While you can eat sushi by itself, this popular Japanese dish is often served with accompanying sides and sauces. The following sides enhance the flavors and even promote food safety.

Top 3 Sushi Accompaniments

1. Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is often provided at restaurants for you to dip your sushi in. It’s even used as a marinade in select sushi rolls. In addition to offering a strong salty flavor, soy sauce has a sterilizing effect, killing bacteria present in the food to help minimize the risks of eating raw fish.

2. Pickled Ginger

Pickled ginger, also known as gari, isn’t necessarily meant to be eaten with the sushi. Instead, it’s used as a palate cleanser. A small dab of gari between different menu items will give you a fresh start that makes it easier to fully appreciate the unique flavors of each dish. It also boosts the immune system. 

While some people place a small slice of gari on top of their sushi, this is frowned upon in traditional establishments.

3. Wasabi

Like soy sauce, wasabi’s taste and smell can offer new dimensions to sushi. As a natural deodorizer, it can reduce the smell of raw fish, which can be off-putting to some. Wasabi also helps keep the fish fresh and reduces bacteria germination.

However, it’s considered rude to ask for wasabi if it isn’t offered to you by the restaurant. In this case, the chef has likely already seasoned each item to enhance the flavor.

For tasty sushi and poke bowls, choose Aloha Cones in Honolulu, HI. Since opening in 2013, this restaurant has become a local favorite thanks to its modern twists on classic Asian cuisine, even winning the Best of Honolulu Magazine award for best poke bowl. Check out their menu, as well as takeout and catering options, online, or give them a call at (808) 842-7653 to place an order.