The History of Sushi Bars
Sushi is a dish that has been enjoyed for centuries. It has evolved to reflect changing times as well as the geographic areas that have imported the dish. From humble origins as a simple way to preserve fish to the relatively new varieties of sushi, like the California roll, sushi continues to evolve, and so do the sushi bars where it's served. Does this Spark an idea?
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Origins of Sushi
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Sushi originated in Japan as a way to preserve fish. A mixture of vinegar and rice was used to encase a piece of fish to make it last for a long period of time, in effect pickling the food. Over time, sushi evolved into the popular dish we know today.
First Sushi Bar
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In the 1820s, Hanaya Yohei started selling sushi in Tokyo. His sushi was somewhat similar to what we think of as sushi today. He served fresh, raw fish and vinegared rice to customers from his food stall. The dish was meant to be eaten quickly, by hand. The concept of Hanaya's portable sushi stall was popular from that period until the second World War.
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Kaiten Sushi Bars
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Kaiten restaurants are sushi bars where conveyor belts traverse throughout the seating area, allowing customers to select prepared plates of sushi as they pass by the tables. In most kaiten restaurants, the dishes are priced according to what color plate they are served on. Your waitress then collects the plates in order to tabulate your bill. Yoshiaki Shiraishi opened the first conveyor-belt sushi restaurant in Osaka in 1958. It was called Mawaru Genroku Sushi. Similar restaurants can now be found all over the world.
Sushi Bars in America
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There is some dispute as to where the first sushi bar in America was located, but many assert that it was Miyako, in San Diego. The restaurant opened in the 1950s, and a sashimi dinner cost about $1.25 at the time. Many sushi bars also began to pop up in Los Angeles in the 1960s.
Since that time, they have spread throughout the country.
California Rolls
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In the mid-1970s, the California roll was invented in response to American tastes and locally available ingredients. This new kind of sushi originated at the Tokyo Kaikan restaurant in Los Angeles.
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