Don’t a small amount of people die every year after eating this shit I asked Norie; She answered yeah, but the restaurant that we are going, the chef haven’t kill anyone YET. So you are QUITE safe. Deep inside I really wanna do this but somehow coming from a country where usually drivers obtain their driving license by paying Duit Kopi-o (bribe money), somehow just sort of struck me that what if it is the same here for the licensed Fugu Chef. But I don’t wanna be a pussy and back out now, Norie, Kenichi, Hota and I are already on our way there. Hota assured me that I am relatively safe because if I die eating Fugu in that restaurant, I will be the very first and I will be really famous. Experienced Fugu chefs will leave enough poison in the flesh of the fish to give the eaters a little numbness around the lips and tongue and this is what that keeps eaters coming back for more. But sometimes, maybe sometimes the poison is a little too much. Anyway, along the way Hota gave me a little insight about Japan’s favorite delicacy as part of the whole Fugu eating experience.
“It's said that the most poisonous Fugu, "Tora-fugu," is the most delicious. Its toxin makes cyanide look like Aspirin. Just touching a it the wrong way can be deadly. The common blowfish contains enough tetrodotoxin to kill up to 30 adult humans. “In the case of torafugu, the ovary alone sometimes weighs over a kilogram and contains enough poison to kill some 20 people. The poison paralyzes the muscles while the victim stays fully conscious, and eventually suffocates and dies. There is currently no antidote, and the standard medical approach is to try to support the respiratory and circulatory system until the effect of the poison wears off. The chef must have special skills and knowledge about Fugu to be licensed. Poisonous parts of Fugu differ, depending on the kind of Fugu. Because of the strict regulations, the number of deaths is decreasing. Best time to eat them is October to March”
As we reached the place, I just can’t help but to notice but I am flirting with death and this could be my very last meal,. After having the urge of doing this ever since I heard about it, I finally succumbed to the temptation. God damn it, sitting my ass down on the chair waiting for my Fugu set meal, feels like I am sitting on an electric chairand waiting for the switch to be flipped; but what the heck anyway, living is meaningless without a little death, don’t you think so? As the starters came out, deep down inside I thought to myself, this could very much be the beginning ……of the end.
Fugusahi
First, it was the famous grey colored sashimi (Fugu) served with Ponzu dipping sauce (a citrus-like soy sauce).
Yubiki
Next was a salad made with the raw skin and meat of the Fugu eaten green onions and a light citrus dressing.
Fugu-no-karaage
My drink, tea made by brewing up toasted Fugu fins with hot sake.
I did felt a slight tingle on my tongue during the first two courses but not to the extent of numbness. I think the chef was going easy on me and trying like hell not to get me killed. Anyway, it was fun and nerve wrecking experience especially the anticipation and the taking of the first bite. After that it was smooth sailing and deliciously fun.
Total damage done = 7,000 yen (RM213.00/SD93.00) per head and making a grand total damage of 28,000 yen. I think someone amongst us is being poison by the Fugu poison.
