Vegas Buzz

 

by

 

James B. Wilson

Vegas Buzz Featured Columnist

jwilson@vegasbuzznews.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 1. Salmon with Makino's famous secret sauce (herbal sprigs on top, my touch)

1a. Salmon roll

2.  Baked oyster

3.  California Roll

4.  Kelp-seaweed and konbu salad

5.  Egg with nori wrap

6.  Yellow Tail

7.  Lean Tuna (vs. fatty tuna which tends to be much lighter in color)

8.  Eel

 

The above Fish provide the highest daily doses of Omega 3 and 6 oils, while seaweed is rich in iron, calcium, selenium, iodine (helpful for healthy thyroid function) and many other beneficial nutrients and minerals.  

 

It's probably a misnomer to use the word 'sushi' to describe Makino, although they offer over 40 varieties of sushi, including favorites such as California Roll, Spicy Tuna roll, and much more.

 

Each Makino restaurant is basically laid out in an L-shaped buffet, consisting of salads, sushi, warm entrees such as tempura, miso soup and noodles, and even teriyaki chicken and beef, and the cold dessert section featuring various types of fruit, mousse, jello, and the infamously decadent chocolate fountain!

 

(If you're on a diet, steer clear of the chocolate fountain! Load up on fruit and jello instead).

 

Where to start first?

 

Soup

Start out with a nice hot bowl of Miso soup.  It's less than 30 calories, and very nutritious.

 

Go for the 'green!'

The most healthy and nutritionally beneficial salads are contained in the darker, kelp seaweed-based salads.

 

After getting my miso soup, I always go to the salad section and put plenty of seaweed and konbu right in the middle of the plate!  I arrange all my favorite sushi pieces around the salad in the middle.  As you can see in the photo, this provides a very colorful, appetizing appearance.

 

Wasabi is Japanese green horseradish, which should be taken in moderation unless you're trying to clear your sinuses, and it will do an excellent job at that!  Wasabi adds a pungent, spicy touch that perfectly complements all variety of fish and sushi, while ginger has the additional benefit of providing digestive support.  For those worried about potential health issues with raw fish, don't worry at Makino! It's all flown in fresh daily, supplied by exclusive vendors almost as picky as Makino himself.  In ancient Japan, ginger was used not only for medicinal purposes - but as an intestinal disinfectant to counteract any potential bacterial problems induced by food.  There was no refrigeration, other than ice brought down from the mountain tops, and so raw foods such as sashimi always posed the problem of intestinal bacterial infections.  In reality, this was a problem even with cooked fish in other cultures as the fish was not always quite as fresh after reaching most destinations.

At Makino, there's more than one way to get your recommended daily fill of healthy vitamin and nutrient rich foods, including miso soup, and more traditional fare.

 

Dine-in     (Lunch $13.95, Dinner, $23.95 weekdays, slightly higher on weekends)

Take-out  (This is perhaps the best value with a variety of different menus, for around $7.00)

Catering   (Call your nearest location for Makino award-winning catering sure to please your guests!)