Hey you ,

I could n’t aid but notice you eating that sushi . Never beware the fact thatyou’re not supposed to eat it that way . I ’m more interested in that fleeceable arena next to your gingerroot . Wasabi is great , right ? The burning in your mouth when it hits your natural language . The way it makes your eyes water . The fact that you ’re not actually eating wasabi at all .

I be intimate , I know – it ’s probably a shock the $ 8.99 luncheon special which include miso soup , edamame , and hot rice beer does n’t also just dole out a some finely grated wasabi , but the fact is , almost allsushi restaurantsexcept the most upscale do n’t automatically proffer up real wasabi with your sushi , and there ’s a fairly good chance you ’ve actually never had real wasabi in your life . In fact , a few class agoThe Washington Postreported that around 95 % of wasabi serve in restaurant is not real . But do n’t fret ! You may have actually eaten actual wasabi , specially if :

Sushi and wasabi

Flickr/torbakhopper

1 ) You ’ve been to a unbalanced - nice sushi restaurant with terms that make you slightly uncomfortable and nervous

2 ) You ’ve been to a pretty bloody courteous sushi restaurant and you ’ve ordered the omakase , or a lot of sashimi

3 ) You ’ve noticed that the wasabi at your table is light unripe with a grated texture , and a more herbal , grassy , slower burn mark

Authentic wasabi

Flickr/Premshree Pillai

4 ) The eatery had the option of a different wasabi on the menu for a dollar or two more

5 ) After 20 minutes , your wasabi was n’t well-nigh as powerful as it was when you first got your photographic plate

6 ) You accidentally befriend a wasabi beginning salesman constitute Ted while waiting for your tabular array and Ted saw a little scrap of his tearaway , sassy , and sweaty new ego in you , so before he allow he winkle at the host , drop away him a $ 10 , and told him , “ Put the literal stuff on my buddy ’s scale , fine ? "

" Well , turd , " you say , " I ’ve never been to a sushi eatery that made me uncomfortable and nervous strictly for monetary grounds , and I make it a head to never make modest talk with wasabi root salespeople , so what in Zeus ’ name have I been recklessly putting all over my spicy tunny roll in an effort to impress my platonic Tinder booster Rachel ? "

More probable than not , you ’ve been squander a mix of even horseradish , green nutrient dye , Chinese mustard , water , and POSSIBLY wasabi powder . There ’s nothing wrong with that – you ’re still getting a pretty satisfying burn and adding some decent spicy notes to your fish and Sir Tim Rice – but it might be worth at least considering throw down a couple of extra bucks for the real stuff at least once in your aliveness .

If not for yourself , then for Ted .

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Kevin Alexanderis Thrillist ’s national writer - at - big and will never do anything for anyone named Ted . earmark him to preface you to his platonic Tinder date Rachel:@KAlexander03 .