Fugu, It’s What’s for Dinner

by Frank Roche on February 23, 2009

fugu

Ate dinner Friday night at Ai, a fabulous sushi restuarant in Chicago. I felt like having something different. I got it. Poisonous fish.

That’s a picture of fugu, a Japanese puffer fish, the second-most poisonous vertebrate in the world. The restaurant had a sushi chef in from Japan who is one of the very few in the U.S. who can legally prepare fugu. When done right, the fish gives you a little buzz on your upper lip. When done wrong, you die.

I took the chance. Ate fugu. And lived. Can running with the bulls be far behind?

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  • http://www.blatherskiteblog.com/ CraftyMoni

    awesome! HOw did it taste? My husband has been talking about doing this for years. I'll have to tell him you did!

  • http://www.blatherskiteblog.com/ CraftyMoni

    awesome! HOw did it taste? My husband has been talking about doing this for years. I'll have to tell him you did!

  • http://www.blatherskiteblog.com/ CraftyMoni

    awesome! HOw did it taste? My husband has been talking about doing this for years. I'll have to tell him you did!

  • http://www.blatherskiteblog.com/ CraftyMoni

    awesome! HOw did it taste? My husband has been talking about doing this for years. I'll have to tell him you did!

  • http://www.blatherskiteblog.com/ CraftyMoni

    awesome! HOw did it taste? My husband has been talking about doing this for years. I'll have to tell him you did!

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ PaxRomano

    Dude, you are living on the edge!!!! I would never have ate that thing.

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ PaxRomano

    Dude, you are living on the edge!!!! I would never have ate that thing.

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ PaxRomano

    Dude, you are living on the edge!!!! I would never have ate that thing.

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ PaxRomano

    Dude, you are living on the edge!!!! I would never have ate that thing.

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ PaxRomano

    Dude, you are living on the edge!!!! I would never have ate that thing.

  • Rich Mennenoh

    I don't think I could have done it. Bring on the bulls!

  • Rich Mennenoh

    I don't think I could have done it. Bring on the bulls!

  • Rich Mennenoh

    I don't think I could have done it. Bring on the bulls!

  • Rich Mennenoh

    I don't think I could have done it. Bring on the bulls!

  • Rich Mennenoh

    I don't think I could have done it. Bring on the bulls!

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Pax, I'm thinking that I really like cupcakes better.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Pax, I'm thinking that I really like cupcakes better.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Pax, I'm thinking that I really like cupcakes better.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Pax, I'm thinking that I really like cupcakes better.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Monica, I was surprised at how good it tasted. I was initially hesitant. There's a whole ceremony about eating it. There were little blades of chives to put in the middle, then some kind of sauce. I let it roll around on my toungue — I wanted to get a sense of the flavor. It was tasty. The strips are very very thin, so it's easy to handle.

    Really a fun experience. Now I'll go back to toro.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Monica, I was surprised at how good it tasted. I was initially hesitant. There's a whole ceremony about eating it. There were little blades of chives to put in the middle, then some kind of sauce. I let it roll around on my toungue — I wanted to get a sense of the flavor. It was tasty. The strips are very very thin, so it's easy to handle.

    Really a fun experience. Now I'll go back to toro.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Monica, I was surprised at how good it tasted. I was initially hesitant. There's a whole ceremony about eating it. There were little blades of chives to put in the middle, then some kind of sauce. I let it roll around on my toungue — I wanted to get a sense of the flavor. It was tasty. The strips are very very thin, so it's easy to handle.

    Really a fun experience. Now I'll go back to toro.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Monica, I was surprised at how good it tasted. I was initially hesitant. There's a whole ceremony about eating it. There were little blades of chives to put in the middle, then some kind of sauce. I let it roll around on my toungue — I wanted to get a sense of the flavor. It was tasty. The strips are very very thin, so it's easy to handle.

    Really a fun experience. Now I'll go back to toro.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Monica, I was surprised at how good it tasted. I was initially hesitant. There's a whole ceremony about eating it. There were little blades of chives to put in the middle, then some kind of sauce. I let it roll around on my toungue — I wanted to get a sense of the flavor. It was tasty. The strips are very very thin, so it's easy to handle.

    Really a fun experience. Now I'll go back to toro.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Rich, that's so funny. It's all about experiences, isn't it? I always wanted to try fugu, now i have.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Rich, that's so funny. It's all about experiences, isn't it? I always wanted to try fugu, now i have.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Rich, that's so funny. It's all about experiences, isn't it? I always wanted to try fugu, now i have.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Rich, that's so funny. It's all about experiences, isn't it? I always wanted to try fugu, now i have.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    Rich, that's so funny. It's all about experiences, isn't it? I always wanted to try fugu, now i have.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    Did Sheryl find out before or after?

    • Frank

      I’m not sure she knows even now. I think she was hoping the chef’s knife would slip and I’d get more than a little buzz on my upper lip. ;-)

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    Did Sheryl find out before or after?

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    Did Sheryl find out before or after?

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    Did Sheryl find out before or after?

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    Did Sheryl find out before or after?

  • http://www.jchtv.com iconjohn

    So how much does a plate of that fish go for?

    • Frank

      I think it was $75 for that plate…and the show. It was worth it.

  • http://www.jchtv.com iconjohn

    So how much does a plate of that fish go for?

  • http://www.jchtv.com iconjohn

    So how much does a plate of that fish go for?

  • http://www.jchtv.com iconjohn

    So how much does a plate of that fish go for?

  • http://www.jchtv.com iconjohn

    So how much does a plate of that fish go for?

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://48facets.wordpress.com/ rick

    I assume they make you pay in advance.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    LOL…that’s a good point…pay before you expire.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    LOL…that's a good point…pay before you expire.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    LOL…that's a good point…pay before you expire.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    LOL…that's a good point…pay before you expire.

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog Frank

    LOL…that's a good point…pay before you expire.

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