Ikura (Salmon Roe)

Oncorhynchus spp.

Pacific Northwest / Hokkaido, Japan·United States·Everyday

The great democratiser. Translucent amber spheres that burst with oceanic umami and clean saline sweetness. Hokkaido sockeye Ikura lightly cured in soy and sake is among the finest things the sea produces — and more honest than many twice-priced tins of farmed sturgeon.

Salinity
3Butteriness
2Nuttiness
1Umami
5Complexity
3
Pop
firm
Finish
Umami
Texture
firm
Grain
large
Colour
amber
Blini service
Recommended

Ikura was born for warm sushi rice — a blini is the Western equivalent and works beautifully. The dairy of crème fraîche tempers the soy cure's intensity.

Pairings

Champagne
NV Brut rosé Champagne, Blanc de Noirs
Wine
Grüner Veltliner, Dry Riesling Kabinett
Spirits
Cold Junmai sake, Citrus-forward gin

Production

Source
wild / farmed
Producer
Pacific (US / Japan)
Processing
brined
Grade
grade A

Legal & sourcing

Not sturgeon, not CITES-listed. Salmon roe is freely legal in the US with no restrictions.

At a menu

Not 'caviar' to purists but a crowd-pleasing, dramatic, affordable garnish.

Similar varieties
Taste it tonight
Where to buy

Setting the table? The Caviar Service

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Common questions

What does Ikura (Salmon Roe) taste like?

The great democratiser. Translucent amber spheres that burst with oceanic umami and clean saline sweetness. Hokkaido sockeye Ikura lightly cured in soy and sake is among the finest things the sea produces — and more honest than many twice-priced tins of farmed sturgeon. On Roemance's 1–5 scale it rates salinity 3, butteriness 2, nuttiness 1, umami 5, and complexity 3, with a umami finish and a firm texture.

What should I drink with Ikura (Salmon Roe)?

NV Brut rosé Champagne, Blanc de Noirs, Grüner Veltliner, Dry Riesling Kabinett, Cold Junmai sake, Citrus-forward gin. Serve it with blini, warm sushi rice, crème fraîche, nori.

Is Ikura (Salmon Roe) legal to buy in the United States?

Yes. Not sturgeon, not CITES-listed. Salmon roe is freely legal in the US with no restrictions.

Where does Ikura (Salmon Roe) come from?

Ikura (Salmon Roe) is wild / farmed in Pacific Northwest / Hokkaido, Japan (United States), from Oncorhynchus spp., cured brined and graded grade A.

Does Ikura (Salmon Roe) work on blini?

Yes — Ikura was born for warm sushi rice — a blini is the Western equivalent and works beautifully. The dairy of crème fraîche tempers the soy cure's intensity.