Discover Otoro tuna: its ingredient, flavour, texture, representative season, regional context, and how to approach soy sauce and wasabi.
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A visual reference for recognising Otoro tuna before ordering; season, cut and knife work change its appearance.
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Nigiri
Very rich and sweet
Soft, melting
Soy sauce
Try the first bite with no added soy if the chef has brushed it.
Wasabi
Optional; use sparingly.
WHAT IS IT?
What exactly is Otoro tuna?
Otoro is the fattiest, scarce belly-side tuna cut. It is a part of the fish, not a separate kind of tuna.
CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE
Place Otoro tuna beside two close relatives.
Keep Otoro tuna as the baseline, then use Akami tuna for flavour and Chutoro tuna for bite. There is no need to order all three together.
PLACE & CONTEXT
Otoro tuna and place
A scarce fatty cut, not a separate tuna species.
YOUR FIRST PIECE
Build the baseline before seasoning.
Use the first piece as your baseline. Taste: Very rich and sweet. Texture: Soft, melting. Soy guidance: Try the first bite with no added soy if the chef has brushed it. Wasabi guidance: Optional; use sparingly.
