Hitting the Sushi Trail at West Seattle’s Mashiko
Plus, Hershey capitulates; the Digest takes the credit.
We did it! Undoubtedly due to my scathing indictment1, Hershey capitulated. From the AP:
Hershey said Wednesday it will use classic recipes for all Reese’s products starting next year, a change that comes after the grandson of Reese’s founder criticized the company for shifting to cheaper ingredients.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have always been made with real milk chocolate or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small portion of Hershey’s and Reese’s products, like mini Easter eggs, are now made with a coating that contains less chocolate.
Hershey said that in 2027, it will shift those products to “their classic milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes.”
Does the shift mean Hershey will produce chocolate of a discerning quality? Almost certainly not, but I choose to believe that this is the beginning of the Big Chocolate Revolution.
Now on to our scheduled programming.
Mashiko Japanese Restaurant
I’m no sushi expert – my chopstick skills are shaky at best – but I do appreciate the craft. Any cuisine anchored in freshness and restraint deserves respect, particularly when it has an aesthetically creative bend. You don’t need to be an expert to appreciate sushi.
Mashiko, then. This West Seattle restaurant has been around since 1994 – a veritable eternity in restaurant years. The spot’s laid-back vibe doesn’t try to outshine the food, though that’s not to say Mashiko lacks personality. Their large cork wall gives off a distinct feel, but there is a subtlety to it. It’s contemporary rather than flashy.
There is an Omakase menu – effectively a chef’s-choice prix fixe2 – that clocks in between $130 to $225 depending on your choice. Not an outrageous proposition3, but as you need two hours to get through it, you’ll want to plan accordingly. Instead, we embraced a little-of-everything strategy, opting for the shareable route. Mashiko has a wide array of choices that don’t feel overwhelming. There are pleasant surprises to be found.
The Yaki Nasu, for example. I’m usually not an eggplant kind of guy, so naming it the evening’s top player feels weird. What set it apart? Maybe it’s something as simple as the grilled texture – soft, with a slight bite – or the pungent garlic sesame sauce. There’s not much more to the dish, and the complexities aren’t immediately apparent. A small selection of ingredients does an impressive amount of work – we even got a second order.
Sticking with vegetarian – or, in this case, vegan – highlights, the Nattō roll was another curveball. Nattō is fermented soybeans, so it probably won’t be everyone’s jam, but if you do like fermented vegetables, you’ll appreciate the kick. The funk really is funky. As an added bonus, it’s good for the stomach, which may be neither here nor there, but gut health is important. Get those probiotics in – you might as well take full advantage of the cuisine you’re enjoying.
Finally, if you want a suitable alternative to Omakase, the Sashimi Assortment gets you there – a smörgåsbord of sashimi and pickled vegetables. For those who believe in eating the whole prawn, head and all, that’s part of this package. (In this man’s opinion, the only proper way to eat shrimp.)
There is a large assortment on the plate, none of which is random. Trout and geoduck may sound like a weird combination, but they complement each other well, and the octopus adds its own je ne sais quoi. The dish is an eclectic melody of seafood and vegetables, all playing in harmony.
Grab a blood-orange shrub, and tack on a variety of rolls and nigiri – they’ll add up to a large meal that doesn’t feel sickingly filling. And that’s the power of clean, fresh flavors.
4725 California Ave SW, Seattle • Map • Web • Instagram
Resplandor’s Rêverie
Speaking of eclectic melodies – once in a while, we all need a bit of shoegaze in our lives. The indie-rock subgenre is dominated by fuzzy guitars with enough reverb and echo to sound like waves. Noise rock for people who don’t actually want too much noise. If you’re familiar with Slowdive, you get the gist of it.
Resplandor, meanwhile, is a Peruvian group that has seen success in Europe without making much of a dent stateside – they don’t even have a Wikipedia page. That is too bad, as their music is quite excellent in an atmospheric kind of way.
Check them out on Apple Music for more.
Merch for the People!
Don’t just read Awesomeness – wear it! This distinguished publication proudly features two official shirts – or magnets, stickers, or whatever medium you can think of: The Hallgrrrl and Zune. Why those? For one, the Hallmark channel and Riotgrrrl are, as I’ve said before, the natural combination. And, who doesn’t love the Zune?
Go shop at The Better Taster Boutique for only the finest goods.
Brad Reese’s open letter to Hershey might have had some impact, too, but I consider the Reese’s heir a brother in arms.
“Omakase” means “I trust you,” which is the perfect nomenclature for the concept.
By Seattle standards.