Questions: Food & Beverage

YES

Fresh wasabi is several million times tastier than fake wasabi. If you're unsure of the difference between fresh wasabi and fake wasabi, it is most likely that you've been eating fake wasabi all this while.

This is because most of the wasabi served outside of Japan is a mixture of horseradish, mustard, and food coloring. Even in Japan, the demand for real wasabi is so high that you'll often find the horseradish mixture instead, with little, if any, real wasabi mixed in.

Why haven't you been served fresh wasabi every time you go to a Japanese restaurant?
Because it's extremely expensive.
Fresh wasabi can easily cost $160-$170 a kilo (2.2 lbs), sometimes even more, depending where in Japan it comes from.
(And also because fresh wasabi starts losing its distinctive taste after about 15-20 minutes)

Difference in taste between fresh and fake?

Real wasabi tastes more herbal than the horseradish stuff. It's hot but doesn't have a lingering, burning aftertaste. It's supposed to taste smoother, cleaner, and more "plant-like" than its commonly used substitute. The horseradish paste served in restaurants is harsher and not as fresh-tasting. It's also healthy: real wasabi has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-platelet, and potentially anti-cancer properties.

So, would you be interested in giving fresh wasabi a try?