Since I belong to a family of Japanese food lovers, it’s hardly surprising that I would develop a liking for sushi.
Traditionally made with vinegared rice (sushi-meshi) combined with other ingredients (neta) such as (often raw) seafood and vegetables, sushi has become showcases for the sushi chef’s creativity and ingenuity.
During pre-pandemic times, we usually needed to venture all the way to our go-to Japanese restaurants to get a taste of our favorite sushi variants.
But with restrictions on movement and dining out within the metro limiting the choices available, I’m glad that innovative food entrepreneurs have ventured into sushi delivery such as the people behind Salmon HQ.
This New Manila, QC-based enterprise specialized in delivering fresh salmon sashimi right to the doorstep of Japanese food lovers.
It soon expanded its product offerings to include the latest food trends, incorporating its fresh seafood ingredients into delectable creations, well-suited for delivery.
The Sushi Bakes.
Sushi bakes are deconstructions of the maki (sushi rolls) where, instead of rolling the sushi rice and the sushi fillings and wrapping them in nori (dried seaweed) sheets, they are layered on a baking pan and cooked in an oven. Sushi bakes are enjoyed by scooping out some of the dish and folding them into small nori squares.
Similar to traditional maki, the sushi bake offers a lot of possibilities in incorporating tantalizing tastes and textures into the dish.
I was able to try out samplers of sushi bakes from Salmon HQ, which included:
The Crunchy California (a variant of the OG sushi bake with kani and mango) and Unagi Madness (with slivers of freshwater eel and generous sprinklings of roe).
Aburi Salmon Scallops Ebi (torched slivers of salmon mixed with scallops and shrimp) and Softshell Crab and Ebi (wonderfully textured combination of shrimp and softshell crab).
Prices for the full trays of Salmon HQ’s sushi bakes start at Php500 (for small) and Php1,200 (for large).
The Pasta.
Who would have thought that a pasta dish can taste so distinctly Japanese? With the Seafood Wafu Pasta, you get spaghetti noodles tossed in a soy butter glaze with scallops, shrimp and salmon. It’s a perfect blend of hearty pasta goodness and the fresh flavors of the sea.
Get a tray for Php500 (small), Php1,000 (medium) or Php1,200 (large).
The Salmon Cake.
If you ever wondered what could possibly make a show-stopping cake for any celebration, well, here’s the answer.
Salmon HQ’s Premium Salmon Cake is a wondrous creation: pieces of fresh pink salmon sashimi are layered and interlaced to form a two-tier cake, with the bottom-tier hiding layers of kani (imitation crab meat), ebiko (shrimp eggs), seaweed salad and Japanese rice.
It’s a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.
Treat yourself to this delectable treat for Php1,200.
So if you think you’ve seen and tasted all sushi possibilities, think again because Salmon HQ has these and more to surprise you.
Send your orders to Salmon HQ via Facebook, Instagram or by calling +63 922 8943679. Payments via Metrobank, BPI, PayMaya and GCash are accepted.
Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate feedback.