The perfect midday pick-me-up!

I grew up with onigiri as my go-to lunch and snack, and to this day still love to pick some up from the Japanese market or make it at home. I saw that Sunny Blue specializes in onigiri in Santa Monica (they also have a location in Culver City), and have had it on my list for quite a while. I finally gave it a try this past weekend!

For those of you not familiar with onigiri (or as Sunny Blue calls it, omusubi — just another name for it), they are rice balls filled with your choice of topping whether that be salmon, tuna, furikake, meat, etc. and covered with seaweed (nori). It is very popular in Japanese culture, as they are very easy to make, use simple ingredients, are a fun activity, and cheap. You can read more about the onigiri origin story here. At the Japanese market, you can normally find them for under the cost of two dollars. I always keep sticky rice and seaweed on hand in case I need a quick lunch or snack on the go.

I had looked at Sunny Blue’s menu online prior to going, and was a bit astonished at the prices in comparison to the Japanese market. The onigiri at Sunny Blue ranges from $4.50-$5 each, which may offend a lot of Japanese people who grew up with it and know better about usual onigiri pricing. But, I was proven wrong underestimating the quality of their onigiri! I ordered the mushroom, tuna mayo, and miso beef flavors. My order was ready within five minutes, and since they currently do not have restaurant seating I rushed back to my car to test them out.

First off, the size of them alone is almost double what you would normally get at the Japanese market, which makes up for the cost. The rice was made to perfection, and the flavors were to die for. These are also warm and fresh — which you won’t find in the refrigerated origiri section of the Japanese marktet! My absolute favorite was the miso beef, which was cooked in the most delicious miso sauce and had me drooling for more. I would order all of them in the miso beef next time! Lastly, the quality of seaweed used is top tier. It must be soaked in some type of oil or flavoring before roasting, as it truly made for the perfect savory aftertaste.

I know there may be some hesitation about the cost and quality from people with a Japanese background like myself, but I recommend trying it and seeing for yourself! If anything, it saves some time from making a batch of rice in the rice cooker. I think you will similarly find yourself pleasantly surprised!

P.S. If you do not live in Los Angeles but got some inspiration from this blog on your next snack, I embedded a TikTok below on how to make onigiri in the comfort of your own home!

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