposure really... just like how most people think General Tso's chicken and fried rice is the extent of Chinese cuisine. Laughable, I know, but just go to small towns and villages in the midwest. To insinuate that there's more than that to Chinese is tantamount to saying something un-American or something. Heck, in the minds of many in more rural areas, they can't tell the difference between Japanese and Chinese and just call it "Asian food."
Trust me, I used to volunteer in the countryside of Indiana, I saw it.
Now THAT is surprising, considering that pizza was popularized by Italian-Americans (even though pizza was invented in Naples) and not Italians
Tends to be overpriced? It's extremely overpriced outside of Japan. So much, that, I learned to roll my own (no pun intended )
by Italian immigrants mostly from the south. I actually heard the popularity of pizza all over Italy was a more recent thing, like post 1950s, possibly even later than it's popularity in America. I've heard that if you went to a restaurant in Milan in the 50s or 60s you'd be hard pressed to find pizza, now it's hard to avoid it.
Now THAT is surprising, considering that pizza was popularized by Italian-Americans (even though pizza was invented in Naples) and not Italians
Tends to be overpriced? It's extremely overpriced outside of Japan. So much, that, I learned to roll my own (no pun intended )
Yep, considering the cost of rice, seaweed and whatever they fill it with, they can make a killing out of it. Considering that one piece of sushi with tuna (pretty much like canned tuna) can go for $1 a pop.
Sushi/sashami began as fast food or rather street food centuries ago in Japan. It wasn't what people would make at home. It was quick food that people in the cities would buy from a vendor cart when they were hungry. It was also tasty to boot. Restaurants then started to offer it because it was a tasty food and some people just wanted to sit down in a nice place with music being strummed or with a geisha or serving girl beside the customer.
It became popular outside of Japan because it was tasty and there is a huge difference in quality when you compare the sushi and sushi offerings in a Japanese restaurant from the sushi offered in Korean/Chinese places.
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