The Willow Glen Resident Photograph by Skye Dunlap Crabbing the Headlines: Doreen Araki, co-owner of the Tea Totaler, whips up a California roll. The Tea Totaler takes the local sushi scene by storm Willow Glen's favorite tea shop triples its sushi selection By Mary Spicuzza Tea Totaler co-owner Don Araki knew his wife was tough. But he didn't know just how quickly she could convert sushi skeptics into fans of the teahouse's newly expanded sushi selection. Araki laughs as he remembers the showdown between his wife and one sushi-phobe. "Doreen just told him to sit down, and came out with two spicy tuna rolls," Araki says. "After a couple of deep breaths, he tried it. His eyes widened, first muttering, 'This isn't too bad.' He quickly popped another in his mouth, adding 'This is actually really good.'" Another sushi addiction had begun. And with fresh tuna covered in a peppery sauce, top quality rice and spicy horseradish sprouts rolled inside crisp top-grade nori, it's no wonder he couldn't resist. As Araki pores over the menu, describing in detail the ingredients of various rolls and nigiri, it becomes obvious that his tea shop is serious about providing unique exposure to Japanese cuisine. The difference lies in the Araki's commitment to quality, freshness and knowledge of their product. "Everybody thinks sushi means raw fish, but it doesn't," Araki says. "It actually refers to the special way the rice is prepared. It was invented by a gambler back in the 1800s, and is the equivalent of the American sandwich." Having grown up in tight-knit Japanese-American families, both Don and Doreen Araki inherited a wealth of information about the world of sushi. Using their extensive knowledge, they're committed to breaking misconceptions about sushi with more than 20 different combinations of the freshest and highest quality products. "A lot of older stuff gets dumped over here for a low price. We'd probably be smarter businesspeople if we used cheaper products," Araki smiles. "Many just assume Americans won't notice the difference. But once people taste the good stuff they can tell what they've been missing." The Tea Totaler's selection includes items ranging from traditional unagi, yellow tail and snow crab to vegetarian and California-style offerings. Once the Arakis began making sushi at the tea shop, which opened this August, they realized just how much their families had taught them about food. "Doreen's grandmother supported her family in Japan with her cooking," Araki says. "Her family owns restaurants throughout Japan, and we called back to Japan to get some of our recipes." Between family recipes, growing up in her mother's kitchen and numerous trips to Japan as a child, Doreen has created most of the menu items for the tea shop from scratch. The Tea Totaler is also focusing its sushi selection on appealing to those less versed in the tradition of sushi. "Just as pizza is a lot different here than in Italy, we've converted traditional recipes taking the American palate into account. We grew up in America after all," Don adds. Some may be wondering why Willow Glen has had to wait so long for a sushi spot. But others are already savoring a traditional green tea, their favorite nigiri, relaxing next to the Tea Totaler's bamboo garden, and just thanking the heavens that top-quality sushi has finally arrived. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, December 2, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.