Many Americans walk into a sushi restaurant and opt to sit at a table because they find the sushi bar intimidating. Sitting at a table feels familiar, as does ordering from a menu. California Rolls and other American-style sushi rolls are often the preferred items, simply because the diner knows what to expect.
Turning one’s back on familiarity and choosing to sit at the sushi bar requires courage, but the experience is far more interesting. For starters, most of the sushi that traditional chefs serve at the bar is not rolls, but nigiri—hand-squeezed rectangles of rice topped with fish. Not knowing what to expect, either with the ingredients or the order in which they are served, is part of the fun.