In New York City you can eat anything you might imagine. From Italian to Colombian. From Chinese to Kosher. It is all here no matter what day, the time, the location, or when. It all waits for us. We can even find good Japanese food in the city. It is here. But sometimes we forget that we can stop into a small restaurant or place where it is not what you might typically expect. In Japan there are regions that are different from each other. That is the same here in New York.
Last week we were invited to attend an event called “The unexplored bliss. BURI from Japan.”, organized by the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO), with top chefs from New York as they crafted exclusive Buri dishes for us.
So welcome to Buri!
WHAT IS BURI?
Buri is something you have most likely had before. It is what we might know of in a more common name.
It is simply Yellowtail (Buri) or a Young Yellowtail (Hamachi). It is a type of edible fish that has been commonly consumed at the Japanese dining table for a long time. Buri is a greatly appreciated product in Japan. It is farmed in the waters of Japan itself and is very high fat. It becomes perfect for sushi and sashimi.
Hamachi and buri vary depending on its age. Compared to other fish, yellowtail is richer in protein, good fat, and vitamins including A, B1, B2 and D. Best in the winter, young yellowtail appears as sashimi while mature yellowtail is cooked or simmered in a fine broth.
The flavor of buri is intense and accompanied by subtle sour aromas. The meat is medium-firm and has a full-bodied buttery flavor. Typical of the winter months, it is cultivated now for year round enjoyment.
Buri can be prepared in many ways. It can be eaten raw as sashimi or sushi, grilled with salt or as teriyaki, or simmered in broth with daikon. You can boil away excess fat by dipping it in boiling water à la shabu-shabu and or have it eaten with citrus-based ponzu sauce. Served cool, the buri-shabu, then becomes a summertime treat.
A HISTORY OF THE PAST.
Instead of celebrating their birthday, people in Japan used to add a year to their age on New Year’s Day. This is where the name comes from. Depending on where they lived in Japan, they would eat either buri or salmon for this special occasion. This regional difference still exists today. The buri-salmon cultural zones are neatly aligned with the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line that splits northeast Japan from the southwest, according to some scholars.
Buri from Toyama was salted and transported to inland cities like Takayama in the Hida region and Matsumoto in Shinshū. The tradition of sending buri as a year end gift continues. In the coastal areas of Toyama and Ishikawa Prefectures, the parents of a bride who just got married give buri to the groom, wishing him a prosperous career and their daughter a happy marriage. The fish is an integral part of the tradition in many ways.
ASK THE CHEF WHAT TO TRY
Visiting the special evening we met two chefs, from two different restaurants, who represent the way to try buri. It was a way to try their version of a traditional fish that we have come to know, and which represents what you can find in New York, or over in Japan.
Chef Preston Clark, from Lure Fishbar, offered Hamachi Crispy Rince. It was a presentation of hamachi that was cut / chopped and mixed with a smooth flavor. It was then placed on a crisp handmade rice that was then deep fried a golden brown and cooled slightly before a scoop of crumbled fresh, raw buri was placed on top.
It then had a slight dipping vinaigrette sauce which was then topped with some jalapeño pepper slice. It was an interesting combination of styles and flavors and tastes. We might not think about this even when visiting Tokyo. Yet, here it was different. A combination of cultures and tastes from different regions of the world. But all included fresh buri that was ideal at this moment.
If visiting his establishment, it is as if you stepped into a deck on a sailing ship. And if you ever did that, then you know the food is always a good combination of very fresh fish and items for the meal. Lure Fishbar has the freshest fish options from around the world. It combines good connections from here with the styles and delicacies including sushi and more from Japan.
The Yellowtail Pond by Chef Sol Han
Chef Sol Han, from Little Mad, presented us with Yellowtail Pond. It was simple but different. It was what you first expect in a good Japanese restaurant with sushi or sashimi. But here, the chef handled a difference. And a difference from something we normally enjoy when we are in Japan and need a piece of fresh fruit that is found everywhere there. This is the Asian Pear. Here it is combined with a sesame dressing and then placed with scallion oil that is the “pond” in which the buri floats. It is simple, pleasant, tasty and fresh. Nothing else is added to complicate the dish. Naturally, the fresh buri sliced for you does make you realize what you will have to enjoy.
With a slight Korean flair, Little Mad is a combination of American recipes combined with Korean style that is based on his family life. It combines his unique take which is even rooted in French techniques. It is a direction that is very different. If you enter his establishment you will learn that it is more than you expect.
It is not just Korean. Not just Japanese. Not just American. Instead it is the way to enjoy a new meal that is a little of everything you would like, including fresh seafood. And that is the importance. It is fresh, tasty, and created into a taste that we all will like with each bite we take at that moment. It makes us think and wonder how it works to make us enjoy.
DELICACIES AWAIT
Buri refers to large and adult Japanese yellowtail while hamachi is smaller and younger Japanese yellowtail. Farmed Japanese yellowtail are usually referred to as hamachi, as they do not reach their full size when farmed. They are considered to be an important ingredient for sushi or sashimi.
The flavor of buri is intense and accompanied by subtle sour aromas. It is medium-firm and has a full-bodied buttery flavor. The high fat content, soy sauce does not stick well to the surface. Wasabi and grated winter radish work well as a garnish.
As a whitefish, they are usually coastal groundfish. They prefer flat, sandy or rocky habitats. And, they only travel short distances and require less oxygen for muscle supply, so they are softer to style and taste. But they are rich in vitamins and health.
ANOTHER TASTE OF TRADITION.
Buri is at the heart of a longstanding culinary tradition in Japan. It ranks alongside such delicacies as maguro (tuna) and salmon as a popular fish in Japan and around the world. It is a dish that does represent the culture and tradition of Japan and the food we associate with Japan.
It can be offered at a shrine, or it can be offered on our plate, buri is expected everywhere we go. In fact, if you are visiting Japan one of the best places to visit is the famous Tsukiji Fish Markets. Now known as the Tsukiji Outer Market, you go very early in the morning to see the auction of the fresh catched fish there. The next thing, after the auction, is to go and get some breakfast at the local place. These are not fancy restaurants, but local areas where the fishermen stop to eat after the morning on the sea after catching the fish. Having down this myself, it is an experience to have and enjoy. The fish is so fresh. The slices are perfect and uncooked. It is a taste you have never had before in a restaurant even in Japan. This is truly fresh off the boat.
So, here in New York, we try to find something closer to being there. We search for fine restaurants and places where we need to try something new and different. No matter what block you walk on there is something to find.
Yet, when you want to try something that is not of the ordinary you might need to search even down the block. It might be worth the effort, and that extra step, to enter a good, and recommended, Japanese establishment that is known for truly fresh sashimi, sushi and other Japanese delicacies.
Buri is a good place to start. Yellowtail and Hamachi have always been something we liked. And to have it at an establishment with a good chef and team that know what to do and how to make it, makes it even better to eat and enjoy.
In fact, when you enter a place to sample it might take you back to a place you were lucky to visit once before in Tokyo. Having lived there for several years I do remember what I enjoyed every time I went. And to find a piece of good, fresh Buri does remind me of being back home in Japan.
Domo arigato!
Chefs / Restaurants:
Chef Preston Clark, Lure Fishbar
142 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012, 212-431-7676
Chef Sol Han, Little Mad
110 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, 917-261-4969
“The Jaded Traveler”. Ron Rossi was born and raised in New York. A globalist at heart, Ron is a marketing director by trade, and has lived and worked around the world including Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. Food is one of the best ways to learn about a country, a people and a culture. So, Ron is always looking for the best in mid-range to budget and street food. He is always on the hunt for a good meal anyone can afford. It is the food of the average citizen that excites him. And with having visited close to 100 countries on 6 continents so far, there have been some pretty good meals.
