I enjoy sushi. I also enjoy burritos. According to the transitive property (math quota for the day met—nice), I will also enjoy a sushi burrito.
This seems all good and well, but that logic doesn’t always work out as smoothly as we’d like when it comes to food. I like eggs, and I like chocolate, so by the transitive property of food, I also like chocolate eggs? Cheesy ice cream? Sriracha cereal (not completely opposed to this one)? You can see that this property begins to fall apart.
So, is the sushi burrito the exception to this favorite-food-hybrid fallacy that we’ve been so desperately searching for? Let’s find out.
Being fortunate enough to go to school in Miami, I have a plethora of food experiences just waiting at my fingertips. A 20-minute drive from campus and I find myself in Brickell. A few illegal U-turns later and I find myself at Burrito San.
Photo courtesy of miamicitysocial.com
Burrito San has that fast-casual vibe that Chipotle has so artfully mastered. With no idea what to expect or which direction to go, we (meaning my dad and I — thanks, Pops) choose to order two different burritos and share. This is the only logical way to order food, in my opinion.
We eventually settle on the vegetarian option, the Buddha Belly (roasted portabello mushroom, crunchy eggplant, avocado, shredded carrot, organic greens, and garlic miso sauce) and the Mt. Fuji (raw sashimi tuna, avocado, crunchy wontons, Masago caviar, cucumber pickles, organic greens, scallion, and mango sauce).
As I impatiently await the arrival of my first sushi burrito, I begin to think of all the things that might go wrong: “What if the fish isn’t fresh? I don’t have time for food poisoning. Wait, why the f*ck did I order the mushroom one? I hate mushrooms. This is a sushi burrito place, for f*ck’s sake, WHO ORDERS THE MUSHROOM ONE?!”
My worry is interrupted by our waitress as she so gracefully, in what feels like slow motion, places the Buddha Belly and Mt. Fuji in front of our desperately awaiting faces.
Photo by Becca Holstein
I embark on my first sushi burrito with a bit of hesitation, but my worry melted away with each bite of savory Portobello and creamy avocado, followed by the tang of the elixir of life now known as garlic miso sauce. As I snap back to reality, I glance up at my dad, who seems to be having a similarly amazing experience.
As promised — though I’ve started to feel protective over my Buddha Belly — we switch half for half, and I set out on the Mt. Fuji.
Photo by Becca Holstein
It was lightyears different than the Buddha Belly, yet satisfying in all the same ways. Soft, delicate sashimi tuna, the occasional crunch of the wonton and kick from the pickle, all tied together by the sweet and loving embrace of mango sauce — the Mt. fuji delivered on every level.
As I sat with a full stomach and empty plates, a wave of guilt passed over me as I thought back on the doubt and fear that had once clouded my mind before trying these skillfully crafted, carefully balanced, and flavor-pushing sushi burritos. Any food hybrid, depending on the nature of each contributing culture, has a balance to strike. In the case of the sushi burrito, the texture, temperature, and intensity were the trifecta that made it work so well.
The texture
A foundation of seasoned sushi rice, sprinkled with crunchy wontons, fish eggs, smooth avocado, and crisp veggies.
The temperature
Warm, roasted veggies drenched in cool garlic sauce.
The intensity
The pairing of raw fish with mango, followed by the bite of the scallion and tang of the pickles.
The sushi burrito is, to say the least, a unique culinary experience worthy of being an exception to the favorite-food-hybrid fallacy.
P.S. Thanks for always being down to eat new foods with me, dad. You rock.
Photo by Judy Holtz