Emmett T.
Yelp
The Sushi Stand has taken over a Liberty Public Market corner stall that used to be the home of prior dessert vendors that are now out of business. They offer a dozen different types of specialty maki rolls on the menu. What's unique is the cardboard sleeve that is provided for each roll. It's sturdy and looks nice as a gift box for something sweet like candy, but to me, the packaging is overkill for sushi rolls.
I noticed that most of the rolls had spicy kani or kanikama as the protein. For those who are unaware, kani is otherwise known as imitation krab meat. With that being listed as the first ingredient, it's hard not to gripe about prices as high as $16.50 for a roll in which real fish is playing second fiddle to imitation krab meat. Only three rolls did not have kani as a component so I chose two of them for my order, the Fresh Prince and the Black and Yellow.
The first one had spicy tuna, avocado, salmon, lemon slices, ponzu, micro cilantro, and sesame seeds as ingredients. The second one featured spicy tuna, tempura shishito, avocado, seared hamachi, seared lemon, ponzu, togarashi, and micro cilantro. Each product was cut into an unusual number of pieces (nine) with a circumference that was average in size for a maki roll at local Japanese restaurants. Slices of ginger, a wad of wasabi, and packets of soy sauce were included inside each sleeve.
Both rolls had a high citrusy flavor profile with the lemon and ponzu. If this vendor could emphasize the use of the salmon, tuna, and yellowtail that they have on hand instead of kani, then I would have less concern about the pricing. A greater selection of seafood like eel, scallops, or uni would bring different textures and flavors that could be incorporated into the rolls. The concept is good at The Sushi Stand, yet the quality doesn't match all the five star reviews that have been posted.