YuZu is for You

When most of us hear the word sushi, we conjure up visions of raw fish paired with rice. And while there’s a plethora of sushi places here on the island, one Japanese eatery has its own ideas about sushi.

Veggie Sampler ($14.95)

Think fresh, light, clean-tasting, creative, and meatand fish-free.

YuZu is a chic new restaurant conveniently located in Ala Moana Hotel that will change your outlook on sushi. Its namesake, the yuzu, is an aromatic citrus fruit similar to grapefruit that is found in East Asia and used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines. Even the eatery’s modern decor is in fresh, citrusy colors.

“We wanted to serve something different,” explains manager Tats Otake of YuZu’s menu.

And lucky for those who don’t eat meat or fish, “something different” includes veggie sushi.

YuZu currently offers seven different fish-free sushi — tomato, carrot, eggplant, shiitake mushroom, lotus root, eringi mushroom and yuba (soymilk skin) — at $4.95 for two pieces per a la carte order. Or, just order the Veggie Sampler to try one of each ($14.95). Not only is it fresh and delicious, but the colorful sushi is beautifully presented. And keeping with the theme, instead of sushi vinegar, the chef uses yuzu vinegar for the rice, adding a touch of fresh citrus flavor.

“We try to use locally grown and healthy ingredients as much as possible,” says Otake.

So for fresh, healthy and creative vegetarian sushi, udon and more, YuZu is for you.

YuZu