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It left diners sleepless in Seattle.
Fob Sushi Bar’s Seattle outlets have temporarily shuttered after fans of food influencer Keith Lee claimed they saw something wriggling during Lee’s video review of the restaurant.
“In response to recent food safety concerns, we have decided to close our Fob sushi locations in Seattle and Bellevue until further notice,” the raw fish monger announced in an Instagram post two days ago.
The controversy was sparked on November 10 after Lee posted a video review of the joint for his 16.9 million followers on TikTok. He was curious about Fob’s “unique” setup, namely that all of the sushi was served buffet-style by the pound rather than per piece.
After sampling $15 worth of sashimi (just plain fish) and nigiri (fish over vinegared rice) — which didn’t include shellfish due to his shellfish allergy — Lee gave the place an overall score of 8 out of 10. The gourmand claimed that the fish was good but the rice was slightly overcooked and “gummy.”
“This absolutely is a place that I will come back to,” concluded the TikTokker, who marveled at the affordability of such a massive haul.
However, Lee’s recommendation was tarnished shortly thereafter after reviewers claimed they noticed something suspicious moving about in his sushi at around two minutes into the clip.
“That fish definitely moved at 1:50,” exclaimed one, while another wrote, “Did anyone see that worm in that salmon!?”
Others noticed that he gave the fish in question a glowing review. “8.5 out of 10 for the worm piece,” observed one.
Many viewers demanded answers from Fob, which responded in an Instagram post.
They dismissed the allegations as “false,” claiming that they follow Food and Drug Administration standards “to ensure the highest quality and safety in every dish.”
As for the movement in the video, Fob chalked it up to the “natural elasticity” of the fish and “the pressure of the chopsticks when applied to its structure.”
“Rumors like this can harm small businesses, so we’re addressing it head-on,” they declared. “Thank you for trusting us and supporting FOB Sushi.”
Lee subsequently uploaded a follow-up video, claiming it “did appear that something moved,” although he could not “confirm or deny” what it was.
While the influencer insisted he didn’t suffer any symptoms, he claimed that someone alleged they were hospitalized after eating at the same chain.
“I sent my heart and my blessings to that person,” declared Lee, who dismissed the accusations that the sushi’s peculiar movements were his fault.
“For the restaurant to post a statement indicating that me holding the sushi or me holding the chopsticks a certain way is why the sushi moved, I personally don’t agree with it,” Lee said. “Because I’ve had sushi a thousand times, and I’ve held sushi a thousand different ways, and never once have I seen sushi behaving that way.”
However, Lee reiterated that he wasn’t insinuating that the nigiri’s gyrations were caused by a parasite.
Fob subsequently announced that they were closing their Bellevue and Seattle locations until further notice and conducting a probe to get to the bottom of the incident.
“Your health and safety are our highest priorities,” they wrote on Instagram. “We are conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation and will take all necessary measures to prevent it from happening again.”
They added, “We remain dedicated to providing you with the highest quality before.”
