One benefit from watching The Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” is that I’m becoming more food-adventurous.

I know a lot of sushi-lovers. I’ve never been interested in it, but I decided to try some last weekend. We had dinner at Yoho Asian Bistro in Cary, which is a great restaurant. The three experienced sushi-eaters split a big (and expensive!) platter for four. They said it was delicious, so I sampled a few pieces.

It all was remarkably flavorless to me. Rice and mayonnaise were the only flavors stood out.

My biggest mental hurdle was the temperature. It was at room temperature, as it should be, but my brain didn’t like the  sensation of moist, 68-degree flesh.

We expect hot or cold foods, especially when we deal with meats. The psyche rebels when it experiences lukewarm meat. Would you eat lukewarm, slightly sweaty ham or roast beef? Perhaps with some reservation, but at least you know it has been cooked. Lukewarm, slightly sweaty raw meat elicits an even stronger response. I kept repeating in my head, “It’s OK. It’s safe to eat. Really. No, seriously. It’s supposed to be like this. They wouldn’t sell it to me if it was going to kill me or make me viciously ill.” 

I did have some flying-fish roe. It was truly surprising and delicious — little bubbles that taste intensely oceanic.

So, that was my experience with the raw sea. I’ll try sushi again, but I’m not a convert.