Maki Your Way Down to Kozo

July 15, 2012 By Nicole Monton Photos By Nathalie Walker

Nothing’s better on a hot summer day than a refreshing maki sushi, and Kozo Sushi has got you covered. While all the maki sushi on the menu is sure to give new life to your dining experience, you also can expect a meal that will leave your tummy happy and content without breaking the bank.

Since 1976, Kozo Sushi has been serving up delicious sushi at reasonable prices, and the establishment prides itself on providing sushi that can’t be found anywhere else. Kozo also has more than 1,000 locations throughout Japan, but in Hawaii the establishment caters to the local crowd by adding a little taste of the Islands to its sushi.

Kozo’s Ahi Tar Tare Maki ($6.25) is a texture explosion in your mouth as it combines tuna tartare, mini bits of tempura chips, green onions and a special barbecue sauce on a California maki (made with crab, cucumber, avocado, mayonnaise and sesame seeds).

Hurricane Maki ($7.25) is a true whirlwind of ingredients that tastes so delicious, you might even feel the urge to meander up to the counter to order another. It bands together pieces of fried breaded shrimp, salmon, lettuce, green onions, sweet ‘n’ chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, wasabi mayo and barbecue potato chips into a flavorful concoction with an added zing.

What do you get when you unite local favorite teriyaki chicken with maki sushi? Teriyaki Chicken Maki ($5.99), of course! You get the best of both worlds with teriyaki chicken, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and a special teriyaki sauce mixed into a maki sushi, which makes for easy eating.

Like the cheerleading chant goes, “When you mess with dynamite it goes tick, tick, tick, tick, BOOM!” You can expect that “boom” of flavor from Kozo’s Dynamite Maki ($7.25). The shrimp tempura, lettuce, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds, ahi, masago, green onions and barbecue potato chips sit beneath sweet ‘n’ chili sauce and wasabi mayo, and the textures and flavors combine in a powerful punch.

Tsunami Maki ($7.25) will hit you with three different types of sauces — teriyaki, spicy and sweet ‘n’ chili sauces — glazed atop ahi, tempura chips and green onions over a California maki.

Not only is Kozo Sushi about serving the freshest, tastiest meals to its customers, it’s also about making sure each dining experience is memorable. The mixture of texture and flavors in each maki sushi will leave you wanting more.

If you’re thinking that a maki sushi simply will not fill you up, Kozo also has other heartier options such as Salmon Ikura Don ($7.50) and Ebi Tempura Don ($6.25). And if you’re looking for that little something to top off your full opu, there are almost 20 different types of temaki sushi you can choose from, including Tuna ($1.20), unagi ($2.15) or veggie ($1.60). There also is something the keiki will enjoy such as Cucumber Hosomaki ($1.30) and Shinko Hosomaki ($1.30), which are prepared to perfection.

With six convenient locations — Kapahulu, Kahala Mall, Keeaumoku at Walmart, Moiliili, Pearlridge and Pearl City — Kozo Sushi is the perfect place to grab a fresh and tasty on-the-go lunch. It lives by its motto, “When only the best will do… why not take Kozo Sushi along with you?”