How Pandemic Boredom Inspired Dallas Pop-Up Inusan Onigiri | Eater Dallas

"Launched by Nathan Bounphisai during the 2020 COVID lockdown, this pop-up grew out of a graphic designer’s obsession with onigiri and a desire to bring the variety he admired in other cities to Dallas. With no formal kitchen background, he worked with an Okinawan chef friend to perfect the rice — testing many brands until he achieved onigiri that held together — and then developed a menu that balances classic fillings like egg salad, tuna with mayo, and umeboshi with more inventive collaborations (including a filling that pairs smoked pork belly burnt ends with crisp pickled cucumbers). Emphasizing ingredients that preserve well, many fillings use pickled components for flavor and longevity. The operation sells roughly 300 onigiri per pop-up through an online ordering window that opens about a week beforehand; events are held at local venues and production begins early on the day of each sale to ensure freshness. Recently added sweet Japanese sandos stuffed with fresh fruit and whipped cream flavored with yuzu, matcha, and ube have become popular, and special attention is paid to packaging aesthetics inspired by Japanese convenience-store presentation. For now the concept remains pop-up-focused so the menu can keep evolving, though a permanent shop is a possibility down the line." - Amy McCarthy