There are plenty of issues that come up when looking for a sushi set, many of which might not spring immediately to mind. Not every set is created for the same purpose or audience: One Japanese sushi set might be better suited to someone who is new to sushi in general, while other sushi sets are tailor-made for more experienced people who are looking for subtlety and high grade materials. Both approaches are complete and valid and depend highly on the experience level of the person who will eventually own the set.
So what kinds of things should you be considering when purchasing? Here are a few of the most important factors:
Number of Pieces
This factor really comes into play when you consider how much separation you like between the different types of sushi (and other food items) being served. The more separate plates that you have, the more separation you can achieve. While this may seem like a purely aesthetic concern, do consider the fact that you may want to share your sushi with friends or family. More plates will mean a better ability to pass the food around to a larger number of people.
Physical Features of the Plates
This is one that trips a lot of people up, but there’s no need to stress about it. Simply consider whether you are going to want sushi set plates that have curved or up-turned edges: Would this feature better suit your sushi eating style? The answer is going to be different for everyone. For instance, one might like to park a little bit of ginger or wasabi on the up-turned curve of the plate for more efficient placement on each sushi roll. Other people will simply prefer a straightforward plate design that allows each food item to sit on a flat surface without toppling over or mixing in with everything else.
Design
Color and texture are absolutely essential to a great sushi experience, so give careful consideration to what will best spark your imagination and hunger. Some people will invariably go for the stark white minimalist sushi plate, a style that has been steadily gaining in popularity for years now. On the other hand, there are plenty of beautiful sushi sets that feature dark plates with striking lines of bold color that flow throughout, almost drawing a map on the plate which will guide you through the sushi eating experience.
Price
If you’re not absolutely sure about how dedicated you are going to be to the world of sushi, why not start with a smaller investment? This will allow you to ease into this wonderful food experience without having to worry about dropping a bunch of money on something that may not be well-suited to your dietary needs a few months down the line. My best advice is to buy something that is made out of high quality materials, but don’t worry about too many fancy aesthetic features until you’re totally comfortable with making sushi a regular part of your diet.
And that’s all there is to it! Don’t worry if the instructions aren’t perfectly clear to you the first time. The foundation to all of this is that you must practice for a while with the rest of your sushi set. All the seemingly intricate placements and movements in eating with chopsticks is functional, allowing you to execute a “pinching” motion with the ends of the sticks. Of course, it’s most fun to practice with some actual food, so break out that sushi set and try picking up some delicious food items with those chopsticks. The tasty morsels waiting for you at the end of those sticks will be a wonderful incentive to keep practicing and improving your technique!