Uncharted territory

A sushi burrito. Just the sound of it is enough to make you go, “Huh?” But that is, it turns out, the specialty at Sushi King, an odd little restaurant gem on the north end of town.

I’d driven by this location—in the old Dairy Queen building at The Esplanade and Cohasset—many, many times without stopping. The relatively recent name change—from Pizza King to what looked like “Sushi Burrito King”—initially took me by surprise. Sushi Burrito King? I thought to myself more than once. Nah. There’s no way they really make sushi burritos. … Boy, was I wrong.

Walking into the odd eatery is like entering an alternate universe, one where sushi and burritos collide and boba teas include juice balls that pop in your mouth. The décor is typical of most Japanese restaurants, complete with paper lanterns, but the menu is not. Below the mounted version on the wall behind the counter are big television screens that feature the same menu’s pages, flipping in a distracting loop.

For my first visit, I decided to go with the traditional milk tea with boba ($2.95), plus a gyoza appetizer ($4.50 for eight) and, of course, I had to see what the sushi burrito was all about (would it be wrapped in a tortilla, or feature refried beans in seaweed?), so I chose the fried soft-shell crab version ($7.95). I could hardly contain my curiosity while waiting for my order, so I bided my time reading the various menu listings and posters on the wall. One caught my attention: “What are popping pearls?” it asked. I don’t know! I thought, but I want to try them, too! According to the poster, they are smaller than the traditional boba tapioca balls, and are filled with flavored juices surrounded by a thin membrane made to pop in your mouth. I made a mental note to try them next time.

My order finally arrived and when I opened my to-go box, I thought I was prepared, but I was still slightly in shock. What sat before me was, literally, a sushi roll the size of a burrito. All the sushi elements were in place, from the sticky rice to the thinly sliced veggies to the tobiko and crab. It was even wrapped in seaweed. After taking a bite, my mind was blown a little bit more—it was good. The flavors and textures worked together like they would in any sushi roll, just super-sized. And being able to wrap my hands around it and bite into it, burrito-style, was strangely satisfying.

I had to go back for another taste, to be sure my first visit wasn’t a fluke. This time I tried the grilled salmon sushi burrito ($7.25) and an egg roll (85 cents). I also ordered a strawberry milk tea with strawberry popping pearls. I have just two words for that: fruity fun!

My second visit may even have been better than the first. The perfectly crunchy and flavorful egg roll was better than the gyoza (which were simultaneously crisp and doughy). The sushi burrito was on par with the previous, my only complaint being that this time it was overfilled so the edges of the seaweed didn’t quite meet, making it difficult to hold the whole thing together. On the plus side, I could taste the freshness of the salmon, and attest to it, too, because I watched as it was pulled out of the fridge raw and placed into the pan.

Are there things that could be improved? Sure. For one, it would be nice to see actual dishes and silverware rather than paper and plastic in the dining room. And, though they’re not without their cheesy charm, the many signs/menus are overkill.

But all in all, Sushi King is probably the most surprising food find I’ve encountered in a long time. I walked in expecting a weird combination Asian-Mexican joint, and what I discovered was a totally legit Japanese fast-food restaurant doing something different. (They also offer regular-sized sushi rolls, in addition to “combo rice boxes” with grilled chicken, beef or salmon, among other things.) I wish them luck wholeheartedly, and I’ll most definitely be back.