I write this post with a heavy heart. I have yet to have sushi in Victoria and not become sick by it. It's usually just a very mild sickness, like some bloating and stomach cramps mostly. It's still always unfortunate though. Sushi is a very deceiving food--outwardly, its just rice, seaweed and fish. But once you deconstruct it, something terrifying happens; you realize it's something you just risk anymore.
If you're just adhering to a gluten-free diet because it's a healthier option for you, but if you don't get 'gluten-poisoning', then you can skip this part if you like.
If you have celiac disease, you cannot ingest more than 20 parts per million of gluten. That is a very narrow margin to work with--lets say its the equivalent of a single breadcrumb that attached itself to your gluten-free bread while using someone else's toaster. It's dangerous stuff, and while you might not feel physical symptoms of gluten-poisoning right away, the gluten WILL cause harm to your body, and this prolonged harm can lead to intestinal cancers.
Depressed yet? Sorry. I promise there will be light at the end of this tunnel (this post).
Going out for sushi is a gluten cross-contamination nightmare. Many sushi rolls, the 'special' ones included, like the tempura roll, unagi roll, spider roll, California roll and so on contain LOTS of gluten. Those rolls are made with all the same equipment that YOUR rolls are made on. The same work surface is used, the same bamboo rolling mats, the same knives for cutting the roll...its a gluten-dirty place!
Even more depressing...there can be wheat in pretty much anything at the sushi bar: the wasabi paste (I'm not lying), the pickled ginger (I wish I was lying), and even the rice itself can be seasoned with ingredients that contain wheat, like "seasoned rice vinegar" (I'm still not lying).
As many celiacs will do when dining out, one usually asks the servers and the chefs regarding gluten in the food. One might even call in advance. Unfortunately, there can be a language barrier, or even a misunderstanding on the restaurants behalf on what to check for when looking for gluteny ingredients.
With all this being said, it's always been a real risk when enjoying some Japanese cuisine. If any of my readers know of a place in Victoria that is really diligent when it comes to accommodating gluten allergies, please let me know!
The light at the end of this tunnel: make your own sushi! It's not hard to do, although it won't be perfect sushi as sushi chefs have years of intense training. You can make your own sushi for a fraction of the price, and no stomach ache. I really like the idea of having sushi parties: invite some friends over and ask them all to bring a sushi protein, like shrimp, smoked salmon, even raw tuna from a Japanese grocer. I'll post my recipe soon for making sushi rice, a list of products you'll need to have, and I'll provide instruction on how to make your own rolls.
[Image courtesy of Google Images]
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