When sitting at the bar, there are almost always two 'shelves.' The
lower shelf is at elbow level and is where all the action takes place:
Your shoyu and personal plate are there, and the server places your
salad and miso soup there (if you ordered them).

But then there's a higher and much narrower shelf, where the itame-san
places your sushi arranged on a wooden plate (unless you ordered a
lot, in which case the server puts it on the main shelf).

My question is: Is there any etiquette regarding this narrower shelf?
Is it okay to take the wooden serving tray off the shelf? Is it okay
to place other objects on the shelf, such as the jar of shoyu?
Anything else?

Thanks!

- hbz

hbz wrote:

> When sitting at the bar, there are almost always two 'shelves.' The
> lower shelf is at elbow level and is where all the action takes place:
> Your shoyu and personal plate are there, and the server places your
> salad and miso soup there (if you ordered them).
>
> But then there's a higher and much narrower shelf, where the itame-san
> places your sushi arranged on a wooden plate (unless you ordered a
> lot, in which case the server puts it on the main shelf).
>
> My question is: Is there any etiquette regarding this narrower shelf?
> Is it okay to take the wooden serving tray off the shelf? Is it okay
> to place other objects on the shelf, such as the jar of shoyu?
> Anything else?

Yes. If the chefs servers all the sushi to you on that one wooden
tray, you should bring it down to your level.

Some chefs will put a long plate (or even a banana leaf) down on the
narrow shelf and serve a couple of pieces at a time. You leave the
plate or leaf there and eat each one as they are served. I prefer
this method, trusting the chef to serve them in order of texture,
flavor, etc. to best compliment the last.

For the single serving method, they usually give you a small plate
for you to manipulate each piece.

--
Dan