Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi — pressed local salmon with jalapeño and miku sauce — might make the list for one of our top 10 finds of 2012. It's a country away, but not as far as you think. Following a recommendation by Rachel Kito, we visited Minami: the new sister location of Miku in Vancouver.

Aburi, or flamed seared sushi, was developed nearly a century ago in Japan. The act of applying fire directly to lightly sear enhances the natural flavors of the fish. Owner, Seigo Nakamura, innovated the Aburi concept by "creating specialty sauces, using non-traditional Japanese ingredients, to complement the unique taste properties of each fish."

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words but we're still struggling to explain this delightful creation.

It's a raw food trend we love.