This Week's Fish
Bafun Uni in two sizes is available again this week. Hotaruika (Firefly Squid) is available — already boiled at the port, ready to eat after removing the eyeballs. Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna in all cuts as always. Reserve Uni online before coming in.
Japanese Trade Delegates in Washington — A Note from the Counter
Japanese trade delegates are in Washington this week for talks with US counterparts on tariffs and trade policy. Secretary Bessent is among those involved in the discussions. We follow this closely — not as an abstraction but as a direct operational concern. The import costs for our fish move with tariff policy in real time.
We will say this without excessive drama: the quality of the fish we bring from Japan speaks for itself. It is Ikejime-processed, sourced from farms that have won national competitions, and air-shipped to DC within 48 hours of harvest. The policy environment around its import is something we navigate; the product itself is not negotiable.
We remain hopeful that the ongoing trade discussions lead to an outcome that keeps the best Japanese ingredients accessible to the American market at fair prices. In the meantime, we continue to operate and absorb or pass through costs as honestly as we can.
April Pairing Events Sold Out — May 4 Still Has Seats
The April 28th Wine & Fish Pairing tickets sold out quickly after release. The AAPI Heritage Month Wine Tasting on May 4th with Six Cloves Wines and Shiba Wichern Cellars still has a limited number of seats available. This is the meet-the-producers event — both Sonoe Hirabayashi and Akiko Shiba will be at Rice Market in person. If you have been to our wine and fish pairings before, you know the format; this edition has the added dimension of being able to speak directly with the winemakers. Check Rice Market's event page for tickets →
Rice Market Events This Week
Two events happening at Rice Market worth knowing about this week: @shinobipaws and @jingspalate are hosting a cocktail and food event with a Haiku reading — the combination of craft cocktails, small plates, and Japanese poetry that Rice Market does better than anywhere else in DC. Check the Rice Market Ticketleap page for details and remaining tickets.
Goodfellow Family Cellars — Coming to Rice Market
One more wine note: Goodfellow Family Cellars from Oregon will be carried at Rice Market soon. Goodfellow is one of the most respected small producers in the Willamette Valley — their sparkling wines in particular have a precision and age-worthiness that puts them in conversation with serious Champagne. We have already tasted their Whistling Ridge 2013 and it was remarkable — proof that Oregon sparkling wine can develop beautifully over a decade. More details on their arrival at Rice Market to follow.
On Hotaruika preparation: The boiled-at-port version requires only that you remove the hard, small eyeballs before eating — pinch and pull, five seconds per squid. No cooking needed. Serve with a little vinegared miso (sumiso) if you have it, or simply with soy sauce and a squeeze of Sudachi or lemon. They are best eaten at room temperature rather than cold from the refrigerator.