A Seattle-based sushi chain has landed itself in hot water following an eyebrow-raising visit from popular TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee that left his fans questioning the chain’s food safety measures.
During his recent food tour in the city, Lee visited FOB Sushi Bar, which he said was “one of the most recommended places” to try. The sushi joint serves sushi by the pound and offers over 30 sushi and nigiri varieties. Lee said he only picked out 10 pieces of sushi and nigiri because most of the other options contained shellfish, to which he’s allergic.
“[This is] sushi done in the most unique way I’ve ever seen in my life,” Lee told his viewers in a review made on Nov. 10. Although the social media star was impressed by the sushi chain’s concept and style of ordering, he wasn’t a fan of the sushi rice, which he claimed was overcooked in several instances. Lee did praise the fish, saying it was fresh.
@keith_lee125 Fob Sushi taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic
♬ original sound - Keith Lee
For the most part, Lee had nothing but positive things to say about the sushi establishment. “Overall, this absolutely is a place that I would come back to. And I can see if you love sushi and you don’t have a shellfish allergy, this is heaven,” Lee said at the end of his video.
However, many of his viewers noticed what appeared to be a live worm moving on a piece of Lee’s sushi around the 1:50 mark of his video. Surprisingly, that piece of sushi was Lee’s favorite from his entire box.
“Someone bring me back when he addresses the worm…but thanks for letting me know where not to eat Keith,” commented one user. Another commenter asked, “KEITH LEE ARE YOU OKAY??”
Several of Lee’s fans demanded a response from FOB Sushi Bar, which eventually posted a statement on Instagram. “Recently, a video has been circulating online that claims worms were found in our sashimi,” the sushi chain wrote. “We want to address this claim directly and assure you that it is entirely false.”
“At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer,” the statement continued. The sushi chain also claimed that the movement seen in Lee’s video “may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of chopsticks when applied to its structure.”
“We want to assure our customers that this is not indicative of worms or any health concerns,” the statement added.
In a follow-up video posted Sunday, Lee addressed the worm rumors and FOB Sushi’s response. “Somebody slowed the video down, and it did appear that something moved,” Lee said. “I can’t confirm or deny what it was, but I can confirm I am OK.”
“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,” he continued. “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.”
@keith_lee125 💕 Keith Speaks 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic
♬ original sound - Keith Lee
“As a customer, I shouldn’t be the one getting blamed for if it was something moving in the food.”
Lee said he decided to post a response because he saw a video alleging that someone was hospitalized after eating at FOB Sushi Bar per his recommendation.
On Monday, FOB Sushi announced on Instagram that due to “recent food safety concerns,” it was closing its restaurant locations “until further notice.” The sushi chain said it was “conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation and will take all necessary measures to prevent it from happening again.”
