How to Spot a Bad Sushi Restaurant
When sushi is handled properly in a reputable establishment by a master sushi chef, the risk of getting a food-borne illness from eating it is extremely rare. According to FDA statistics, you have a much greater chance of getting sick from eating poultry or beef than from eating raw fish. But if you eat a spoiled piece of sushi, you won't care about statistics.While you can't possibly know if the raw fish was kept adequately refrigerated or whether the server or preparer properly washed his hands before handling your food, you can use your powers of observation to discover clues that may help you prevent putting your gastrointestinal health at the mercy of a less-than-reputable sushi restaurant Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Note the temperature control. To prevent food-related illnesses, sushi fish must be kept adequately refrigerated. The glass in front of the raw fish at a sushi bar should be very cold to the touch. If it isn't, you could be asking for trouble.
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Keep an eye out for unsafe practices. In many restaurants, the employees use the same bathrooms as the customers. There should be plenty of running water, soap, paper towels and working hand dryers. If not, it's a good bet that workers aren't consistently using safe hand-washing practices. Consider eating somewhere else.
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Search for the sanitation report card. By law, restaurants are required to display a recent sanitation report in a conspicuous place, often near the entrance or by the cash register. If this document is nowhere to be seen, you should probably wonder if the restaurant has something to hide.
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Beware a dirty dining room. Filthy floors, stained linen and food-encrusted utensils indicate how seriously management takes safe food handling: It doesn't.
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Use your olfactory sense. If you detect a bad fishy smell--or worse--head for the nearest exit in haste.
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Inspect all surfaces. If the sushi counter, cutting board and/or display case look carelessly cleaned, leave without ordering. Where raw fish is being served, everything should be spotless.
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Pay attention to the product. If the fish is in the display case are arranged in pre-cut slices; if the octopus and squid are dry and yellowish around the edges; if the tuna is purple, black, green or very dark red; and if the nigiri and maki crumble and fall apart as soon as you touch them--they aren't fresh.
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Just say no. If you're not happy with the quality of the food, or the food safety is worrisome, be bold enough to leave. Poorly prepared food is never acceptable and should not be tolerated.
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