British Sushi Sailor

My favourite restaurant has packed up and moved north already. The Sailor hated it here.

It was the best place in town while he was around. It felt energetic, real and full of his rude personality. Not much else was there. Some wooden furniture, four seats at the bar, two or three tables and some Japanese hangings he brought over.

It wasn't easy to get a booking and you got warned upfront that you're kicked out if he sees a mobile phone. I had a booking once that really was for another Anna, and then we all showed up - two Annas and two quests each. I had to leave. I really was miffed then, but got over it in a few months.

A good booking was for say 60 sushi pieces and he rolled them all himself, squinting more and more as he was starting to cramp. There were soft drinks but people could bring their own wine as I remember. It was always full.

The first time I went was with work people. We were a Finance team for an engineering company and the engineers kept away from us, so we socialised outside of work. We tried and tested the nicest places in town, independent and chain restaurants, but I think the Sailor's sushi place was the most memorable. It was a good group and we made a big order and I think he was pleased.

We sat around the Sailor by the counter and he told us stories of his travails. He worked on commercial ships for years and that's how he got to Japan. There was a teacher in Japan whom he visited every year to improve his skills. The master chef was telling him how to make sushi while his wife stood over them shaking her head in disappointment. She said he would never learn or maybe I misremembered that. It's matching his story.

Pots and pans hanging over the bar looked cosy and the Sailor stood behind, making curved cuts in tuna loins with a Japanese knife. Then he massaged balls of rice in his palms. It took a long time.

Then he dished the freshly balled up sushi puffs, soft and juicy, with a florid gesture, and brought the accompanying dishes out of battered metal pans, fussed over seabass. He served us some vegetable salads and revealed with glee that it was cabbage. 'You just need to marinate it a bit first', he confided.

He gave us soy sauce and tea with the help of a much-abused kitchen hand. The Sailor never neglected to holler at the boy and the boy hated him with a passion. I liked to think that it was all a game for the audience, but then there was a major burst pipe accident so I might have been wrong.

We loved that evening.

I was way too full even before the sushi was gone and the sea bass came in, but we had to finish. It's taken us late in the evening and we rolled out of the sushi shop.

I think I couldn't fall asleep for overeating.

I booked with my husband soon after and we both loved the sushi. I'm not sure we pleased the Sailor quite so much because the order was for two only. He had a steak option I think and I had the fish option.

Then I tried to bring my Parents in and that's when the mishap with the other Anna happened and my Parents were sorry. So I was naturally dreadfully sorry and I didn't like the Sailor at all for some time.

I wanted to un-offend myself later, but then the water incident happened and I was relieved.

But I'm glad to have had that company night experience, it's a good memory.

Good luck to them, up North.