Where to find fugu in nyc

Enjoy the perfect mix of the traditional and the new at New York's oldest authentic Japanese restaurant -- now celebrating our 58th anniversary. Over the years, Kuraoka went to great extremes and constantly challenged himself by asking questions about what would fulfill his vision of making Japanese food the world-treasured cuisine it is today. After attending graduate school in the U. And if prepared improperly, yes, it can kill you.

One thousand times more potent than cyanide, even a tiny dose of tetrodotoxin acts as a paralytic, effectively disabling muscle tissue. The lips and tongue grow numb first, followed by full-body weakness, seizures, and coma. Death results due to respiratory arrest since the diaphragm, which enables lung expansion, is paralyzed or cardiac arrest.

And worse still, tetrodotoxin has no known antidote. In Japan, the fish is highly regulated: Grocery stores must secure a permit to stock fugu, and selling the whole fish is illegal.

Sushi chefs must train for years and pass an extraordinarily difficult written and hands-on exam before earning their fugu license. The fish is illegal in the European Union and is cleaned and stripped of most toxins before shipment to the United States, where only a dozen chefs are licensed to serve it.

And fugu appears on his menu for several months in the winter, when blowfish are in season. Walking into Sushi Zen, I felt like I was joining a game of Russian roulette—my stomach was, quite literally, in knots. But as soon as I sat down in front of Suzuki, my fears were dispelled.

This is a man with magic hands. He fearlessly shreds a cucumber into uniform matchsticks, using a knife the length of his forearm, in the blink of an eye. He tosses nori over burning charcoal, bare-fingered, to give his hand rolls the perfect crunch. He whips clumps of rice into classically formed sushi nigiri within seconds.

A sushi chef at Suzuki Jenny G. More From Eater NY. Sign up for the newsletter Eater NY Sign up for our newsletter. Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a welcome email. And a couple of years ago five people were sent to the hospital after eating fugu liver in a hot pot. But diners at Suzuki and Satsuki should have nothing to worry about. Each restaurant will present fugu in different ways. Plus, get digital edition access and a free tote bag. Travel Destinations Hotels Resorts Spas.

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