Japanese food in Rome

Though sushi is now available at most neighborhood supermarket — usually displayed between the pre-boiled spinach and the vacuum packed slices of pink Parma ham, and maki and wasabi have become highly popular — there's still no telling just what you're getting.

I recently had an informal chat with a Rome sushi chef, who gave me a better idea what to look out for. As I nibbled on perfectly carved slivers of unaghi and warm pods of salted edamame, he explained that the Japanese define their cuisine as Sappari: clean, orderly, light.

After a number of basic tips, most focused on sushi and sashimi, my chef reminded me that eating these traditional recipes is a ritual before being a pleasure, which leads me to where you can "enjoy" that ritual in Rome.

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Photo by Andrea Di Lorenzo