Sushi is a much-loved dish. It originated in Southeast Asia thousands of years ago and was primarily developed as a way to preserve the life-cycle of rice.
Yes, sushi is synonymous with rice, not raw fish – something many people get wrong.
Today, sushi is consumed all over the world but Dubai is fast-becoming one of the sushi hotspots of the world.
Best sushi restaurants in Dubai
At Salvaje, we pride ourselves on being one of the top sushi restaurants in Dubai. Under the guidance of our head chef Fermin Azuke, we push the culinary envelope and strive for flavors that inspire.
While we serve a great deal besides sushi, this historic dish is one of our most popular offerings, and we use time-honored techniques to ensure that every plate arrives at the table looking immaculate – and tasting even better.
What is sushi?
Sushi is a fabled dish that features rice as well as a protein: typically seafood. The seafood is almost always raw, but can sometimes be cooked.
Contrary to popular belief, sushi doesn’t refer to the protein of the dish at all, but to the rice. Yes, sushi means “sour rice” or “vinegar rice” in Japanese and it gets this name from the use of vinegar in the preparation and serving phase. (Many years ago, vinegar was used to preserve the rice so it wouldn’t spoil.)
Sushi is always served with rice, then, and it’s a crucial component of the dish. Indeed, no good chef can handle sushi without being expertly trained in the cooking and preparation of the grain.
At Salvaje, we offer both nigiri sushi and maki sushi under the guidance of our expert team.
What is the difference between nigiri sushi and maki sushi?
When most of us think of sushi, we think of maki sushi, which is a tube of ingredients held together by seaweed (nori). Within the nori, you have a layer of rice, a layer of raw fish and often a layer of vegetables.
This tube is cut into individual bite-sized chunks that are then served to the customer. The sushi can be eaten with chopsticks or by hand.
Nigiri sushi, by contrast, is oval-shaped and has rice as its base with raw fish on top. There is no seaweed keeping everything together. Thanks to the moisture of the rice, the fish sticks in place anyway.
The hero protein in both nigiri and maki sushi is usually raw fish, but there are times when the seafood is cooked: for instance, shrimp and shellfish are sometimes used, and these are prepared on the grill.
What is the difference between sushi and sashimi?
Alongside sushi, we also serve sashimi. Sashimi is different to sushi in that it does not include rice, and the proteins are never cooked.
The most popular sashimi protein is seafood, but you can sometimes order this dish with meat as well.
Whether you prefer sushi or sashimi, the proteins used are of the highest quality and beautifully fresh.
Which country is best known for sushi?
There’s some debate over whether sushi originated in Japan or China, but today it’s most synonymous with the former. That said, the United Arab Emirates is fast embracing the tradition. The large expat community living in Dubai has helped transform the city’s culinary landscape by embracing Southeast Asian flavors, and Salvaje is proud to be at the forefront of this revolution.
If you’re looking for the best sushi in Dubai and some of the best sushi the world over, then make sure to make a booking at our restaurant today.
Curious to see what sushi we have on offer? Take a look at our menu, where a variety of proteins and flavors are on offer in either the maki or nigiri tradition. And for any questions, do not hesitate to get in contact with our team.