Northshore Magazine

Northshore April 2019

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1104799

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 106 of 131

105 master Steve Weng's hand whips around inside a steaming vat of sushi rice, and in a second or two, he is holding a compact ball. It looks airy and light—not at all densely packed—yet the individual grains cling together in a perfect shape, awaiting a sliver of raw fish. As the base for many sushi dishes, the rice requires an artful touch, explains Weng, who can be found behind the sushi bar at Feng Shui Restaurant in Burlington. If the rice is packed too tightly, it throws off the balance of the dish. And sushi is all about balance; from the delicate slices of fish to the heat from the wasabi, the right touch means the difference between delight and disappointment. It always starts with the rice. In fact, the word sushi actually refers to rice seasoned with vinegar—it doesn't need to include fish at all to be sushi. If the dish includes raw fish but no rice, it technically isn't sushi, but rather sashimi. Raw fish was first combined with vinegared rice in China more than a thousand years ago, as a way to preserve the fish, but it was adopted by Japan soon after, where it was elevated to an art form At its core, sushi seems simple. ere's very little cooking, if any, and precious few ingredients. But anyone who eats sushi, or has seen the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi, knows that a piece of raw tuna from one place could be a completely different experience from a piece of raw tuna someplace else. While the freshness and quality of the fish have an impact, of course, the bright colors of the filets and garnishes, carefully arranged, are an important part of the dish. Even the way the fish is cut, with the grain or against, thin or thick, can affect the way it looks and tastes— and the diner's overall experience. "People think sushi is simple, but it's not," says Frank Zheng, CFO at Feng Shui. "Sushi masters are like magicians. You know there is a trick, but you can't figure it out." At Feng Shui, chef Weng draws inspiration globally for his creations. His menu includes a tuna "taco"—a crispy wonton formed into a shell, holding a mixture of Cajun-spiced tuna, avocado, and impossibly small squares of Left, Frank Zheng is the CFO of Feng Shui. Opposite page, tuna wasabi dumblings Sushi

Articles in this issue

view archives of Northshore Magazine - Northshore April 2019