So You Want To Make Your Own Sushi?

Do you have the desire to make your own sushi, but don’t know where to find the ingredients or how to do it? Here’s a list of Northern Virginia sushi supplies and classes:

Sashimi grade fish

Grand Mart
6255 Little River Turnpike
Alexandria, Virginia 22312

Grand Mart is a large and well stocked ethnic market that routinely has sashimi grade ahi tuna (maguro), the occasional yellowtail (hamachi), premarinated mackeral (saba), prepared shrimp (abi), flying fish roe (tobiko), sheets of nori, and, of course, rice.

Super Q Mart
16593 River Ridge Blvd
Woodbridge, VA 22191

I didn’t even know this place existed until last month! Super Q Mart occupies a former Giant Food location, and yowza, this place is both huge and amazing! Pretty much everything offered at Grand Mart is available at Super Q Mart, though they seem to routinely have hamachi here.

Update!  The new Manassas Super Q Mart is now open at their new location at the intersection of Liberia Ave and Prince William Parkway!

Sushi classes:

Sushi making classes are occasionally taught at Sur La Table at Pentagon City. The sushi class is hands on and teaches basic sushi rice preparation, maki rollmaking, and handroll preparation. Cutting fish and forming nigiri was not taught in the class we attended about a year ago. Here is a link to their class schedule.

Obi Sushi in Reston Town Center is rumored to conduct sushi classes. You can call them at 703-766-7874 or visit them at www.obisushi.com.

Helen Beyer teaches a “sushi gourmet” class for $39 per person. I am unsure if this is a hands-on preparation class, but you can reach her at 703-250-4565 to find out more.

Mary Moore does small group lessons or parties (she’ll bring everything you need). She is a marvelous woman who grew up in Taiwan under Japanese occupation, and teaches a fun and informative class (she was our instructor at Sur La Table, so I have firsthand knowledge). You can reach her at 703-680-1346 or email at marymoore@verizon.net.