Traveling Sushi

Have you ever been to a revolving sushi bar?  It's one where you sit at a bar and watch colorful plates of various sushi go round and round on a conveyor belt before you decide what you want to eat.  You just pick a plate off the belt and start eating and you just keep going until you're stuffed.  The plates, which are typically the colors of the rainbow, each have a certain price tag.  Red may mean $1.50, yellow = $2.25, green = $3.75, etc.  How do you know what you're eating?  Most establishments now have a labeled photo that is plated alongside the featured items, which is helpful.  It's quick, easy dining, not to mention a fun experience, especially for those new to sushi.  You can see what everything looks like before you commit to eating it.  How often can you do that at a sit-down restaurant?  The only downside to revolving sushi bars is that you don't know how long a particular plate of sushi has been sitting there making its rounds.  In other words, freshness may be questionable.  

I went back to Rowland Heights to check out a brand new revolving sushi restaurant called Kula Revolving Sushi Bar.  It's your typical sushi bar with a conveyor belt that interestingly runs around the bar and through a wall before it comes out on the other side to access those seated at booths.  You'd never notice this unless you got up and walked around the restaurant.  It was pretty neat.  

There was a pretty good variety of nigiri sushi on offer from the usual tuna and salmon to more exotic species, like heart clam and conch, all of which I consumed.  The latter two were new to me -- the heart clam was quite big and very chewy.  It wasn't the kind you could easily cut in half and eat in pieces (you're probably thinking, why would you?); you'd have to stick the whole thing in your mouth.  The chewiness was a little overwhelming for me, a bit similar to that of an octopus.  The conch, on the other hand, was slimy but in a good way, and had a nice crunch to it not unlike biting on a chicken bone.  There were also a few rolls to choose from, i.e. Philadelphia roll, caterpillar, spider, rainbow, etc.  The only roll I had was a spicy tuna on crispy rice.  The spicy tuna was spot on, but the crispy rice was a tad overcooked.  

Squid with shiso leaves (leaves hidden underneath squid)

Heart clam

Conch

What sets this revolving sushi joint apart from any other is that all its plates are $2.00.  I have not been to a restaurant where every single plate costs the same.  Don't you just love simple math!  Kula also features $1 udon noodle bowls.  Be forewarned, however, plates pile up fast and it's easy to throw down $20 in one sitting.

Give Kula or any other revolving sushi eatery a try, and see if you enjoy the visual experience.  Enjoy!  Oh, and if any of you have any trouble using chopsticks, just do what this kid does.  He's hilarious!