As wedding season drew to a close, I found myself alone in Raleigh on a Friday night with no plans (finally). My idea for the weekend was to rest up, maybe bake some stuff, and not drink too much (um, yeah). But then, as always, I had the eternal dilemma of what to eat for dinner. It seemed like all of my friends were out of town, but my Friday night was going to feel pretty pathetic if I didn’t at least leave my apartment.
On the way home from work, I contemplated stopping at Coquette and having a little steak tartare and glass of red wine alone at the bar… but yeah, that seemed a little lonely. Later on, over some cheese and a Natural Light at home, I considered getting take-out pho from Sushi O… also depressing. Then I started thinking about sushi and I had to have it. Enter Ajisai.
After overcoming the internal debate of whether I wanted to eat alone in Cameron Village and potentially be seen by anybody I knew (who might think I was a total loser), I just said screw it because dammit, I wanted some good sushi… and I had a coupon for this place. Plus, they have uni here.
Of course there was a band playing in Cameron Village, almost no parking, and tons of people milling around. Great. All of the outdoor tables at Ajisai were full. I did a drive-by and started questioning my confidence. It’s so much easier to eat alone in a place where you don’t know anybody (and thus have no other option and little potential for the you-must-have-no-friends embarrassment). I almost turned around and resorted to take-out, but it looked like the bar was basically empty (bingo). Nobody stops me from getting the food that I want.
Yes! Seat at the bar beside the sushi chefs.
I’d been here once before and tried the tuna tartare and two rolls. This time I really wanted to do the uni (for the first time ever) and try some different things from their menu. I also didn’t want to totally stuff myself like I do most weekends.
Ajisai is a little different than the sushi restaurants around my apartment in Glenwood South and most of Raleigh. They don’t have BOGO rolls and they don’t do a ton of tempura/Japanese mayonnaise/cream cheese rolls (though they do have a few if you prefer). This works out great for me because with sushi I’m always trying to get as much raw fish as possible. Their stuff is creative and fresh. Like they-have-scallops-and-oysters-on-ice-at-the-bar-FRESHHHH.
Solo sake. (Not sure about those neon lights)
I sat at the bar and promptly ordered the $6 hot sake, because um, it was the weekend! I even chatted with another solo female at the bar who was in town from California and also “just wanted some damn sushi.”
After a few sips of sake, I was immediately rewarded for my courage in eating alone as the sushi chef passed me a plate of white tuna and said “For you, on the house.” HOORAY, dreams do come true! (And in case you haven’t heard, this is something that the best new restaurant in the country has started doing: giving a free dish to all solo diners.) Way to be awesome, Ajisai. That is service! (On the other hand, they could’ve just felt sorry for the girl staring at the sushi chefs drinking sake alone on Friday night.)
One of the best bites of the evening.
I told the waitress I had to try uni for the first time and also asked her to recommend an appetizer. At her suggestion I got the tuna dumplings, which are actually dumplings made out of thinly sliced raw tuna… and aren’t they beautiful?! They were delicious (though I could’ve eaten 5 of them) and filled with a wasabi mixture, topped with eatable flowers.
A little smaller portion size than I’d imagined…
I also got the tobiko (flying fish roe) to go alongside my uni. I had it the other week at Sushi O and was surprised how much I liked it- it’s very sweet and the texture of the roe is really fun. I could really insert a joke here about little balls bursting in your mouth… but I won’t.
Uni left, tobiko right. I don’t know if I’m ready for this…
My First Uni Experience
Well. I’m not going to lie. There’s a reason the pros suggest starting with something other than straight California Uni for your first uni experience. Maybe try it in your pasta, or try Japanese Uni, which is milder.
The editor of Lucky Peach magazine didn’t like uni the first time he tried it and now he’s absolutely obsessed. Bon Appetit even sent him on an uni quest to Japan to write about what he found there.
All of which is to say…
IT WAS REALLY WEIRD.
This is how it went:
I ask my sushi chef if I should eat it with the lemon he’d provided. He said, “Just a little.”
I squeeze two drops onto the uni. I smell it. Hmmm…
I ask my sushi chef if I should eat it all in one bite. I do not want to fuck this up. “Yes,” he answers.
I dip the rice into just a little bit of soy sauce. You know, I’m really trying to taste the uni. I put the whole thing into my mouth. The following are my thoughts:
“Oh no, too big. This is too much. This is going to be embarrassing. I can’t taste it ye… ohh there it is. Weird.”
“Ew, what is that? Sewage flavor? Oh gosh, is that a smell or a taste? Yuck. Gross.”
“What have I done? This is all in my mouth and dissolving quickly. Ahh!”
“God, this not the heavenly taste I expected at all. This is not what I have read about.”
“Oh, wait, maybe it’s more like dirt and not poop.”
“Really should have taken him up on that water refill when he asked.”
“Oh wait, ocean-y. Ah it’s gone. Hmm, earthy. Is that… umami?”
So yeah, I’m glad I tried it. But WOW it was not what I expected. BUT I am still open to uni in all its many forms. I will say no more about it.
Maybe my new favorite fish.
Not wanting to end on that near-traumatic experience, I asked the waitress to recommend one final piece of nigiri. I was quickly served a piece of Japanese Snapper (or “maid tai”) with a mini seaweed salad. It had a very clean taste with a rich buttery soft texture, and they’d added just a little touch of something spicy. Just what I needed to end on.
I finished my sake and headed home content and proud of myself for crossing uni off the list and eating alone… and having a damn good time in the process.
I saved the take-out pho for Saturday night. (Hey, I’m resting this weekend!)
Ajisai is located on 427 Woodburn Road in Cameron Village. They are open for lunch and dinner every day. It’s pretty new but they seem to have a good crowd most nights. I haven’t needed reservations yet. I will be returning for sure.
