Journals

Sushi!

February 28, 2013   

I realize now that a crucial piece of information was left out of my last post about lunchtime.  In fact, to my utter shock, I have let a massive hole develop in my journal entries for the past few months—ignoring a huge component of life on the Hill.   That component is: sushi for lunch.

Yes, Hamilton students are blessed with sushi for lunch every weekday in Commons dining hall.  A mix of fresh vegetables, fish, rice and seaweed comes together to form a delicious and satisfying noontime meal.  Each roll is made right before your eyes; no prefabricated boxes of bland super-market sushi stalk our dining halls. Better yet, you can take as much as you like—all you can eat sushi.

I will admit that Hamilton’s sushi is nothing fancy.  I have yet to see scallop, octopus or eel on the menu; we stick with much more traditional seafood like crab, tuna and salmon.  Additionally, Hamilton’s sushi does not actually use raw fish—a cooking decision that is perfectly acceptable to me.  Most chefs would be hard-pressed to find sushi-quality fish in upstate New York.

I support our modest sushi.  Commons is not overly ambitious, and therefore the chefs can focus on producing high-quality rolls with very simple ingredients.  They have found their niche.  In fact, the Commons California Roll stands up to most restaurant-grade sushi that I have tasted.

It used to be that sushi rolls were made to-order.  Given a whole array of ingredients – ranging from cucumber to red bell pepper to spicy mayonnaise – you could design a roll all for yourself.  However, at the start of second semester, Commons changed its sushi service.  Now, they offer a fixed menu of two different roles that changes on a daily basis.  It’s still good sushi, but it lacks that individual flair.

Sushi at Hamilton is a delicious option.   Often times, I end up going back to the sushi stand for seconds and maybe thirds.  A spicy tuna roll from Commons makes my week that much brighter.