That's What I Call REALLY Rare

Last night at dinner my host ordered squid sashimi. Squid isn't my favorite, but if he wanted it, I would eat it.

The sushi chef reached behind him, fished a 14" specimen out of the tank, cut up half the head, and put it front of us still slithering a little. One of my dinner partners poked at it playfully with his chopstick, watching the tentacles wiggle a little. I took a bite of the cut-up portion.

It was actually really, really good, the only time I ever enjoyed squid sashimi. I didn't notice when it stopped wiggling, but I was well into the sake by then. The first part of this YouTube video is actually pretty close to what I experienced.

Actually, eating "almost dead" food isn't all that uncommon in Japan. Besides squid, there is a fish that is sliced up, put on a small stake, and presented in front of you with his gills and mouth still moving. You eat the flesh off the living bones, watching your prey slowly die as you eat. I don't like the taste of this one so much. Similiar YouTube video here (not for the faint of heart).