Jeff B.
Yelp
(Tookout 07/18/24 TH @ 5:00pm): Supa excited about these Okinawan onigiris filled with Spam!
Thanks to an earlier Yelp Elite event that introduced me to Supamu Okinawa Onigiri, I decided to stop as I was driving home. Self-proclaimed as "SoCal's First Okinawan-Style Onigiri" (I didn't bother to research whether or not this was true), I enjoyed my first time here and their Spam-focused menu. I mean... I grew up on Spam, and although I didn't eat it as often anymore, I always loved a Spam musubi or two especially whenever I visited Hawaii. Would my second visit to this onigiri Spam shack with Okinawan influences be another hit!?
PURCHASE
Veggie Gyoza 5pc ($5.50): With your choice of pork or veggie, these deep-fried dumplings topped with spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce, were a bit small but thankfully were flavorfully-packed with fresh ingredients and a poof of steam when I bit into them. This was an impulse buy, and although they were yummy, these weren't the main attraction for why you came here. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=UJIfQhfw3Ne6j9icHduipA
Hawaiian Supamu Musubi ($6.95): Made with a grilled pineapple, egg, and Spam with teriyaki sauce, this was like an Okinawa's version of White Castle's slider. Thinner than I liked, it surprisingly still filled you up just enough. The fresh pineapple slice was juicy and messy, the egg was kind of meh, the Spam was always wonderful (just wished it was a bigger slice), and the rice and seaweed wrap held everything together although the teriyaki sauce tried to soggy things up. This was a joy to eat! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=iDEmCu2rmbLvHxw3otV76g
Spicy Mentaiko Shisho Supamu Musubi ($7.95): Crafted with spicy mentaiko caviar, shisho leaf, egg, and Spam, as interesting and unique as this sounded, it sort of fell flat for me. It simply lacked much flavor while the saltiness from the Spam was the main tastebud tickler. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=7DvnZ0uyTGBKBajB75tsTA
SERVICE
I was greeted by a kind young woman behind the counter who quickly took my order (I already knew what I wanted to try). About ten minutes later, my food was packed and ready to roll! I loved the ease and straightforwardness of the service; also, it was a long day, so I really just wanted to get home and eat. All was good - arigato!
PARKING (FREE)
"Koreatown" - 'nuff said. Located in a small shared parking lot with an attendee, I was lucky and found a spot. Otherwise, there appeared to be plenty of street parking along the main drag of 6th St. and all surrounding streets.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A primary takeout counter at the corner of 6th St. and Catalina St., the menu was explicitly posted on a window https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=6mti9uV39N2w2US5Hii3EQ for easy viewing, they had an outdoor patio to enjoy your meal and nothing else. There was a colorful mural https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=RtnP73BYzYUA652BWYnyNA I admired while I wanted for my order. Plenty of natural lighting while soul-sucking fluorescent lights filled in the rest once the sun went down. There weren't any TVs or background music unless you counted the sounds of the street traffic. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=t2WJ5s4mujHAX7qvZyuw9A
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
My second visit to Supamu Okinawa Onigiri was a successful one, and I would like to return to further explore their creative menu of different ways to enjoy Spam. Honestly, this was the only Spam-focused eatery I could think of, which brought a smile to my face. However, I wasn't certain how this niche model would hold long-term. As I generally liked everything I tried, the prices might be a tad prohibitive, and the parking situation in Koreatown was always a circus. The service was efficient and friendly. And, I loved to support local small businesses whenever possible. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL would-be paid experience was around $22.00 BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS