My Guide to Sushi

So living in New York, take-out and eating out is a big part of the lifestyle here.  After a long day at work, take-out is typically my go-to if I don't have any leftovers in the fridge.  Going gluten-free really forced me to change most of my "routine" orders.  I have always had a love of sushi and did some research to figure out how I could still enjoy eating out at my local Japanese restaurants.

To see more of my tips on eating out gluten-free see my other post!

Here are my tips...

Appetizers

• Edamame (GF) - delicious soy beans, usually with a bit of salt.  Filling, healthy, bit of protein, fun to share with friends, and a great way to start a meal.  
• Green salad (GF) - I usually get this with every meal.  I love the carrot-ginger dressing.  Just make sure that it doesn't have any soy sauce in it.  Most places I have gone to don't have any in theirs, but you should always ask.  
• Miso Soup - Miso soup may seem harmless, but miso is another source of "hidden gluten" - read here

The Sushi Itself

I generally eat rolls with salmon, tuna, or yellowtail with avocado or cucumber.  Or a combination of these.  My place can adapt their specialty rolls to my needs by not adding "crunch" or leaving off the special sauce.  

Here are some other things you should stay away from in your favorite sushi restaurant...

• Tempura flakes - Anything tempura, anything with "crunch"in the description, sweet potato rolls (generally fried sweet potato)
• Soy Sauce - You are going to have to give up dunking your sushi in soy sauce.  Don't worry you This pesky source of "hidden gluten" is not only on your table, but in several dishes as well.  If you are ordering something for the first time, just make sure you ask about soy sauce.  

• Eel or Unagi - Eel almost always comes with soy sauce on it.
• Teriyaki - Teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce.

G-Free Solutions

• Tamari (GF) - While soy sauce is made with a combo of wheat and soybeans, San-J's GF Tamari sauce is 100% soy beans.  I find it pretty salty and never really use it, but know people that really like it.  You could also use it in recipes too.  

• Wasabi (GF) - Yes that green stuff that comes in your sushi platter.  It produces a kind of heat that is similar to mustard or horseradish (actually all in the same plant family), in that you feel it in your nose more than on your tongue like the spice chiles.  I used to put it in soy sauce, so you could mix it in with tamari.  I love it so much that I put a small blob on each piece of sushi.
• Special sauces or spicy mayo - ask for a side of one of the places sauces that don't have soy sauce in them.