Sushi Counter

What’s So Controversial About Australian Sushi?

"A fast-casual sushi shop in the West Village that opened in October on Christopher Street, founded by an Australian transplant who left a Manhattan corporate-law job to recreate the hand-rolls she grew up with. The menu emphasizes longer, tightly packed Australian-style hand rolls with some fillings that will feel unfamiliar to many Americans — notably teriyaki chicken with cucumber and a cooked tuna salad — alongside familiar staples; spicy tuna is the best-seller. The recipes were developed with a chef who previously worked at Shinn East and Sushi Seki, and the operation aims to be affordable and grab-and-go (about $5 per roll or three for $12), with red-and-white signage that recalls Glossier. The shop picked up social-media traction but also faced accusations of cultural appropriation and a campaign of fake one-star reviews, which briefly led the founder to delete her TikTok account; many Australian customers, however, have praised the authenticity and welcomed the concept." - Katherine Gillespie