JUST SUSHI-ROLL WITH IT.

THE GROVE HOTEL | JOE. Hot+Cold Coffee. Unique accommodations in southwest Ontario

JUST SUSHI-ROLL WITH IT.

HAPPY NATIONAL SUSHI DAY!

Well, you know what they say, sh*t happens…and boy did it ever!  Anyone that knows me, knows that I can’t settle for the run-of-the-mill, everyday, so what do I recommend you do when that (you know what they call it) happens?  Quite simply, just sushi-roll with it!

June 18th is NATIONAL SUSHI DAY so we reached out to our BFFs at KOI SUSHI & JAPANESE CUISINE and asked “Wasa, Bae?”.  They were happy to provide us with a list of their top, rock star rolls as well as some tips and tricks from the pros.  Sushi-expert or sushi-virgin, all we can tell you is that their menu options make miso happy, (and they will make you happy too), so let’s just dive right in…

KOI SUSHI’S Top 5 ROCKSTAR ROLLS

1.   The Firecracker Roll 

The number one roll at Koi Sushi is the Firecracker roll, a combination of shrimp tempura and cream cheese, topped with crab, our special house sauces and sesame seeds and then baked in the oven until its golden brown.

2.  Golden Dragon Roll

Coming in at number 2 is the Golden Dragon, which is a combination of shrimp tempura, cucumber and BBQ eel, topped with creamy avocado and unagi sauce.

3.  Rainbow Roll

The third most popular roll is famous all over the world, and one of the most vibrant rolls – the Rainbow roll.  Crab and cucumber make up the interior of the roll, which is then topped with alternating salmon, tuna, red snapper and avocado.

4.  Las Vegas Roll

In a close spot at number 4 is the Las Vegas roll.  A crab, cucumber and cream cheese roll gets tempura battered, fully deep fried and then topped with spicy jalapeno and the spicy house Soo-Mi sauce.

5.  Vampire Roll

Rounding out the top five, we have the Vampire roll.  A tempura crab, and cream cheese roll gets topped with fried garlic flakes.  There are so many rolls on the ever-evolving menu, that Koi will let your taste buds sample many different tastes, textures and flavours.

A tip from the pros on how to make the perfect sushi rice (Shari or Su-meshi)

>  To get started, the rice needs to be washed and rinsed a few times until no more starch comes out from the water.  Remember to discard the water immediately, as rice absorbs water very quickly.

>  Let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

>  Cook your batch of sushi rice in a rice cooker according to the instructions (if you are a man and don’t generally read instructions, then we suggest you read it twice).

>  Once cooked, add sushi vinegar and dump the rice into a bigger container.

>  While it is drying in the larger container, mix the rice and sushi vinegar.

>  Once it sets, it’s be ready to rock and roll (literally).

Why is sushi rice seasoned with vinegar?

(**warning:  this fun fact will make you look like a sushi expert, so be prepared to tackle more adventurous rolls when claiming you “know all about sushi”).

Seasoning sushi rice with vinegar goes back to the origin of sushi. Sushi literally translates to “sour flavour”.  Fish use to be stored wrapped in fermented rice.  A long time ago, the fermented rice was just thrown away.  Between the 1300s and 1500s, the Japanese stopped using fermented rice, and instead added vinegar to the rice to increase the shelf life.  The vinegar addition made the rice so delicious that people began to eat them together, this beginning the trek to modern day sushi as we know it!

So we hope we’ve given you the inspiration or motivation to try KOI SUSHI at 18 Main Street West, Kingsville (just down the street from The Grove Hotel).  They continue to offer amazing takeout options – perfect for sharing – and it will allow you to tell the world…”THAT’S HOW I ROLL”!

#happynationalsushiday