Soon-to-close sushi joint breaks the mould with crazy creations that make California rolls seem tame.


Whenever we eat out at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, we always find ourselves reaching for the ones topped with lashings of mayonnaise and avocado. While those two unorthodox ingredients might send a shudder down a sushi purist’s spine, we can’t get enough of that rich, indulgent flavour. It’s a style of sushi that’s long captured the heart of one of our Japanese-language reporters, Takuya Inaba, as well, who says he loves the sinfully decadent taste of American-style sushi rolls. In fact, he’s long harboured a desire to try authentic sushi from the U.S., so when he was on a work visit to the city of Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture the other day, he yelped in delight when he walked by a restaurant that appeared to be catering to that very wish.

▼ The name of the restaurant was Sushi 51.

Seeing American-style sushi rolls on the signboards out front, Takuya searched for the place online and discovered that the restaurant is actually run by a chef who trained in California. Inspired by the American-style sushi rolls he saw while in the U.S., the chef has been introducing Japanese locals to the delights of the Californian roll, in new and exciting ways.

▼ Returning a few days later with a friend, Takuya grabbed a table seat inside the restaurant, which had a nice, laid-back feel.

The laid-back Cali vibes extended to the decor, which featured touches of American-style flair, and even the menu took inspiration from a classic U.S. highway sign.

The menu is written in both Japanese and English, and contains a variety of a la carte dishes, sashimi, and some appetising nigiri (hand-moulded sushi) options as well.

Initially, none of the options looked too out of the ordinary, with everything appearing similar to what you’d get at a standard sushi restaurant. However, flipping over the page, Takuya found he had suddenly entered new territory, as a lineup of unbelievably lavish and mouthwatering American-style sushi rolls began to appear before his eyes.

▼ These were things he’d genuinely never seen before.

With so many unique sushi varieties to choose from, Takuya’s eyes widened with every new discovery and he felt a sense of childlike excitement and wonder build within him.

Ordering the most delicious and off-the-wall varieties on the menu, he sat back in anticipation and received a surprising appetiser.

▼ Pistachios!

This was completely unexpected, as you’d never usually see nuts in a Japanese sushi restaurant, but it only added to the international feel of the place. Before he could finish them off, though, his sushi rolls began arriving in quick succession, creating a flurry of colour and excitement at the table.

▼ First up was the California Roll (610 yen [US$4.27])…

▼ …then the Aburi (seared) Salmon Roll (1,320 yen)…

▼ …the deep-fried cheesy roll, “Dolce & Caliente” (1,080 yen)…

▼ …and finally, the highlight of the meal, the “Crunch Dragon” (1,430 yen).

Every plate looked amazing, and even better than the photos on the menu. Lining everything up on the table, this was not your regular Japanese-style sushi, and Takuya was already salivating for a taste of it.

▼ First up for a taste was the Crunch Dragon.

This roll was absolutely packed with ingredients like eel, cucumber, and avocado, and it tasted fantastic. The generous topping of crispy tempura bits added an enjoyable crunch to the decadent combination.

The cheesy tempura roll was another brilliant creation, and in Takuya’s mind, a very American-style idea. After trying this one, he’s now convinced that Japanese conveyor-belt sushi chains should all offer tempura sushi rolls, as they’re so good they would fly off the conveyor belts.

The Seared Salmon Roll and Californian Roll were also fantastic, but there was one more dish that piqued Takuya’s interest so he decided to order it. When it arrived, though, he and his dining companion became completely stunned as the sushi was actually sizzling on a hot plate.

Known as the Volcano, and on the menu at 1,540 yen, this dish turned Takuya’s knowledge about sushi completely on its head.

Not once in his life has he ever ordered sushi and had a piping-hot sizzling plate show up on the table, but here he was, seeing the unthinkable, and eagerly gathering up his chopsticks to get a taste of it.

Working his way through the generous mound of cheesy sauce, a sushi roll began to emerge from underneath it all. As he drew one of the rolls out from the volcano, the aroma of seared mayonnaise filled the air, with an intensity that seemed totally unaligned with traditional sushi.

▼ Still, the insanely rich combination of mayonnaise and cheese made this an instant winner.

Strangely, the flavour of sushi lingered in the aftertaste, making it seem almost as if the sushi was an accompaniment to the sauce rather than the other way around. This only made the experience even more exciting, and Takuya says it’s quite possibly the most indulgent sushi roll he’s ever had. It went totally overboard with the saucy richness that he loves, so it was totally to his liking.

Other recommendations at this unorthodox sushi joint are the Cajun Chips (420 yen), which have a spicy seasoning that pairs perfectly with the sushi rolls, making them an excellent side dish…

…and the ara-jiru (fish bone soup), at 200 yen, is another must-try. Having it at the end of the meal is especially comforting as it leaves you feeling warm and relaxed after all the richness.

The only downside to the place is it’s actually closing at the end of October this year. This was a genuine disappointment for Takuya, especially as he’d just discovered the restaurant and was hoping to make it his new favourite secret sushi destination.

So if you too, love American sushi rolls and the decadent combination of rice, mayonnaise, avocado and cheese, now’s the time to take a trip to Kanagawa to try these crazy sushi rolls while you can. And if you find yourself with even more of an appetite for American cuisine, there’s a restaurant nearby that serves up burgers named after U.S. presidents.

Restaurant Information
Sushi 51
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Zama-shi, Sagamigaoka 1-17-47
神奈川県座間市相模が丘1-17-47
Open: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. / 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Closed: Mondays and the third Sunday of every month
Website

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