Did you know that the Japan Centre Piccadilly has a fish counter selling top quality sashimi grade seafood, prepared and cut by experts? Well we ruddy well do. You may have popped into our busy store in Piccadilly Circus to pick up some fresh sushi or a cheeky bento box, but have you investigated our fish counter? We supply delectable creatures of the ocean cut and sliced just the way you like ’em, from smooth salmon to outrageous octopus. It’s not just any old sea dog behind the counter; Tokunaga-San is our fishmonger and with literally decades of experience he’s one of the best around. We caught up with him when not slicing fish into delicious fresh morsels to ask him a few questions. Tokunaga San slicing #salmon #sashimi like only a pro can. Check out the awesome fish counter at #JapanCentre #Piccadilly #London A video posted by Japan Centre (@japancentre) on Mar 10, 2015 at 4:19am PDT How long have you been working in the business?Firstly I worked in the kitchen of hotel chains in Osaka and then Tokyo.

What brought you to Europe? I came to work for the high-end hotel chain Hotel Okura. When they expanded into Europe, the opportunity came to move to Amsterdam in 1986, and I couldn’t resist! How long have you been working at Japan Centre? For five years, which has been a great experience for me. Preparing fish in this way is my passion, and I am fortunate to be able to do it everyday. What would you recommend to someone purchasing from the fish counter? My personal favourite has to be hamachi – yellow tail. It’s one of the most popular fish for sashimi in Japan.Another great thing about having an expert behind the counter is that we can supply the fish cut exactly as you require – sashimi style, nigiri style, you name it, Tokunaga-San and his extremely sharp knife will carve it into creation. We also love a cheeky promo at the fish counter – look out for Salmon Friday’s, where we slash the price of fresh salmon, perfect for fishy Friday night creations.

So if you want to get your hands on top quality fish sliced to perfection, come on down to Japan Centre in Central London, if only for the hallibat. Japan Centre- Japanese Food Hall Since 1976In 2014, Billingsgate shifted more than 35,000 tonnes of fish, mostly to restaurants and other trade customers. It's also possible for the public to shop at what is one of the world's most famous markets, but do we? And why does anyone bother getting up at 4am to go shopping?sushi grade salmon cost It’s a rather overwhelming and visceral experience, a first trip to Billingsgate. jual sushi online tangerangIn its industrial, rusted Docklands location where water meets metal and expanses of sky, the market is buzzing as the rest of the city sleeps. sushi tei jakarta utara

The smell of fish is very present, unsurprisingly, and it’s wet, very wet indeed, lit by bulbs glaring stark light. The movement inside is matter of fact and urgent. Jobs need to be done, and fast. We’re nearly caught on the Achilles as pallet trolleys race by, followed by hairy men in white wellies and coats. There's a lot of shouting and shrill phone ringing, deals are being struck, and fish is slapped and slipped into boxes. jiro dreams of sushi 2012 ac3 dvdscr xvidPrices are scribbled onto boards, and the men stand in front of them, wrapped in many layers of fleece and beanie hats.how to eat sushi morimoto The market starts earlier and earlier these days as the traders compete with one another to get the catch landed and into the market. jiro dreams of sushi in english

Then the people come. But who gets up at 4am to come to Billingsgate for some cod? we ask our guide: “Everybody but the English,” comes the answer, “If you look at the faces down there you will see south east Asian people, Afro-Caribbean people, they’re the ones who value fish. It’s bang up there on their menus. British people don’t value fish at all, or they’re scared of cooking it.” It’s true, certainly, that many people don’t know what they’re looking for. sushi set online kaufenThey might know how to select a fresh piece of meat, not so much a fish. So what are the signs of good quality? Many people think it’s best to have a look at the gills, but many fish have gills with varying shades of red so it’s not particularly helpful. The number one indicator of a fresh fish, apparently is slime. It may seem gross, but a thick layer of goo on on your grouper (okay maybe sole), is desirable.

Providing it’s clear of course. Any colouration to that slime and you might want to consider calling Ghostbusters, or at the very least throwing the fish away. Eyes too, should never be sunken. When it comes to shellfish most people know that it’s the tap test which indicates if the creature is alive. If the shell fails to close, discard it. With scallops however, it’s a case of whether you can get them open. A live scallop will never yield. Don’t ever sniff them for freshness, however – one trader tells us of a gnarly scallop snapping shut on a lady’s nose — once they clamp, they don’t release and she lost rather a lot of skin getting it off. With lobsters, well, you want them live and preferably native. The latter can be distinguished from their Canadian cousins by the mottled pattern they use for camouflage and their bright, peacock blue colour. Some make their first trip to Billingsgate in search of fish for sashimi. ‘Sashimi grade’ fish is obviously fish that is very good quality, but don’t bother looking for tuna.

In Japan, sashimi grade fish would always be bluefin (85 tonnes of bluefin is shifted each year in Tokyo's most famous market, Tsukiji) but we don’t import it into the UK for sustainability reasons. In Billingsgate, you'll have to make do with the inferior yellowfin. We come across a merchant, the only one in the market, selling live langoustines. They supply only to their own restaurant, Chamberlain's in Leadenhall Market, plus Buckingham and Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey and five star hotels. So the general public can't buy from just anyone. It's a case of seeking out the right traders, and finding a bargain in the process. Our guide laughs at the markups in West End restaurants, “You can buy a scallop for £1.80 here, then see it on a restaurant menu with a flash garnish for £25”. And what about that nowadays-notoriously expensive creature, the monkfish? Apparently, it was originally sold as part of a scam. It was a by-catch that no one wanted, so one enterprising skipper started calling it ‘scampri’, which most people thought meant scampi.