According to lead developer Masahiko Noguchi, sushitrainer.com took five years to complete, and the new online sushi chef training site had three top Los Angeles-based sushi chefs involved from start to finish. For a mere $10 monthly tuition fee, the site offers you over 170 different classes (totalling some 7,000 web pages). They unofficially launched on September 1st, and, by the way, anyone can take their online classes -- not just sushi chefs. Here's the quick bullet-point list:

• Online real-time interactive video instruction
• 3-Way rotating instruction center for multimedia E-learning
• Downloadable Lessons, recipies, nutritional data in PDF format
• Over 300 Videos and over 10,000 photos
• Professional instruction from beginning to advanced sushi training.
• Online Note taking system
• Message board
• User administration center
• Study at your own pace
• Quick phone and email support
• Resource and Links on how to obtain tools and sushi equipment

If you dig sake, and your're not planning on attending "the largest sake tasting event outside of Japan," then have a sake event in Austin, k? Otherwise, you can go to Honolulu (August), New York (September), or San Francisco (October), and experience "300 sakes in peak condition and a splendid array of appetizers." Check out the web site for details.

If you happen to be in New York City, check out their first sake store, Sakaya, in the East Village. If you're in San Francisco, you'll want to visit True Sake in the Hayes Valley neighborhood.

But if you're like me, and your idea of a good time is double-fisting cans of Funaguchi Kikusui while cruising over the 290/I-35 North ramp at 95mph while singing along to "Kiseki", then you're probably living in the wrong city (except for the I-35 ramp part). If you're lucky, though, you can find the booze, er, sake, down at that wacky liquor superstore, Specs, which now has three Austin locations.

A sure sign that sushi-mania has gotten its cultural second wind is when books arrive to give us the historical and sociological background that we so desperately don't need. Still, if you've always wanted to know the history of sushi, as well as details about the infrastructure that delivers it to your local sushi bar, these books are pretty interesting. To find out what books I'm talking about, check out the book review in the New York Times by novelist Jay McInerny -- it's a good read. You may need to login to read it (go to bugmenot.com to get credentials).

We've reported on Nyotaimori (body sushi - eating sushi off a woman's body) in past issues of Austin Sushi News, but we hadn't talked about a related endeavor which is Wakamezake (also called wakame sake and seaweed sake), a somewhat sexy-time act involving drinking alcohol from a woman's body. According to Wikipedia, the woman closes her legs tight enough that the triangle between the thighs and mons pubis form a cup, and then pours sake down her chest into this triangle. Her partner then drinks the sake from there. The name comes from the idea that the woman's pubic hair in the sake resembles soft seaweed floating in the sea. This one may even be too wild for DK's pimpalicious karaoke sushi nights (after 7pm Monday nights at Seoul Sushi Bar). Is that a challenge? Yes!

Went to Odaku with my family. The sushi was not good at all. I had spicy tuna and spicy salmon. The miso soup was horrible. My husband and daughter enjoyed their chicken terriyaki, and beef terriyaki. It was tasty, but I went for the sushi and was so disappointed.

Tokyo Bowl, Houston (more like Clear Lake Area)... has the best sushi! Its small, and cramped.. but the food is amazing!!

As you know, we've got fun branded clothing and goodies in our Cafepress store, but we now also have an Amazon A-store which is filled with Japanese cookware, foodstuffs, and other junk. Check it out here

If you've been living in a cave, or living in Austin, you probably missed SushiMasters 2006, the mega-spectacular sushi-making contest in Sacramento, California, the heart of the U.S. sushi rice industry. No matter, we've got many photos for you to salivate over.

We're happy that our friends are happy. And we mean Dishola.com. Find the sushi and other dishes fast! Congratulations to our favorite (other) food site. :-D

If you are ever in town, try Samurai's Japanese Restaurant located in Solana Beach/Rancho Santa Fe area. Not only does this restaurant have awesome ambience, their sushi is top quality. My boyfriend and I enjoy the sashimi; it's fresh and melts in your mouth EVERY single time. Try their chef special roll if you get a chance. It's a baked scallop roll that will definitely fill you up. Samurai's lunch and dinner entrees are delicious too. We enjoy the scallop tempura. I would highly recommend this restaurant for fine japanese dining and service. Price isn't that bad either. Check it out! It's a sushi must!!!! *****