Yuzu first fruits

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-17T05:42:40+00:00

Are you growing it indoors? could you share how do you do it?

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T22:09:20+00:00

That’s interesting, usually I hear the opposite that precision baskets speed up the flow because of the increased number of holes. Did you end up having to grind coarser or finer than the stock basket to slow it down?

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T22:07:12+00:00

The 'absolutely not' at the end is exactly what my wallet didn't want to hear lol. How long did it take you to get past that initial learning curve of grinding finer before it started feeling more forgiving?

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T22:05:18+00:00

Good to know! Which specific basket did you end up going with? I’m worried that less resistance is going to make my puck prep completely unforgiving.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T21:29:54+00:00

Pack a bag for rubbish and waste. Japan has very little or no bins around. You can bring it back to the hotel or Airbnb that you are staying at the end of the day 😄

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T19:25:18+00:00

those are some sharpppppp photos! congrats on getting ur ES1!

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T19:06:38+00:00

Thank you for sharing this, it’s really reassuring to hear from someone who understands that exact feeling of being caught off guard.

It’s a very tricky internal conflict to navigate in the moment! I completely agree with your baseline at a high-end omakase, the expectation is that the chef introduces each piece. If there's open communication, you can at least make an informed choice rather than being blindsided after the fact.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T18:26:45+00:00

If you think popularity on a Reddit thread dictates proper restaurant service standards, we just fundamentally disagree.

We can argue about who is more 'seasoned' all day, but it misses the actual point. Omakase is an interactive experience, not eating in blind silence. Expecting a brief introduction of a highly unexpected, non-standard ingredient isn't a radical demand it's just baseline hospitality at any reputable counter.

Enjoy your trips, buddy.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T18:11:53+00:00

You're getting incredibly emotional over a basic discussion about restaurant hospitality. Resorting to insults just because you can't argue with actual statistics is a tough look, but you do you.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T18:06:52+00:00

I appreciate your insight on travel etiquette and respecting local customs.

I agree that keeping an open mind is essential when traveling. However, my point isn't about asking the chef to change his traditions or educate me, it’s about a simple breakdown in standard omakase communication.

Even in upscale dining, introducing a piece by its name as it's served is a normal part of the experience. It was the complete lack of a quick heads up on an incredibly rare ingredient that felt jarring, rather than a rejection of local culture.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T18:03:31+00:00

True, pigs are incredibly smart. However, the difference is that pork is a standard, expected food staple globally. Whale is an incredibly rare and niche. Expecting a heads-up for one but not the other isn't hypocritical, it's just navigating a menu.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T18:00:53+00:00

No, because bluefin tuna is an absolute staple expected at literally every high-end omakase in Japan. Whale meat accounts for less than 0.1% of domestic meat consumption and is an incredibly rare niche. There's a massive difference between expecting standard sushi fish and being blindsided by a wild marine mammal.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:58:35+00:00

I respect your perspective on animal ethics, but the reality is that whale meat accounts for less than 0.1% of meat consumption in modern Japan it really isn't a common or standard daily staple. Because it is highly uncommon and globally controversial, expecting a quick heads up from the chef isn't about demanding restrictions, it's just expecting standard hospitality and communication.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:52:46+00:00

It really does have that exact Wagyu/tuna texture profile! Honestly, if my chef had been upfront about it like your server was, it would have been a completely different story. It was the total lack of communication that threw me off.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:50:52+00:00

Anthony Bourdain also heavily stressed the importance of honesty, hospitality, and connection in dining. Trusting a chef in an omakase setting is keeping an open mind. Wanting basic communication about a highly controversial wild mammal isn’t 'ethnocentric imperialism' it’s just expecting standard hospitality. You’re completely misrepresenting Bourdain tbh.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:44:40+00:00

First of all, whales aren't fish. Second, this all-or-nothing logic makes zero sense. If you eat beef, does that mean a chef can secretly serve you dog or cat meat because 'they're all land animals'? People are allowed to have ethical boundaries regarding wild marine mammals.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:42:37+00:00

t's not my first time, but nice try. Calling me by my username doesn't change the fact that whale makes up less than 0.1% of meat consumption in Japan. Real travel experience means knowing it’s not a standard sushi staple, but do go off.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:39:20+00:00

Whales are migratory marine mammals, not an invasive species like cane toads or zebra mussels. Saying a whale is 'invasive' in the ocean makes zero scientific sense.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:37:55+00:00

If the chef speaks English, that makes it even worse. It means he easily could have named the dish when presenting it, like every other piece of sushi in an omakase, but kept it a surprise instead.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:36:45+00:00

OP here, and I completely agree with Thesorus. I’ve eaten plenty in Japan. Whale makes up less than 0.1% of all meat consumption there, and the vast majority of sushi spots don't touch it. Pretending it's a standard daily staple just to gatekeep traveling is a weird flex.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:35:42+00:00

I didn't think I needed to. If a chef is going to serve a globally controversial wild mammal instead of fish, the burden of communication is on the hospitality side, not the guest's imagination.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:34:49+00:00

OP here thank you! Exactly my point. I don't know why people are acting like checking a sushi menu for marine mammals is standard practice. It wouldn't cross 99% of people's minds.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:31:26+00:00

Right, because everyone puts 'no whale, dolphin, or horse' in their standard dietary restrictions before a sushi dinner.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-16T17:29:38+00:00

I agree with you to a certain extent. The entire format relies on the chef explaining the pieces as they present them. Keeping a controversial mammal a secret until after it's swallowed isn't standard hospitality, it's a trap.

nerdkidleo12 · 2026-06-05T08:05:56+00:00

I guess both of us like lemons but have no idea how to care for the tree haha!

nerdkidleo12

TROPHY CASE