History

The handroll counter, a six-to-twelve seat omakase-style room serving exclusively temaki (handrolls) in sequence over 30 minutes, was popularised in LA by KazuNori on South Main downtown, opened by the Sushi Nozawa Group (the Sugarfish team behind chef Kazunori Nozawa) in 2014. The format was built around the principle that a temaki must hit the customer within 30 seconds of being made, before the nori loses its snap. The format reached New York and Tokyo via LA. The defining handrolls are blue crab, scallop, yellowtail and toro, served in a fixed sequence with one rice ratio. The whole meal lasts about 30 minutes.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Fish, Shellfish, Soy, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 300g short-grain sushi rice
  • 330ml cold water
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 8 sheets toasted nori, halved (16 half-sheets)
  • 200g sashimi-grade tuna, sliced
  • 200g sashimi-grade salmon, sliced
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, julienned
  • Soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain 30 minutes.
  2. Cook the rice with the measured water in a rice cooker or covered pan: bring to a boil, reduce to low, cook 18 minutes covered, rest 10 minutes off heat.
  3. Warm vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan until dissolved. Pour over the cooked rice in a wide bowl, fold gently with a flat spoon, fan to cool to body temperature.
  4. Lay a half-sheet of nori on a clean board, shiny side down. Spread a thin diagonal stripe of rice across the left third.
  5. Place a slice of fish, a slice of avocado and some cucumber on the rice on the diagonal.
  6. Roll into a cone: bring the bottom-left corner over the filling, then roll the rest of the nori around the cone.
  7. Eat immediately while the nori still snaps. Repeat. Do not pre-roll.

Tip from the editors. The nori must be crisp at the moment of biting; that's the whole point. Toast the sheets in a dry pan if they've gone soft.

Where to eat sushi handroll

Sushi handroll in Los Angeles

KazuNori ★ 4.5

$$ JapaneseDowntown La

KazuNori on Main Street in downtown Los Angeles is the original temaki handroll bar, with the five-roll set delivered within 30 seconds of rolling.

OrderThe five-roll set: blue crab, scallop, lobster, yellowtail and toro in sequence.

TipWalk-in only, the line moves once a seat opens; eat each handroll within 30 seconds, the nori loses snap fast.

Directions Book

Sugarfish ★ 4.0

$$$ Japanese SushiDowntown La

Sugarfish on 7th Street, downtown Los Angeles, applies the late Kazunori Nozawa Trust-Me set menu format to a casual sit-down room since 2012.

OrderThe Trust Me set: tuna sashimi, salmon and yellowtail nigiri, toro hand roll.

TipThe Trust Me Lite is the better-value set for one; rice is warm, vinegar pronounced, fish room temperature.

Directions Book

Sushi Tama ★ 4.2

$$$$ Japanese SushiBeverly Grove

Sushi Tama on Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Grove, is Chef Hideyuki Yoshimoto's Tsukiji-trained omakase room serving fish flown in from Japan three times.

OrderThe omakase with hirame, kinmedai, uni and toro flown in from Toyosu market three times a week.

TipChef Yoshimoto trained at Tsukiji; the omakase is shorter than the chef-counter rivals but the fish is unmatched.

Directions Book

Sushi Note ★ 4.2

$$$$ Japanese SushiSherman Oaks

Sushi Note on Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, pairs traditional edomae sushi with a 90-deep natural-wine list, a Valley counter that books two weeks ahead.

OrderChef-selection omakase with a pour of grower Champagne from the deep wine list.

TipThe 90-bottle natural-wine list is the real reason to choose Sushi Note over its peers; ask the server for guidance.

Directions Book

All Los Angeles signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want sushi handroll covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →