HWK1 RESUBMISSION

"I don't want to go out to dinner tonight! My classmate called me for a birthday party at his house and I want to go there!" This is what I told my mom when she asked me if I wanted to go to the sushi bar at the beachside hotel. She had asked me ten times already. The idea of having pieces of raw fish and shrimps on my plate didn't seem very appetizing. I was eight at the time and going over to my friend's home seemed like a better option than going to the restaurant. "If you come to the dinner with me, I'll buy a toy for you on the way home. How's that honey?" On hearing this, I immediately told her that I would go with her. Even though going to friend's party was fun, getting a toy is even more so and would keep me entertained for a long time. This was how my mother coaxed me into going to the restaurant with her that night and it was a decision that I would never regret.

The restaurant was located near the shores of the beach and as I got out of the car, I could hear the waves of the sea crashing on the sand not far away. The cool evening breeze blew through my hair and I saw several kids playing volleyball on the shore. My mom averted my attention to the hotel and we walked to the lobby. Upon entering, my eyes wandered to huge luminous crystal lights that draped down from the ceiling. It was very quiet and I felt myself gradually relax as we walked to a counter where a man stood waiting to confirm our reservation. He immediately called a waiter to take us to the sushi bar. It was like entering into another realm because everything was so different. There were paper lights hanging from the walls and waitresses that wore traditional Japanese dresses walked around the room carrying bowls and plates on trays. Suddenly, I noticed a group of people at a table. "Mom, why do those people all kneel on the floor while eating? Are they being punished?" I asked. "No, no, they are not punished, my dear. That is the Japanese tradition during meals. They eat while kneeling on the floor to pay tribute to the food that they eat." It was then that I became fascinated with Japanese culture.

By this time, we had found our place at the bar and the waiter left to bring a menu for us. The bar was exceptionally short and I looked at my mom with a questioning glance. She then showed me how to kneel on the mattress without hurting my knees.

The first dish was a plate of fresh sushi with a piece of salmon on each of the rice rolls. I saw my mother then take a piece of sushi and put it in a green colored sauce. I asked, "What is that green sauce, mom? Is it tasty?". "This is wasabi. A traditional Japanese sauce specially eaten along with the raw fish." Due to my curious nature, I was eager to try out this strange sauce that my mother suggested. I took a chunk of the green sauce and put it in my mouth. Immediately, tears started to flow out of my eyes and nose because the sauce provided a extremely strong spicy flavor that attacked my throat, nose and eyes. It was a very unpleasant experience, so I looked towards my mom to see how she was eating the sushi with wasabi.

This was very good idea, because I found out that the wasabi was supposed to be eaten only when it has been mixed with soy sauce. I was able to experiment with this on my own and gradually, I began to enjoy the sushi much more than I expected at first. It wasn't so spicy! There was a unique texture in the rice of the sushi and the nori, or as I learned from my mom as the seaweed that covers the sushi, gave it a particularly chewy quality.

Next came a selection of raw fish. There was salmon, tuna, amberjack and mackerel which all tasted superb when eaten with the soy sauce and wasabi. The fish meat had a high quality and it was so tender that, as soon as I put it on my mouth, the meat literally melted. The tuna was red in color and the meat was elastic and spongy. The distinct aroma of the tuna somehow reminded me of the sea and all the times that I had gone fishing with friends and family. The salmon on the other hand, was pink in color and has a much softer texture than the tuna. It was my favorite and I loved the feel of it in my mouth. I took several pieces of the salmon to make sure that I would be able to relish the wonderful food more. It was an experience that I will never forget and I am certain that I would want to go to the restaurant again.

Having tasted those two delicious dishes, I couldn't wait for the next dish to be ready. It was soon after that the chef brought a bowl which contained rice with a brown creamy sauce spread evenly on it. He then put thin slices of chicken on top. "Wow mom, doesn't this look delicious?" Mom had to agree because the rice was amazing and mouth-watering. Each piece of the topping meat was heavenly when mixed with the sweet honey syrup.

By this time, I was already quite full and my stomach complained because there was so much food. So I stopped eating and said, "Thank you mom, that was the best meal I've had. I am really happy that I listened to you and didn't go to the party with my friends. This is much better experience and I had the opportunity to taste such a wonderful cuisine." It has been ever since then that I have enjoyed the experience of eating sushi.