Japanese rice balls pressed warm around fillings like miso beef and curry, wrapped in nori and made to order at Santa Monica's Main Street counter.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Omusubi are Japan's everyday rice balls, and Sunny Blue brought the made-to-order version to Main Street in Santa Monica, pressing each one warm around fillings from miso beef to vegetarian miso mushroom rather than selling them cold from a case. The tiny counter turned a convenience-store staple into a beach-town lunch.
Common allergens: Soy
Tip from the editors. Salted wet palms season the rice as you shape it; skip that step and the whole ball tastes flat.
Sunny Blue wraps made-to-order omusubi on Main Street in Santa Monica, miso beef and curry rice balls pressed warm behind a six-seat counter.
Order: Miso beef omusubi, plus a spicy salmon to go
Why locals love it: A six-seat omusubi counter most beach crowds walk straight past; regulars queue quietly for miso beef rice balls.
Tip: Miso mushroom is vegetarian and gluten-free; get one spicy salmon for the walk down to the beach.
More cities are in research. Want omusubi covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.