The unprecedented growth of the popularity of sushi burrito, also known as "sushiritto", is gaining a foothold around the United States, particularly in Washington DC.
This queer mix of Mexican and Japanese food is becoming a huge trend. Instead of small rice rolls with raw fish, eateries are serving sushi-grade rice rolled covered in seaweed filled with various the staple raw seafood, sauces, vegetables, and other additions. Restaurants serving these culinary chimeras are making their own additions, spurred on by the growth of fast casual dining. One of the most notable ones include Seoulspice in NoMa in Washington DC, which serves Korrito, a Korean-style burrito.
In an interview by the Independent, Darren Tristano of Technomic, a Chicago-based firm which specializes in food industry analysis, stated that a number of factors are in play and its growth isn't an accident. Furthermore, he also said that a Technomic study foretold that a "burrito-inspired" form would also be a trend. Another reason for its growth is that sushi is now an accessible commodity, with it being present in most grocery stores today.
Additionally, the growth can also be attributed to the steadily rising popularity of Japanese cuisine. According to a report by the National Public Radio or NPR, there are now more than 89,000 Japanese restaurants that are operating outside Japan. In the United States, there are at least 22,000.
Meanwhile in the West Coast, the delicacy is gaining traction. One of the most notable restaurants serving this is Sushiritto, which debuted in 2011 and dubs itself as the "original sushi burrito concept". It is also noteworthy that a food truck, Jogasaki, peddled food around Los Angeles - one of its dishes is none other than sushi burrito.
"The concept for Sushirrito came to be since we love sushi and wanted it to be more accessible and portable. Burrito-sizing sushi makes a lot of sense given the handheld aspect of it," said Peter Yen, founder of Sushiritto, in an interview with the Independent.
Apart from sushi burrito, other famous cross-cuisine dishes include the ramen burger, California maki, cronuts, and turducken (chicken cooked inside a duck, stuffed inside a turkey). However, it's noteworthy that this dish can hardly be considered a Japanese food, according to Shota Nakajima, a chef in the Naka, a Seattle-based restaurant.
"Don't get me wrong - the sushi burrito is a cool concept," says Nakajima in an interview with the NPR. "I wouldn't tell anyone not to eat it. But I wouldn't say it's Japanese food. That's drawing a line there."
