Isaki from Ehime — and How to Torch the Skin
This week we are receiving Isaki (伊佐木, Chicken Grunt) from Ehime Prefecture — a white-fleshed fish with a beautiful, delicate flavor and a skin that responds to heat in a way that makes torching practically mandatory. Isaki is not a fish you encounter often in the United States; it is one of those ingredients that is highly regarded in Japan and almost absent from Japanese restaurants overseas because it doesn't survive the import chain as reliably as Bluefin or Uni.
The flesh is clean and slightly sweet, similar in register to Madai but with a more pronounced savory depth. As sashimi it is excellent. But the preparation that makes the most of Isaki specifically is skin-on aburi (炙り): leave the skin intact, place the slice skin-side up, and run a torch across the surface for five to eight seconds. The skin doesn't just color — it releases a specific aroma, nutty and subtly smoky, that is not present in the raw fish at all. The contrast between the warm, fragrant surface and the cool, clean interior is one of the better things you can experience with a piece of white fish.
You need a kitchen torch for this. We carry them at the counter alongside gas cartridges if you need one.
Hokkaido Uni — Three Boxes This Week
Three boxes of Hokkaido Uni will be available this week — a small but genuine allocation outside the normal October season. When Uni appears in December, it tends to be from a specific late-season harvest where the quality is still high but volume is limited. Reserve online — three boxes is three boxes.
Holiday Gift Ideas at Rice Market
Rice Market has a thoughtful selection of kitchen and dining gift items for the holiday season — Japanese knives, ceramics, pantry items, specialty foods from producers we trust. If you're looking for something more considered than the standard gift options and want to give something connected to food and cooking culture, it's worth an hour in the shop. Tell the counter you're from Sashimi DC. And say hello to the fishmonger while you're there.
Isaki aburi timing: The skin is thin and torches quickly — five seconds is usually enough. Watch for the skin to begin to lift slightly from the fat underneath; that's the signal that the heat has done its work. Eat within thirty seconds of torching. The aroma is volatile and fades faster than you'd expect.