New in your local mini-mart, “American-style” california rolls are starting to show up on the shelves.  Unlike Korean gimbap, these rolls bear a superficial resemblance to the vinegary rice rolls of Japan, makizushi.  When sushi hit America, these rolls were tinkered with to suit westernized tastes, including introducing sauces and novel fillings like avacado and mayonnaise.  In the US and Canada, pre-packaged california rolls and other kinds of sushi have been available for years at most large grocery stores.

wasabi sauce

Now at last you can have (kindof) the same experience of picking up a quick sushi pack: 7-11 has introduced a series of “california rolls” with various fish fillings (your choice of tuna or salmon) with mayo in an inside-out roll, and some spread-it-yourself wasabi cream sauce. Fine dining, this is not. In fact, there’s little to set it apart from the average roll of gimbap besides pre-slicing and fewer fillings. It’ll also cost you roughly twice as much as a single roll of ministop gimbap, so prepare yourself.

salmon california roll

Both the salmon and tuna varieties rely on inexpensive canned fish that’s been mixed with rice and mayo. The crab version is made from imitation krab meat, and none of the varieties have been encumbered by any avocado, cucumber, or other vegetal matter, though there is a sprinkling of roe on the outsides of the rolls. You could do worse for a quick snack, but you can also do better, even at the minimart.  Go get yourself a gimbap instead for a much better value and more flavor.