A burrito big on flavour — and sodium
Samurachi burrito, $12.99 SU&BU, three locations in Toronto
The ask Sarah Jamal was instantly attracted to sushi burritos.
She likes their grab-and-go convenience, their pretty rainbow colours and, of course, the delicious mash-up of tastes.
“In a sushi burrito you get many more flavours than you would get in just one bite of sushi,” she says. “It’s like eating three kinds of sushi all together.”
Living above SU&BU, a Toronto mini-chain that specializes in this trendy seafood hybrid, has also helped to fuel her affair.
Jamal is usually drawn to the samurachi burrito, which is made with chunks of tuna and salmon, handfuls of spiral-sliced cucumber and shredded red cabbage, avocado slices and leaf lettuce, plus a sweet sauce and a sweet chili vinaigrette, all carefully wrapped in nori and a layer of rice.
“It’s delicious,” she says. “All the different flavours come together and burst in your mouth.”
But, like in any relationship, Jamal wants to know as much as possible about the object of her affection.
And so she asked The Dish to find out whether her favourite sushi burrito is as healthy as it is trendily tasty.
The guess “I think it will have about 500 calories,” says Jamal, whose high-pitched voice suggests she is more hopeful than convinced this is the case.
The exclusive results Calories: 625 Fat: 12 grams Sodium: 1,472 milligrams Carbohydrates: 91 grams Protein: 37 grams
The breakdown
The full-size burrito weighs 446 grams, or nearly one pound.
Its 1,472 milligrams of sodium is about two-thirds of the recommended maximum daily allotment.
The burrito is the calorie equivalent to eating 18 pieces of salmon avocado roll — two takeout trays — from Bento Sushi.
The expert response With its two kinds of fish, heaping cup of colourful vegetables, dose of healthy fats and reasonable calorie count, registered dietitian Carol Harrison gives the samurachi sushi burrito two thumbs up.
“For lunch or dinner, the calorie count is about right for the average sedentary person and its 37 grams of hunger-curbing protein will help you keep feeling full well past the meal,” she says.
“Plus, we’re supposed to eat two servings of fish a week, but most Canadians don’t meet these recommendations, so it’s great to work fish into our diets more often, especially salmon, a fatty fish full of hearthealthy omega-3 fatty acids.”
Harrison’s only concern is the burrito’s sodium count and recommends diners skip the accompanying soy sauce packet to keep salt levels in check. And for those who are watching their sodium intake, she suggests either asking for less sauce or for the sauces to come on the side so you can drizzle or dip sparingly.
The restaurant response Aaron Serruya, co-owner of SU&BU, is generally pleased with the nutrition numbers, especially since those with lighter appetites can easily order the half-size burrito.
“I love both proteins in the samurachi (one of our bestsellers), the healthy fats from the fish and the avocado and it’s packed with great vegetables; we made a point of adding a ton of vegetables to all our dishes. We want a complete meal for our customers.”
Serruya was concerned with the carbohydrate count and has already tweaked the restaurant’s specialized rice dispensers so they squeeze out less rice for the burrito wraps.
And, he says, he would like to reduce the sodium in the restaurant’s sauces — “The sodium number is higher than I would like to see.”
As SU&BU rolls out more locations and more sushi hybrid meals, including sushi pizza and poke nachos, Serruya says customers are increasingly asking for nutrition numbers.
“We are working on them,” he says, noting SU&BU will provide them before it has 20 locations. Provincial legislation requires restaurants with 20 or more outlets to post calorie counts for menu items. “Being a health-conscious diner myself, I want to know what’s in my food.”
The reader reaction “Oh, wow, that’s quite a bit for me,” says Jamal after hearing the calorie count. “That’s a big chunk of my daily calorie intake. But, you know, I’m OK with it. When I’m super busy at work, I don’t have much time to eat through the day and I want that full wholesome meal at dinner.
“But,” she adds, “I definitely won’t be adding any additional soy sauce.” The Dish is a regular series that helps health-conscious diners navigate Toronto’s food scene by revealing the nutrition information of readers’ favourite foods. If you are curious about the calories in a meal or treat, email Megan Ogilvie at mogilvie@thestar.ca. Items selected to be featured in The Dish will be sent to an accredited laboratory for nutritional analysis.