Pressed sushi

Sushi Mon says it has Chicago' first pressed sush. What is Pressed Sushi?

It's called Oshizushi.

That's false. Many places, particulalry the old-fashioned places, have had box-pressed, Osaka-style sushi (oshizushi, as nr706 noted). Ginza will make it, and I ordered it weekly, for years, from the recently departed Matsuya. I've seen it elsewhere too.

Such a blatant lie. Just a few doors down, Ponzu was serving it before Sushi Mon even opened.

I have never heard of "pressed" sushi. It is just flattened? What's the point?

Shaggywillis wrote:I have never heard of "pressed" sushi. It is just flattened? What's the point?

It looks a little easier to make than rolled sushi (I'll try making some this weekend), and it usually doesn't include the nori, which some people don't like. But basically, it's just a different presentation.

Pressed sushi can any combination of ingredients along with sushi rice. The most usual encountered is with either cured mackerel or salmon. The fish usually comprises the top layer followed by some rice, a middle layer of something such as sheet nori and then additional rice for the bottom layer. Wasabi can be added to the middle layer.
The point is to serve these items artistically and in very easy to eat bite size pieces as the block when formed is then cut into pieces. It has a long history in Japan and the wooden molds are readily available. I have been making it for at least 30 years since i purchased my first sushi equipment from Yamasho.-Dick

....and oshizushi predates nigiri by a substantial margin. I enjoy the denser texture and relative "heartiness" of the typical saba prep, battera

After reading this thread went to sushi mon to check out pressed sushi. Not impressed with the sushi mon version, the rice was falling apart and the sashimi salmon almost tasted smoked which worried me... Tiny little place on clark that seems to cater to the college kids, friendy service but very average in presentation and taste, will not return.

If someone else can recommend another establishment that serves pressed sushi I'd be willing to try, thanks.

FoodSnob77 wrote:After reading this thread went to sushi mon to check out pressed sushi. Not impressed with the sushi mon version, the rice was falling apart and the sashimi salmon almost tasted smoked which worried me... Tiny little place on clark that seems to cater to the college kids, friendy service but very average in presentation and taste, will not return.

If someone else can recommend another establishment that serves pressed sushi I'd be willing to try, thanks.

jesteinf wrote:Just a few doors down, Ponzu was serving it before Sushi Mon even opened.

FoodSnob77 wrote:After reading this thread went to sushi mon to check out pressed sushi. Not impressed with the sushi mon version, the rice was falling apart and the sashimi salmon almost tasted smoked which worried me... Tiny little place on clark that seems to cater to the college kids, friendy service but very average in presentation and taste, will not return.

If someone else can recommend another establishment that serves pressed sushi I'd be willing to try, thanks.

Sometimes pressed sushi is made from cold smoked salmon but it is NOT salted. If your smoked version was salted than the Chef was simply using Lox and with the quality of rice described, it's no wonder.
Usually the Chef has prepared the salmon in a vinegar brine and then has frozen to kill parasites, if the Chef knows what he is doing. Raw salmon is never served by a true sushi Chef that I know.
The smoked unsalted version is a little difficult to understand because if you are an experienced Lox lover, you usually associate smoke with salt. And, yes I know that true Lox is only salted.
Kuni or Katsu will make you a proper version.-Dick