Love them or hate them, sushi rolls are here to stay, and getting flashier by the day.
Best In Show Roll - Haku Sushi: You’ll likely turn a little red ordering from this special menu, but that’s half the fun. And sure, we love the Silent But Deadly and Thunder Down Under, but the simple Best in Show, made with crab and avocado inside and lobster salad topped with unagi (eel) sauce, green onion, and tobiko is plenty sassy enough for us. 518 Seventh St., Santa Rosa. 707-541-6359 (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Four Seasons Roll - Kabuki Japanese: This unassuming sushi spot has a soft spot for maki and specialty rolls, including the usual suspects—California roll, Philadelphia roll—as well as more elaborate creations like this unagi and cucumber roll topped with crab, tuna, avocado, tobiko, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. 17 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-773-3232, kabukijapanese.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Godzilla Roll - Shige Sushi: This monster roll really stands up to its name with tempura-fried soft-shell crab, shrimp, and spicy tuna on the inside and topped with raw tuna, spicy crab, tempura crunch, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. More flavors going on here than a Baskin-Robbins. 19161 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma and 8235 Old Redwood Hwy., Cotati. 707-795-9753, shige-sushi.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Ken’s Roll - Hana Japanese: This pretty little roll is an homage to Hana Japanese founder Ken Tominaga. After the founder’s passing in 2022, son Keita left his signature roll on the menu. Inside, it includes tempura shrimp and avocado, outside, spicy tuna, tobiko, a sprinkle of shichimi pepper, and a single pine nut. 101 Golf Course Dr., Rohnert Park. 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
Makimono Deluxe Sushi Platter at Hana Japanese Restaurant in Rohnert Park on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
Tiger Roll - Asahi Sushi: Tiger stripes of sauce make this roll the undisputed king of the table, featuring fried shrimp, cucumber, and crab mix (surimi), crowned with baked eel, shrimp, avocado, black and orange tobiko, spicy orange mayonnaise, and brown stripes of eel sauce. 335 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-395-0487, asahisushiandkitchen.com (Nobuyuki Asahi)
House Roll - Sushi Kosho: Chef Jake Rand’s fish is so fresh it’s a shame to muck it up too much. Keep it simple with this delicate roll made with freshwater eel and cucumber topped with avocado, tempura crunch, and sweet eel sauce. At The Barlow, 6750 McKinley Ave., Sebastopol. 707-827-6373, sushikoshotogo.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Think of sushi rolls as the chimichangas of Japanese food—not exactly authentic, but “authentic adjacent.” Covered with a rainbow of sauces, tobiko, spicy mayonnaise, and eel sauce (always eel sauce!), they’re a gateway to more traditional ways of serving raw fish, like nigiri and maki. Love them or hate them, they’re here to stay, and getting flashier by the day. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorites.
