Questions about Sushi and Cream Cheese

[musiclover]

Hi everyone. I am supposed to meet some friends tomorrow and we are going to a Japanese restaurant. Does anyone know what Sushi is safe to order for the IC diet? I think California Rolls are out since they have avocado :tsk: which I think is on the "may be okay" list, but I haven't experimented with it yet.

Also, cream cheese is on the safe list. I noticed that cream cheese has cheese cultures in it. Is that safe?

[kadi]

I've been ok with cream cheese in the block form, cream cheese in the tub tends to have acidic preservatives.

I've avoided avocado rolls because the rice is sprinkled with vinegar to quick-cool it for rolling. But I'm also deathly allergic to fish and also allergic to soy so I don't even set foot in Japanese or Chinese restaurants.

Maybe someone else will have a good suggestion for you?!
Hope you find something that works well for you.

[baaaby11]

Kadi's right about the vinegar in rice.
Vinegar is almost always added to the sushi rice.

[Pucca]

Sushi minus the rice is called sashimi. And many sushi bars have a menu item which is a large bowl of rice with sashimi slices; I think it's called chirashi-zushi but don't quote me on that. The rice in the chirashi-zushi is most likely sushi rice, which does have vinegar in it, but maybe you could ask them to use regular rice. Another option is a non-sushi item, which a lot of these places have, like tempura. (I've been okay with tempura; although it is usually dipped in a soy-based sauce you could eat it plain or maybe you can get away with small amounts, which is what I do.)

I know that before my IC I used to ask for creations that I didn't see on the menu, and they were fine with making stuff up for me. So hopefully if you need to ask them to modify something, it won't be a problem.

Good luck!

[Goldfinch]

The posters above are correct: if you order sushi, which means a slab of fish or something else on top of a finger of rice, the rice will be vinegared. If you order sashimi, which is just raw fish, you will get a side of rice that does not have vinegar in it. I believe that handrolls and other rolls also have vinegared rice.

If you don't like raw fish, tempura is a very good bet. A mixed tempura would usually include shrimp and vegetables that are typically IC friendly, such as stringbeans, yam or sweet potatoes, squash, mushroom, broccoli and carrots. Just don't dip it in the sauce, which does have soy sauce in it. If you are avoiding all soy don't drink the miso soup, of course.

[musiclover]

Thank you, thank you! This is great info everyone!

[leelee88]

Ok I am going to say this.. I am VERY sensitive to regular vinegar BUT for some ODD reason I can tolerate rice vinegar which is usually what they use in their rice!. I would ask though. AND if your going to try this ONLY try a small amount the first time..I would stick more with the sashimi to begin with and only small amounts of anything else..

As far as the avocado they will usually leave things out if you ask them. The people here at the Sushi restaurant know me by name, that is how often I go..Just do not get any fish that is smoked. And I do not use any of the sauces!

[ethnograph]

Are you guys eating wasabi on the sushi? That's the part that scares me.

Thanks, Linda

[Briza]

I am vinegar sensitive but I can tolerate it in the small amount that sushi rice has, it seems.
Wasabi in small amounts ok for me, soy sauce in even smaller amounts...that is only on a good day, mind you. Miso soup also iffy even on a very good day.
Avocado NEVER a problem for me:bow::bow::bow:

[Goldfinch]

I haven't ordered sushi in recent memory that had wasabi in it. The wasabi is always on the side, and I just stay away from it. I can eat a spicy tuna roll, but I am pretty sure that the heat in that comes from a different product, and it isn't wasabi. But I am able to eat moderately spicy foods, and many are not.

[amartaingirl]

i am ok w/ california roll and cream chesse

[an0bgobeloba]

i've really wanted to try sushi but have never had the opportunity. this thread makes me want it even more!!! thanks for sharing all the tips ladies...and also possibly gentlemen :)

like some one else hear said, cream cheese is normally ok, but only the block kind...not the tub! i've found that the walmart brand has fewer ingredients than the leading brand. fewer ingredients makes me feel like its healthier. :)