Instant Alert: People are freaking out about Whole Foods' 'sushi sandwich' — but it's a rip-off of a Japanese dish that's been around for decades

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People are freaking out about Whole Foods' 'sushi sandwich' — but it's a rip-off of a Japanese dish that's been around for decades

by Kate Taylor on Mar 30, 2018, 12:40 PM

Whole Foods is testing "sushi sandwiches."
While some taste testers were skeptical, the sandwiches are based on the Japanese dish onigirazu.
Onigirazu was invented in 1991 and has gained popularity in recent years as aesthetically-pleasing Instagram bait.

Whole Foods' new menu item is inspiring some raised eyebrows.

Grocery stores around the Washington, DC area have started selling "sushi sandwiches," The Washingtonian reported on Friday.

Breaking my fast with this amazing sushi over at Whole Foods ! #sushisandwich #salmonavocado #sushiroll #goodeats #wholegoods #gains

A post shared by 🇮🇳 NICK "NARESH" LALWANI 🇵🇷 (@officialhulkwani) on Mar 22, 2018 at 8:46am PDT on Mar 22, 2018 at 8:46am PDT

"Some are halved in rectangles, while others are (correctly) cut in triangles like a club sandwich," reporter Jessica Sidman wrote. "They come with your typical roll fillings: spicy tuna and avocado, shrimp tempura, California-style avocado and fake crab, and veggie."

Sidman slammed the sushi sandwich as difficult to eat, and its prepackaged nature left her feeling queasy.

It's my birthday and therefore I've uploaded a colourful new recipe! Beautiful, healthy Rainbow Onigirazu (Sushi Sandwiches) PLUS a ton of ideas for your own Onigirazu filling and a handy video tutorial (which you can only find a bit further down my feed

A post shared by Sabrina Dietz Food Photography (@purple.avocado) on Mar 22, 2018 at 11:52am PDT on Mar 22, 2018 at 11:52am PDT

While some may roll their eyes at the latest sushi creation after seeing such things as sushi doughnuts and burritos dominate menus, sushi sandwiches have been around for a couple of decades.

. . . . . 昼職☆*ﾟお弁当day.. . . . ってわけでおにぎらず作戦っ\(๑ l ω l ๑)/ . . . #お弁当#お弁当の日#おべんたー#オベンタグラム#おにぎらず#おにぎりサンド#愛情ごはん#美味しいご飯#２児ママ#シングル#シングルマザー#母子家庭#毎日バタバタ#毎日幸せ#笑って過ごそう#感謝の気持ちを忘れずに#母が笑えば子は笑う#笑う門には福来る . . .

A post shared by mii._. (@mii._.1o11) on Mar 30, 2018 at 2:33am PDT on Mar 30, 2018 at 2:33am PDT

The sandwiches are a variation on onigirazu, a dish that was actually formally invented by in a manga series. In 1991, Tochi Ueyama featured the sandwiches in his long-running manga "Cooking Papa," dubbing them onigirazu, a twist on onigiri rice balls.

"I saw my wife throwing the dish together in a rush when our kid was small, and I drew them in manga and named them onigirazu," Ueyama told The Japan Times in 2015.

Calling all #sushi lovers! 🍙 #ontheblog (link in bio 👈) #onigirazu or #sushisandwich 💃 comes with two fillings to choose from #baked or #fried #tofu #katsu or #sweetpotato (baked or fried) #easy to make, #filling and #glutenfree too 😋 #plantpowered #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #crueltyfree #plantbased #japan #japanesefood #bestofvegan #sandwich #vegansandwich #lunch #vegan #veganfoodshare #vegansofig #vegansofinstagram

A post shared by Lazy Cat Kitchen (@lazycatkitchen) on Sep 30, 2016 at 3:25am PDT on Sep 30, 2016 at 3:25am PDT

Onigirazu's popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, in large part because of its aesthetic appeal.

Now, sushi sandwich-seekers can buy onigirazu in far-flung cities, including New York and London. There are also countless recipes online, promising a quick and easy take on sushi.

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