Mike L.
Yelp
Let's be clear - conveyor belt sushi is not good sushi. Sure, I've been to places that have been surprisingly good for what they are, but most, at best, can only get close to a mediocre neighborhood Japanese restaurant. Yet, like so many other folks, I just can't resist coming to these places! Sigh. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the novelty of grabbing sushi off a conveyor belt or sushi boat. But to throw in a dish disposal chute, a gamified experience (you get a "toy" after ordering 15 dishes), and a robot that brings you your drinks and wasabi? That's just fighting dirty, Kura. And I'm all for it, unfortunately.
Having seen clips of Kura on IG, and after hearing about them from friends, I was cautiously optimistic about how my experience would go. Cautious because, again, it's sushi boat/belt sushi (and a chain at that), but optimistic because their menu is far more extensive than other places'. Beyond the usual nigiri, sashimi, rolls, and hand rolls (with both seaweed and soy paper), they also have a full slate of sides, udon, ramen, and desserts. What's more, their range of options within those offerings is super wide. Since my friend and I pretty much split everything, we got to try a good mix of items, but it was also far too many to get photos of (#sorrynotsorry).
-- GARLIC PONZU SALMON NIGIRI
-- HOKKAIDO SCALLOP NIGIRI
-- SALMON TORO NIGIRI
-- SEARED BEEF WITH YAKINIKU SAUCE NIGIRI
-- SNOW CRAB LEG NIGIRI
-- SEARED SALMON WITH JAPANESE MAYO NIGIRI
-- DASHI OLIVE SALMON NIGIRI
-- TORO NIGIRI
-- HAMACHI NIGIRI
-- GOLDEN CRUNCHY ROLL
-- NEGITORO GUNKAN
-- SALMON YUKHOE GUNKAN
-- REAL CRAB MEAT GUNKAN
-- SALMON SKIN HANDROLL (SEAWEED)
Across everything that we had, even though nothing really stood out, nothing that we had was terrible either. Of the bunch, the Garlic Ponzu Salmon Nigiri, Negitoro Gunkan, Salmon Toro, and the Toro Nigiri were my favorites. All of them were fresh and flavorful in their own way (it helped that three of them were belly cuts). The Salmon Skin Handroll was pretty decent as well, but it felt a little light on salmon skin. At the bottom end, I thought the Hamachi Nigiri (bland, off putting in color), Real Crab Nigiri (the crab was really dry), Golden Crunchy Roll, and Dashi Olive Salmon Nigiri (fresh, but tasted like plain salmon) were very forgettable.
While what we had was a mixed bag overall, part of that could be attributed to the fact that the vast majority of the sushi is just $3.85 a pop. Very budget friendly to be sure, but, arguably, you get what you pay for. For example, Izumi in Japantown and Serramonte is pricier by comparison, but the cuts of fish they use are generally better in quality. The rest of the dining experience is practically the same otherwise (grab food off the belt and/or order off the iPads if you want something you don't see), so even if the food here isn't as good, Kura does have some appeal as a cheaper option.
Personally, I'd probably lean towards Izumi for something better, but let's be honest - I'll be back here sooner or later to try their hot foods as well. And knowing me, it's more likely to be sooner rather than later.