| The moment they entered the restaurant, the plain wood counter attracted the Alajmo brothers. Upon sitting down, the Massimiliano pulled out a pencil and a pad and started asking questions, through his interpreter, to owner/chef Mitohiro Araki behind the counter. Unlike his serious-looking brother, Raffaele enjoyed taking pictures with his digital camera.
Araki: I hope both of you are going to enjoy eating sushi at this counter tonight. Have you ever had sushi in Italy?
Massimiliano: I have, but I didn't like it very much. Sushi in London and Paris was better.
A: Tonight, I am going to treat you to special tidbits as well. This is soft roe taken from a blowfish, which is called fugu in Japanese.
Raffaele: Aren't the insides of fugu supposed to be dangerous to eat?
A: Don't worry. I know this one is okay. You must have a special license to prepare fugu. Also, there is a rule that the name of the cook must be clearly stated.
M: Is this boiled?
A: No, it's baked in tin foil.
M: I understand you wash it first. How long does it bake?
A: About 13 minutes. Now, go ahead and try it —just the way it is, without adding anything to it.
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