- Title: FOOD-JAPANESE RICH SANDWICH Onigirazu: Japanese rice sandwich
- Date: 20th August 2015
- Summary: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (RECENT) (REUTERS) KENICHI KAWASHIMA, CHEF/OWNER KAWASHIMA'S KITCHEN, CUTTING ONIGIRAZU ON JPOP SUMMIT 2015 (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KENICHI KAWASHIMA, CHEF/OWNER KAWASHIMA'S KITCHEN, SAYING: "Everybody knows sushi such as nigiri or rolls. So this time, I wanted to introduce a new item, onigirazu." CLOSE UP OF ONIGIRAZU (SOUNDBITE) (English) SCOTT YSEBERT, JPOP SUMMIT VISITOR, SAYING: "I love it. It's not, it's not messy, and I can just put it into a little ball and put it in my mouth all at the same time. It's really good." NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 21, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER EATING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER IN NEW YORK, SAYING: "It's a good way to pack a good healthy meal. I feel like in America in general, it's either you buy something like pizza, or a burger that's not good for you, or you buy a salad." VARIOUS SHOTS OF PARDO MAKING ONIGIRAZU (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER IN NEW YORK, SAYING: "So this is onigirazu. This is like a rice sandwich." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER IN NEW YORK, SAYING: "So onigirazu is where you kind of make a sandwich. Your bread is two layers of rice, then you put your filling inside." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER IN NEW YORK, SAYING: "So for this, we wrap the entire thing like this." VARIOUS SHOTS OF PARDO MAKING ONIGIRAZU (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTINA PARDO, PLAY AND MUSIC TEACHER IN NEW YORK, SAYING: "Here we go." TOKYO, JAPAN (JULY 30, 2015) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF STREET EXTERIOR OF CONVENIENCE STORE, FAMILYMART MEDIUM SHOT OF ONIGIRI VARIOUS - CLOSE UP OF SANDO OMUSUBI (RICE SANDWICH) AND ONIGIRI (RICE BALL) VARIOUS OF CHILD EATING ONIGIRAZU SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 10, 2015) (REUTERS) PAN - CUSTOMERS EATING AT TABLE TO CUSTOMERS WAITING TO ORDER VARIOUS SHOTS OF MAKING ONIGILLY (SOUNDBITE) (English) BETH DEYE, CUSTOMER, SAYING: "I mean, sushi became very popular, so I think this is, you know, familiar enough for them to be willing to try it." (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAX VARGAS, CUSTOMER, SAYING: "It's something you can eat while you're moving or doing things, so I think it'll be popular." VARGAS EATING
- Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA17UJ3AVDE6QFQBDTKV48UF96N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Onigirazu, Japanese rice sandwich, is tickling American palate. San Franciscans were introduced to the new rice cuisine at J-Pop Summit earlier in August.
Kenichi Kawashima, owner chef of a California-based caterer Kawashima's Kitchen, made some 800 onigirazu for the two-day event.
"Everybody knows sushi such as nigiri or rolls. So this time, I wanted to introduce a new item onigirazu," said Kawashima.
Scott Ysebert, a visitor who tasted onigirazu, also said he like how onigirazu is easy to eat.
"I love it. It's not, it's not messy, and I can just pick it in a little ball and put it in my mouth all at the same time. It's really good," said Ysebert.
San Franciscans are not the only ones who are using Japanese rice to make onigirazu.
Christina Pardo, play and music teacher in New York, prepares lunch both for her and her husband every day.
Pardo said that there is no place to buy healthy lunch of her choice in downtown New York where she works as a play and music teacher at an early childhood development class.
"I think it's a good way to pack a good, healthy meal. I feel like, in America in general, it's either you buy something like pizza or burgers that's not good for you, or you buy a salad," said Pardo.
Pardo, a long-time Japanese culture and anime fan, has been making lunch with Japanese rice.
"So onigirazu is where you kind of make a sandwich. Your bread is two layers of rice, then you put your filling inside." said Pardo.
As Pardo said, onigiri is indeed so rooted in the Japanese diet that convenience stores offer them for around US$1.
Now onigirazu as well as onigiri has become a popular choice for many occasions such as picnics and lunch in Japan.
Back in San Francisco, more onigiri stores are opening and customers believe the number of onigirazu enthusiasts will be growing.
"I mean, sushi became very popular, so I think this is familiar enough for them to be willing to try it,' said Beth Deye.
"It's something you can eat while you're moving or doing things, so I think it'll be popular," Max Vargas. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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