BLOWFISH

I ventured to Japan last weekend on a visa run. I decided to take the overnight cruise to Shimonoseki. It’s located on the southern most part of the mainland and is commonly known in Japan as THE place to eat the infamous, ever-poisonous, fugu (blowfish).

For those of you unfamiliar with this particular fish, if it’s not prepared exactly right, the consumer will almost certainly die instantly upon ingestion, suffering, first from paralysis, then asphyxiation. A sushi chef must train for years to pass a crazy-strict test to become licensed to serve the deadly fish (on average, only 35% pass).

So needless to say, I decided I had no choice but to eat this fish. Here we go:

3:15pm – Sitting at the table, looking over the menu. My heart is beating somewhat.

3:17pm. – I glance at the other tables… nobody is eating blowfish. A sign maybe?

3:20pm – Buzz the server. Reluctantly point to the blowfish set. She smiles and nods. WTF… why am I doing this?!!!!

3:22pm – Buzz the server again. Order Japanese liquor. A big fucking glass!

3:28pm – I’ve eaten some strange shit in my life (live, squirming octopus tops that list), but this is clearly different.

3:30pm – Just finished my prayer. Told God, that if I was going to die, I might as well die doing something I love (eating) in one of my 3 favorite places on earth (Japan).

3:31pm – Retracted that prayer… told him I was being a retard and to please, please let me live.

3:33pm – It’s here…

3:35pm – Been studying the meal in front of me. It’s one thing to try a single piece of this fish, but quite another to eat it in 5 different ways! Blowfish soup, blowfish tempura, blowfish sashimi, blowfish with rice and breaded blowfish. This is stupid.

3:36pm – Hand the camera to the server. Feel like I have a better chance of surviving if video is rolling (although she thought she was taking a pic and stopped the video mid bite).

3:37pm – I’m chewing the deadliest fish in history. I’m swallowing it. I’m waiting. I’m still alive. Only a whole platter left.

3:41pm – Beginning to feel a mild tingle on my tongue. Can’t be a good thing.

I learned the sensation in my mouth was from some poison that the chef always leaves on the fish. It’s not enough to kill someone, just enough to feel the slight effect. In the end, the tail section (the tempura) was awesome. The sashimi was good, but a little chewy. The other parts were forgettable as far as flavor is concerned.

Not worth dying for by any means. This fish is as much a novelty as anything.