Chirashi at Sakerum. (Photo by Sakerum)

Dish of the week: Chirashi sushi
Where to find it: Sushiko, Sushi Taro, Raku, Sushi Capitol, Sakerum, Kotobuki

It’s a good time to be a sushi fan in Washington. Our options have received both local acclaim and a nod by the Michelin guide. With a commitment to fresh ingredients and thoughtful preparation, there is so much more to choose from nowadays than just California or spicy tuna rolls.

If you find yourself eating more raw Japanese-style seafood but getting tired of the standard nigiri and rolls, keep an eye out for chirashi, a slightly different way to enjoy super-fresh fish. Chirashi, translating to “scattered” in Japanese, is a simple preparation of assorted sushi pieces arranged on a bed of traditional sushi rice and garnishes that typically include some combination of thinly-sliced vegetables, pickles, and fish roe (ikura). It’s an ideal option for indecisive diners. Unbound by a nori (seaweed) wrap, chriashi style sushi is ready to be mixed mixed around for the perfect bite with no worrying about a flimsy roll.

The Michelin-starred Sushi Taro (1503 17th St. NW), which revolves around elaborate (and pricey) tasting menus in the evening, offers a few tiers of chirashi plates during lunch service that currently range from $22 to $35 depending on the quality. Each is served with a side of chawan-mushi, a Japanese egg custard dish. It’s all relatively affordable considering the restaurant’s sterling reputation and $100-plus dinners.

Sushiko in Friendship Heights (5455 Wisconsin Ave. NW) includes five varieties of fresh fish along with rice and pickled radish in its chirashi. Examples of what you might find include Spanish tuna, amberjack, sea bream, and ivory king salmon from Alaska, among others. And it’s not just raw, either. The tuna is aged for seven to 10 days before serving and white fish gets two to three days.

As with any sushi, chirashi is usually served with a focus on visual presentation Sakerum (2204 14th St. NW) serves its chirashi (with fish, uni, roe, veggies, and rice) in a bowl with a lid, making for a bit of a jewel box effect. Enjoy it on the restaurant’s chick rooftop and kick back with a stiff cocktail. General manager Justin Cho says it’s “an excellent way of sampling the different fresh fish the chef has for the day.”

At Raku‘s Cathedral Heights location (3312 Wisconsin Ave. NW), the dish is colorful and plentiful—enough to share along with some other bites from the varied menu.

Other places to dig in to chirashi include the intimate Sushi Capitol (325 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) near Eastern Market, where it’s reasonably priced around $20. Away from downtown, you’ll find it it at Kotobuki (4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW) in the Palisades, where it’s on the lunch and dinner menus.

Previously On Dish Of The Week:
Greek Fries
Local Hard Cider
Pizza Pinwheels
Dip Into Muhammara
Ice Pops