Common name: Pacific grenadier, Rough-scaled grenadier, Roughscale rattail, Strong-scaled rattail

Japanese name: Ibarahige (茨鬚)

Scientific name: Coryphaenoides acrolepis (Bean, 1884)

Nigiri sushi detail: Pacific grenadier (Ibarahige) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Pacific grenadier (Ibarahige) is distributed in the Pacific Ocean north of the Kanto region, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Bering Sea. It inhabits the seafloor at depths deeper than 500 meters. The maximum length of the body is 90 cm. Their entire body is covered with hard, spine-like scales.

Ibarahige is a white fish with a coloration reminiscent of the Japanese sea bass (Suzuki), not a member of the cod family when served as sashimi. It is a little softer and has a stronger umami than Suzuki. It also has no odor at all and has an elegant taste.

It is also suitable for meuniere, simmered, deep-fried, and other dishes. It is understandable that it was used as a substitute for Bastard halibut (Hirame), a high-end fish, at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.

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