Although your local Japanese restaurant might have a wide assortment of different local fishes and seafood that they can transform into pieces of nigiri, you should be on the lookout for nigiri made from seafood or fish that has been imported directly from Japan. Seafood imported straight from Japan will give you a much more authentic taste and a different dining experience. Take a look at these 3 particularly sought after seafood that you might find imported from Japan at your local Japanese restaurant.

Bafun Uni from Hokkaido

If you love the sweet taste of the ocean that can be found in uni, you'll most definitely not want to miss out on tasting the delicate flavors of Bafun uni. Bafun uni are much smaller in size than local uni found in the U.S.; however, they are packed full with flavor. It's briny, sweet and incredibly creamy to the point where it'll taste like butter as it melts in your mouth. Bafun uni from Hokkaido reaches its peak season during the summer, so make sure to keep an eye out during that time.

Shima Aji

If you adore raw fish, then you can't go wrong with ordering shima aji whenever you see it on the menu. Shima aji is also known as stripe jack. This fish has a firm texture with give and will basically melt in your mouth. It has a mild gamey flavor that lingers. Shima aji nigiri pieces are best when topped with some sort of homemade sweet soy sauce. Most Japanese sushi chefs will concoct their own soy sauce to complement the gamey taste of the fish. The taste is said to fluctuate mildly throughout the year depending on the season.

Kinmedai

Not everyone appreciates bold and gamey flavors. If you tend to lean towards delicate flavors, you can't go wrong with kinmedai, also known as the golden eye snapper. The raw fish has a pink shimmery finish to it. The meat has a bit more texture, and the fish offers a lingering sweetness. This type of nigiri is best paired with a bit of salt on top. The salt will bring out the sweetness of the fish. Due to its delicate and mild flavor, soy sauce can easily overwhelm the flavors of this nigiri.

Conclusion

Different types of fishes and seafood can offer you a different tasting experience. Although there's surely a lot of wonderful seafood in your local area that can be made into nigiri, you should definitely still keep an eye out for when your local Japanese restaurant imports seafood from Japan if you're a true connoisseur.

For more information, contact a business such as Tanpopo Japanese Restaurant.