Say konnichiwa to Bandra's newest sushi joint, which is run by Japanese expats and serves maki rolls that are more fun than you'd expect
Yugo and Martha Tokuchi at their store in Bandra. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
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Back in April, a young Japanese couple set up shop in a seafood speciality store in Bandra West, and started selling sushi burritos under their brand, Yugo Sushi. The unexpected success of that pop-up has prompted Yugo and Martha Tokuchi to open their very own takeaway kitchen.
On the menu are 17 sushi burritos (vegetarian and non-vegetarian), with fillings ranging from salmon and prawn to more oddball ones featuring tandoori sauce or butter chicken. "When it comes to sushi, people think all Japanese are traditionalists. But, if you go to Tokyo today, you'll find that in a maki roll, pretty much anything goes. Besides, we love butter chicken, which is why we put it in our sushi," laughs Martha.
Ingredients placed on the sushi mat
The duo uses local rice and veggies in their rolls, importing only the nori (seaweed wrappers), wasabi and soy sauce from Japan. In September, they will add soba boxes (with noodles) to their menu, followed by donburi (rice bowls). At the moment, the store is in its soft launch phase, so all items on the menu may not be available.
OPENS ON: August 18, 1 pm to 4 pm, 7 pm to 10 pm (closed Mon)
AT: Sefa House, near The Bagel Shop, Pali Mala Road, Bandra West.
CALL: 9769253378
Slim Surimi Roll
Yugo and Martha seem to have their target audience figured out, and offer a 'low-carb' sushi roll, too. This roll is made minus the rice, and both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, are available. We try the Slim Surimi Roll, which has a filling of crab sticks (imitation crab meat), onion, cucumber, furikake (spicy vegetable chips), and pickled cabbage, all wrapped in lettuce and nori, with the former replacing the traditional rice layer. Everything about this roll screams fresh — the veggies are crunchy, the crab sticks are juicy, and the flavours of the soy sauce and wasabi mayo shine through. This one is a great pick for those who are watching their weight.
COST: Rs 401
Wasabi Veg Maguro Roll
This roll is part of the Veg Maki Sushi selection, and uses mock tuna as its star ingredient. The 'tuna' paste is made using soya chunks, and resembles tuna flakes, both in flavour and texture. The rest of the ingredients remain pretty much the same — onion, cucumber, furikake, and pickled cabbage encased in rice and a nori wrapper. If you don't enjoy the taste or texture of fish, skip this one. But, if you don't mind the rare indulgence without any of the accompanying guilt, go for it.
COST: Rs 500
Salmon Roll
Sushi relies on the freshness of the seafood being used in it, and, at Yugo's, fresh Norwegian salmon is sourced every Friday. So, you're most likely to find this roll on the menu only on weekends, at least for now. We love that the roll is stuffed generously with fatty chunks of the pink fish, but if you're not too comfortable with the taste of raw fish, you're better off not ordering this. It's also a bit on the blander side, as compared to the rolls that use tandoori sauce or butter chicken, so choose wisely. If you'd like to try it but with a little more spice, ask for an extra hit of wasabi sauce, and you're good to go.
COST: Rs 750
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