It's hard to miss the special holiday issue of Cityfold Magazine (http://www.cityfold.com ) since its cover (http://www.austinsushi.com/newsletter_images/cityfold.html ) features model Juliana Gilchrist with bits of Japanese hors d'oeuvres down her spine, compliments of Uchi head sushi chef Tyson Cole. Cole is interviewed along with chef de cuisine Andrew Bell of Wink and David Garrido, executive chef at Jeffrey's. Cityfold is a high-quality, locally owned and produced, magazine that is also free. You can usually find a copy at your favorite local coffeeshop. Yum!

Side note: In practice, body sushi (pieces of sushi served on the mostly naked body of a female model) is proving to be controversial for the U.S.

As reported in the last edition of Austin Sushi News, Tanoshii, the sushi bar located in Round Rock across from Dell Computer, has been sold. It has been reborn as Blue Fin with a more "traditional" look and feel.

Blue Fin
661 Louis Henna Boulevard #300
Round Rock, Texas
Phone: (512) 716-1688

Sushi Nichii, on the other hand, will be closing this week. It may become a sandwich and tea bar.

Sushi Niichi
705A W. 24th Street
Phone: (512) 469-7424

No matter. For a mere $55, you can hang out in Central Market's professional classroom facility and learn from a local master. It's Hands On Sushi 101 taught by Tim Thomas, head sushi chef of Origami. Menu includes Miso Soup, inside-Out Spicy Tuna Roll, Albacore Nigiri with Ponzu Sauce, Salmon Roll, and Fried Shrimp Roll. Lick, smack, chomp!

Central Market Cooking School January Classes (http://www.centralmarket.com/cm/cmClasses-A_NL.jsp )

2004 Dates for this class:

January 29th
February 19th
March 25th
April 29th

So sez this article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33261-2003Dec26.html ) from the Washington Post which details the export of Japanese culture fads to the rest of the world.

"Sushi, once an urban trend, has become as globally ubiquitous as the Big Mac. Brazil's Veja Magazine reported this month that there are now more sushi restaurants than Brazilian barbeques in Sao Paulo, South America's largest city, where residents consume an estimated 278 sushi rolls per minute. And in Paris, on the Rue de la Gaite, the entire street has filled with sushi restaurants over just the past two years, said Patrice Jorland, cultural attache at the French Embassy in Tokyo.

We couldn't miss the new sushi offerings in Whole Foods' deli case. Their previous mix of simple vegetarian and (mostly cooked) sushi have been replaced by a full line of raw fish nigiri and other standard sushi bar fare.

It turns out that Kikka Sushi, a California-based corporate sushi giant that employs sushi chefs in various cities to make sushi at Whole Foods stores, now has employees in Austin. Every morning, those employees make sushi inside the Whole Foods stores and place it in the refrigerated deli section.

While we here at Austinsushi.com are always somewhat suspicious of raw fish being sold in supermarkets, at least we know that the fish never sits around in the deli case for more than a day. One excited Whole Foods employee pointed out that they get to take home any leftover sushi EVERY day! Woot!

You saw it in the 1993 movie, Rising Sun (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107969/ ), when the affluent Japanese businessman eats sushi off of a naked woman's body. Now it may be available from a caterer near you.

Part of a larger trend in "interactive" dining events, body sushi is, simply put, pieces of sushi served on the mostly naked body of a young female model. The "sushi" woman is required to lie on a table perfectly still for up
to three hours. There is a pillow for her head and she may speak to guests if she wishes, but mostly she has to concentrate on steady breathing and other muscle control.

Since we first reported on this sushi gig almost two years ago (http://www.austinsushi.com/news/archive/news1201.html ), DK's disco sushi night at Seoul Sushi Bar has become something of an Austin legend.

Every Monday night, owner DK dons his fur-fringed super-pimp garb with deluxe afro wig headgear and becomes the Korean Superfly -- emcee of a somewhat wild disco karaoke party featuring sushi and lots of sake bombs (beer + sake shots).

You may also have heard allegations of sexual misconduct, lewd behaviour, unsavory drunkenness, and nasty foul-mouthed invectives. I recently investigated these allegations and can assure you that they are all true. In fact, they're even listed on the menu.

DK will not be elected Governor anytime soon, but his sushi bar is standing room only every Monday night (get there early to assure prompt seating).

[yawn] I've lost count, but I think that Arirang Sushi is Austin's 35th sushi bar, and, like, the 12th new sushi bar in the past three years. Feel the excitement as we herald the coming of another new sushi bar. [stretch][yawn] I'm just so pumped with this news that I'm going to go eat some tuna fish packed in sunflower oil and finish it off with a mini-can of Pringle's.

Ok, I'm back. The business model for sushi must be looking good because Arirang opened up directly across the street from another sushi bar, Sake On Sixth. Arirang Sushi is a Korean-owned establishment that features "Bibimbab & Noodles" as well as the usual sushi treats.

The Austin Chronicle's 2003 restaurant poll is in. While reading these results, keep in mind that Ronald Reagan was elected in a landslide and there are 3 million Scientologists in the world. With that in mind, these results don't seem that odd.

Critics Picks: Japanese Food
Mikado

Critics Picks: Sushi
Umi

Readers Picks: Japanese Food
Kyoto, Mikado
Runners-up:
Musashino, Kenichi, Ichiban

Readers Picks: Sushi
Kenichi
Runners-up:
Musashino, Umi, Kyoto
Honorable Mention:
Sushi Sake, Mikado, Ichiban, Pango Tea Bar

Full Austin Chronicle 2003 restaurant poll results (http://www.auschron.com/gba

Yeah, yeah, yeah. More sushi bars.

Sushi, like video games and booze, is immune to fluctuations in the local economy. I'm keenly aware of this fact because I'm still playing Team Fortress, drinking strawberry margaritas, and eating sushi despite the local economy's rapid descent into the toilet.

I blame technology for my lack of motivation. Or rather, I harness technology to encourage my sluggishness. Either way, I don't even have to get out of my slouching position in front of the TV to write this 'cause the Austin Sushi Forums are abuzz with all the dirt on sushi in Austin......

Tanoshii is now open in Round Rock, right across from the Dell Computer campus on Louis Henna Blvd. Check out one visitor's review in the forums.