Dining Discoveries: Rock-n-Roll Sushi

Rock-n-Roll Sushi

579 Floresta Boulevard, Suite A

Recommended by Maureen French, San Leandro Resident

Japanese sushi making is an art based on finding bold flavors in its simplest form. American sushi making has become an art, based on finding bold flavors in the complexity of unconventional flavors in sushi rolls. The California roll, which is made of avocado, crab and cucumber surrounded by seaweed and rice, was first created because tuna was seasonal back in the 1970s and a Los Angeles sushi chef replaced the tuna with avocado and crab for texture and the fishy taste, and it stuck.

The California roll has become a classic on sushi menus around the country and of course, on the Rock-n-Roll Sushi menu. Along with several other sushi roll varieties, Rock-n-Roll Sushi may look like another sushi house that serves bento boxes, teriyaki entrée dishes, udon and even ramen, but their sushi rolls separate them from the pack. Many Japanese restaurants that serve sushi often just plate several different iterations of the same sushi, swapping out a fish or giving it that extra topping and then just giving it a different name. Rock-n-Roll Sushi definitely has some local and fun names, like the Floresta roll, Yuban (named after the nearby Kraft Foods plant) or Little Nemo, but we also recommend searching for the more unusual options. Rock-n-Roll is really good about creating flavors and textures that one would not expect by adding tempura flakes, garlic sauce or even macadamia nuts. The unexpected contrasts compliment the fresh fish and play on the different flavors, bringing out the sweetness with the savory all in one bite. Although, you might need two bites because their sushi is more than generous and often too big for even one huge bite.

Rock-n-Roll Sushi is consistently good and they are always busy. Their staff does a great job keeping up with tables and filling orders in their quaint corner restaurant. The place is easy to find and has ample parking. There is often a running waiting list, but it moves quickly. Rock-n-Roll Sushi ventures far from traditional Japanese sushi making, but American sushi has become its own evolved form and has clearly made its mark on American cuisine.

About Dining Discoveries: San Leandro’s restaurant scene is full of hidden gems, quirky hole-in-the-walls, and authentic ethnic foods. Dining Discoveries is a recurring feature on San Leandro Next designed to bring increased awareness to businesses that have been flying under the radar…and to help you find a great place to get dinner tonight. We started by asking the City Council for their recommendations and we will looking to the community for ongoing help in identifying great restaurants that people may not know about.

Want to suggest a restaurant for a future post? Email slnext@sanleandro.org and tell us about it.