u-sushi, the new fast casual restaurant that specializes in fresh, custom-made sushi rolls says kanpai (“cheers” in Japanese) to International Sushi Day on June 18 with a full day’s roster of celebratory activities. Since the restaurant’s debut in December 2011, u-sushi has taken off as one of the industry’s first “design-your-own” sushi roll concepts using robot automation to create fresh, rolled-to-order sushi. To commemorate this mouthwatering holiday, u-sushi will offer a specially-priced lunch menu, giveaways, and summery desserts from local street food vendors.
Lunch and Dessert Offerings – For International Sushi Day, u-sushi will offer $3 priced rolls on u-sushi’s classic California, Alaskan, and veggie rolls all day. Patrons also can choose from nearly 40 high-quality fresh ingredients to create a custom roll or select a specialty maki roll from their u-classic menu. Those not in the mood to roll can opt for u-sushi’s newest menu option, u-bowls. These rice bowl treats are created with a choice of brown or white rice and then topped with a favorite Japanese entrée: chicken teriyaki $7.50, salmon pepper $7.50 or vegetable curry for $6.50.
Celebrate with u-sushi Beverly Hills or San Francisco with lunch between 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and try delicious Japanese-inspired desserts from local favorite street food vendors. In Beverly Hills, mobile ice cream sandwich truck Coolhaus will be at u-sushi from 12:30-2:30 p.m. selling its handcrafted ice cream sandwiches for $5. Flavors planned for the day will include Vanilla, Dirty Mint, and Brown Butter Candied Bacon, among others. In San Francisco, local favorite Simply Mochi will be at u-sushi San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. with bite-sized mochi desserts in red bean, taro, strawberry, mango, and coconut. Prices for Simply Mochi are $1.50 for classic flavors and $2 for seasonal flavors and will be available until sold out.
How-To: Host a Summertime Sushi Party
Make It a u-sushi Party – Continue the sushi celebration at home with these exciting “how to throw a sushi party” instructions created by u-sushi’s expert party planners. Whether it’s a classic maki roll or a coned hand-roll, recreate a u-sushi party to celebrate International Sushi Day by following these tips:
Set the mood – Design the perfect backdrop by adding Japanese touches to your table setting. Use a low table and provide guests with pillows to sit on. Add chopsticks and a soy sauce tray for each setting. Get creative and include fun details like a cherry blossom centerpiece, tea cups, small rice bowls, and bamboo place mats.
Prepare your sushi station – As the sushi sensei for the evening, preparing a fresh sushi station for guests is important. Guests will enjoy the art of customizing their sushi with healthy and fresh ingredients. For the sushi station, the following elements will be needed:
Rice – A basic rice mixture for sushi is three cups of Japanese rice, 3 ¼ cups of water,
one-third cup of rice vinegar, two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of salt. Once the rice is cooked, mix these ingredients together in a large bowl.
Sushi fillings – Provide a variety of ingredients for guests to choose from. These can include ahi tuna, soft shell crab, salmon, avocado, spinach, cucumbers, carrots, and sprouts. For a summer sushi party, consider including fresh fruits like mango and strawberry.
Nori – Seaweed wraps come in various types. Spice things up with different flavors of nori.
Sushi sides and condiments – Don’t forget traditional sushi sides and condiments: edamame, gyoza (potstickers), miso soup, seaweed salad, pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce and mochi for dessert. These sides, along with the nori, can be purchased at an Asian market.
Get ready to roll – There are two ways to roll: maki-style (traditional sushi roll) or as a hand roll (cone-shaped). Don’t forget to have bamboo mats and plastic wrap available to help shape the rolls.
Arigatou party favors – Thank guests for attending the party by sending them off with mini bottles of sake as a reminder of the evening.
u-sushi is open Monday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. at 168 Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills; and 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 525 Market Street in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.u-sushi.com or contact the restaurant at 310.777.7655 (Beverly Hills) or 415.543.7655 (San Francisco).