The operator of a pay-by-the-pound sushi restaurant in Seattle has closed three units after a Keith Lee review on TikTok appeared to show something moving in a piece of sashimi.
Lee, a hugely popular social media reviewer who has nearly 17 million followers on TikTok, did not say in the review that there was anything wrong with the sushi—other than the rice being somewhat gummy. But followers identified what they described as a worm that appears to move as Lee takes a bite of a piece of sashimi without rice.
The post prompted a flurry of new posts with a slowed-down closeup of the alleged critter, though it was not clear what it may have been.
Initially, the operators of FOB Sushi Bar called the claims of a worm in the sushi “entirely false.”
But on Monday, the company announced on Instagram that it has closed its three units in Seattle and Bellevue, including two poke concepts, until further notice, saying, “We are conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation and will take all necessary measures to prevent it from happening again.”
Lee is known for igniting huge demand for restaurants he visits around the country, and his reviews are largely positive. Known as the “Keith Lee Effect,” praise from him can result in lines out the door that last for months.
In his initial review of FOB Sushi, Lee described it as “somewhere between Miami and Japan” in terms of freshness.
@keith_lee125 Fob Sushi taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic♬ original sound - Keith Lee
FOB Sushi is buffet style. Diners choose a box, large or small, and walk the line to choose the pieces they want at $14.99 per pound. Lee notes that he has a shellfish allergy, so he chose 10 pieces of non-shellfish options.
The piece of sashimi with the alleged movement is rated 8.5 out of 10, “especially for the price. I would come for that by itself,” he said.
Later, in a second post this week, Lee told his fans he had suffered no ill effect. But he said he had spoken to another diner who had visited FOB Sushi the day after he was there. That person, who he did not identify, had been hospitalized, though he did not say why.
“If someone is ending up in the hospital and there’s something moving in food, I absolutely think there should be accountability taken, and that there’s something you can learn from it,” said Lee.
@keith_lee125 💕 Keith Speaks 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic♬ original sound - Keith Lee
The operators of FOB Sushi could not be reached for further comment.
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