Sushi Burrito arrives
Fusion foods have deliciously shaken up our snack world options. An example is the cronut, a fusing together of a donut with croissant dough, filled with flavoured cream. The rich and delicious pastry snack took New York by storm when created in 2013 by Dominique Ansel at his namesake bakery. Versions abound, including the Kelownut, at Specialty Bakery in Kelowna.
Around the same time as the cronut, Korean tacos — blending together Korean-style fillings such as bulgogi and kimchi, served on a Mexican corn tortilla — emerged from a street cart in L.A., and never looked back. The quesabirria taco melds the taco and the quesadilla. Slow cooked and seasoned meat (birria), with its rich juices, is nestled into a corn tortilla with cheese, and is griddle-fried to become a gluedtogether, crispy, juicy unit that is served with a side of birria broth for dipping. Penticton’s Neighbourhood Brewing makes an exceptional example.
And in 2008, San Francisco’s Peter Yan created and branded the Sushirrito, a made-to-order sushi roll — with the hefty look of a burrito — fusing Japanese and Latin flavour combinations. The winning fast casual convenience food, under the trademarked Sushiritto name, boasts many locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, with iterations of the sushi burrito in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and now Penticton.
Koya, recently opened by Tatsuo Kan of Kojo fame, serves up his popular Japanese menu, with the sushi burrito as anchor. Housed in the former Wouda Bakery satellite space on Winnipeg Street, and just steps from the beach, Koya opened just two weeks ago. The idea for another space had been in the works for Kan for some time, especially to offset the demand at his Skaha location. The dream went from food truck to permanent location when the new space became available.
And within two months, Koya — meaning ‘a light in the desert’ — was born. The tidy space is decorated in typical Kojo style, an understated elegance with dark wood tables and chairs, counter-height seating and quirky antique décor accents.
There are 17 seats inside and 20 outside to enjoy a well-crafted menu of the Kojo hits such as sushi, rice bowls, poke and ramen — yes, ramen! — but the new stars here are the sushi burritos, a choice of 10 in total.
Instead of the usual nori seaweed wrapper, Koya’s version is pure Japanese with no Latin element —save the name — using soy paper, green tinged from spinach, that holds a layer of seasoned sushi rice before being wrapped around such ingredients as: crispy-fried chicken karaage with lettuce, cucumber and seasame dressing; spicy tuna with lettuce, masago, cucumber and green onion; or the vegan shiitake tofu, a wonderful medley of marinated and meaty shiitake mushrooms, tofu, fried onion for texture, lettuce, avocado, cucumber and green onion.
The sushi burrito is built for speed, taking just minutes to prepare, secured with a paper wrapper and sliced in half for ease of eating. Two dipping sauces are included with each order: a spicy mayo, and a sesame dressing to add as you see fit. It makes for a fun and delicious snack for the beach, or to sit and enjoy in the welcoming space.
Diners can expect the same thoughtful use of healthy, fresh ingredients, perfectly executed to order, served up with gracious hospitality.
A welcome addition to the burgeoning Winnipeg/ Westminster foodie mecca.
Koya, at 93 Winnipeg Street, is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM, koyacanada.com
With fork and pen in hand, and a passion for culinary adventure, Shelora Sheldan, local writer, cook and traveller, goes in search of the delectable.