You’re sitting at a local sushi restaurant, and as a sushi novice, you don’t know what to order. Nigiri, Sashimi, Maki…what does it all mean? Sure we can all act like we know, but in all reality, sushi is complicated and comes in lots of forms. Thankfully RA Sushi is here to the rescue with a guide to deciphering the menu.

Sushi 101: Facts, Tips and Deciphering Terms

• Sashimi? Raw fish sliced into thin pieces.

• Nigiri? A specific type of sushi comprising of a slice of raw fish over pressed rice. Nigiri is best when eaten upside down and placing the fish on your tongue.
• Maki is sushi rolled up using a bamboo mat, typically with seaweed.
• Fun fact: January 4, 2011 marks the date the highest price was paid for a Bluefin tuna.  The Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo sold a 754lb fish for $396,000 ($526/lb). Um what? Nuts.
• Sushi Rolls aren’t just rolled with seaweed, you can also find them rolled with soy paper, cucumber, or egg.

• The correct way to eat sushi is with your hands. Chopsticks were traditionally only used when eating Sashimi. Leaving extra soy sauce in your bowl is considered bad form and mixing soy sauce with wasabi could offend the chef. Whoops, etiquette noted for my next trip to RA Sushi.

• Most Japanese sushi chefs train for five to 10 years, with at least two of those years devoted solely to learning how to properly prepare the rice. Impressive.
• And if you want to get really technical, the word sushi refers only to the rice and not the fish.

Well, there you have it, a little sushi education from RA Sushi. Enjoy, hope you learned something new!

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival returns March 4 running through May 17! In addition to the meticulous (and amazing) topiaries eleven outdoor kitchens with “grow your own” gardens will serve sweet and savory bites. The festival is certainly a feast for the eyes and palate!

Here’s what you can expect to see and taste at Epcot this spring.

• “Frozen” strikes again! (Yay!) Disney’s first Anna and Elsa topiaries will appear in a garden vignette.

• Fresh new menu items will debut including the new Botanas Botánico Outdoor Kitchen between France and Morocco pavilions. Here you will find treats such as Cachapas with Farmer’s Cheese – a sweet yellow corn pancake, and Seafood Ceviche with shrimp, scallops and grouper with mango and avocado.

• Sip the new La Tizana, a non-alcoholic punch finished with fresh fruit that can become an adult beverage with a splash of Santa Teresa RHUM Orange Liqueur.
• Enjoy new offerings like the “Naanwich” with Arugula Pesto and oven dried tomatoes at the Urban Farm Eats Outdoor Kitchen. Or enjoy returning favorites like the Piggylicious Bacon Cupcake with maple frosting and pretzel crunch – my favorite taste from last year!

• April 24-26 is Florida Fresh Weekend featuring a bounty of edibles and other plants that thrive in Florida!

Happy Spring!

Photo Credits: Disney Parks

What’s better than eating breakfast? Drinking it. Oh yeah. American Q has introduced numerous breakfast cocktails perfect for, well, anytime of day. Cheers and happy weekend!

• Bailey’s Iced Vanilla Coffee – Bailey’s, Hangar One vodka & frozen coffee cube with vanilla sugar rim

• Maple Martini – Myers dark rum, Irish cream, maple syrup, milk, & crumbled bacon bits with mini waffle & maple sugar rim. Oh yeah bacon bits.

• Apple Bacon Bloody Mary – House Bloody Mary blend & Bakon Vodka with smoked apple bacon, lemon wedge and salted rim

• Cantaloupe Martini – Grey Goose vodka, Cointreau, watermelon liqueur & fresh cantaloupe

Photo Credit: American Q

A magical skyline, decadent desserts and an award-winning wine selection can all be found atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Ever since the restaurant was “re-imagined,” I’ve been dying to snag a taste of my own. After patiently waiting since September we finally landed a table over Valentine’s weekend, yep that’s right, I made a reservation in September for a table in February. Nuts. Needless to say my expectations were sky-high as we sat down for our meal.

I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous expansive views; regardless of your level of “Disney love” it’s undeniable that California Grill has one of the best restaurant views in Orlando, especially at sunset. After oohing and aaahing over the view, we were seated and promptly served with fluffy lavender bread and whole wheat sourdough rolls. I’m always impressed with a restaurant has a Sancerre by the glass, it’s hands down one of my favorite blends, so bonus points for California Grill.

We picked the Spicy Kazan Roll to start filled with crab, shrimp, scallops, tuna and fireball sauce. It was incredibly fresh and devoured in a matter of minutes. At $24 a roll though, my expectations were set a little high, the roll was undoubtedly tasty, but probably not worth 25 washingtons. Alas, our meal carried on.

For mains we split the Pork Two Ways and the Bell and Evans Chicken. A signature dish with grilled tenderloin, goat cheese polenta, mushrooms, lacquered belly and a crispy apple topped with a demi glaze sauce. The grilled tenderloin was juicy and enjoyable, but I could have done without the lacquered belly. The chicken came with both dark and white meats, while it was flavorful, the dish could have been outstanding with a reduction sauce and a little less salt. The truffle whipped potatoes though? Divine!

We rounded out the night with their famous Chocolate Pudding Cake, a luscious chocolate cake with nutella filling, meringue kisses, mint cream and flakes of sea salt. And yes, it was every bit of amazing as it sounds. The decedent, dense chocolate mixed with flavors of mint and a hint of saltiness was a superb combination. Easily the best thing we ordered all night. I’d go back just for this confection and a glass of their Sancerre, both were that good.

The atmosphere was lively and the plates were served promptly, but just remember the “Disney factor” which always equates in inflated prices. Overall, our evening was enjoyable and the service was prompt and attentive. I wasn’t overly impressed with our mains, but would recommend California Grill for a special occasion or celebration with your family.

So, tell us, what are your thoughts about Disney’s California Grill?

Photo Credits: All photos taken by Spork except the sunset image which is from Yelp