Fugu, known in English as puffer fish, globefish, or blowfish, is a Japanese delicacy. The caveat: it contains the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison that can cause symptoms including numbness, paralysis, respiratory distress, and even death within a few hours if ingested in large enough doses. The crazy part: people still eat it, and it’s being served at NYC’s oldest authentic Japanese restaurant, Restaurant Nippon.
American science writer Christie Wilcox states that just two or three milligrams of TTX may be lethal to a human, which is “more potent than arsenic, cyanide or even anthrax.” So why are people eating fugu?
Well, The New York Times points out that eating fugu began out of necessity rather than luxury, as sightings of fugu can be traced back to sites in Japan dating back more than 4,000 years, during which time food was scarce. Though today diners clearly aren’t eating the fish out of necessity, rather they’re ordering it for the taste.
According to Web Japan, sliced fugu is “white in color and has a refreshing, light taste. When served as sashimi, it has a firm texture and has a sweet flavor that fills your mouth as you chew it…The skin is gelatinous and is tasty with a firm and crunchy texture.” According to the Times, Tokyo chef and Japan cultural envoy Naoyuki Yanagihara stated:
When first cut, there’s no taste. You have to age the flesh for two to three days to let the flavor deepen, and calibrating the timing is a skill in itself. After the sashimi, the rest of the fish is served: the ribs, kara-age-style (battered and deep-fried); hire-zake, the fins charred and steeped in hot sake; the flesh simmered on the bone in dashi to make a delicate nabe (hot pot); and the milky shira-ko (sperm sacs), barely seared and ready to burst.
Though, if prepared incorrectly, those who eat the fish could die.
And though fugu isn’t widely available beyond Asia, it’s being served right here in Midtown. Though we’re not exactly sure if you’d necessarily be playing with fire or living life on the edge if you were to order it. That’s because, in recent decades, many restaurants that serve the fish have begun offering farmed fugu rather than wild.
Farmed fugu is “bred in underwater cages or in tanks onshore and fed a controlled diet, minus the small crustaceans infested with TTX-bearing bacteria that they eat at sea,” according to the Times. As a result: much of the fugu served today is likely entirely toxin-free.
Over at Restaurant Nippon, they’re calling themselves “NYC’s exclusive gateway for fugu,” as they import it directly from Shimonoseki, Japan. They offer a full Fugu Course–offering everything from sashimi to hot pot—an experience that can only be found there if you’re in NYC. Beyond the appetizers which may vary depending on the day, the Fugu Course includes the following:
- Yellowtail Jalapeño
- Fugu Nikogori
- Octopus Yawarakani
- Pumpkin and Egg Terrine
- Fugu Sashimi with Ponzu
- Fugu Karaage
- Fugu Chiri Nabe Hot Pot with seasonal vegetables and tofu
- Zosui & Oshinko Pickles
- Dessert
The restaurant states that the fugu is “irresistibly creamy, melting the moment it touches your tongue,” though they do note that, being it’s a winter delicacy, it’s only available for a limited time. Learn more and view the full menu on their website.