Seemingly all sushi restaurants that have opened on Long Island in the last decade boast the same basic menu—from various negimaki to classic rolls to signature rolls with names like “Godzilla” and “Dragon.” While this has helped sushi achieve comfort food-level ubiquity on the island, it could also endanger the cuisine to becoming too homogeneous and boring.
That is why anytime a restaurant brings even a cosmetic spin to sushi, it is greatly appreciated by lovers of raw fish and Japanese preparations. Enter Big Bang Sushirrito in West Hempstead. A brand new, sleek little eatery that opened within the last month, Big Bang does offer the standard sushi menu, but it also gets creative with bowls (taking advantage of the poke bowl movement) and sushirritos (where sushi meets the burrito).
Customers can choose between Big Bang’s 11 signature bowl/sushirrito preparations—or they can build a custom order with their choice of either a bowl, burrito or salad; an array of proteins including tuna, salmon, blue crab, eel and more; mix-ins like edamame, caviar, cucumber, seaweed salad; “flavors” like sweet chili aoili, eel sauce, yuzu; and finally, toppings like wonton crisps and tempura crunch.
The signature creations include the spicy mix, with spicy crunch tuna and salmon, sweet tofu, onion and avocado with wasabi and sweet chili aioli. Another menu item is the umami classic, which features eel, steamed shrimp, cucumber and yellow corn with eel sauce and creamy sesame aioli. Both orders shine when ordered in a sushirrito, as the new wave food construction uses seaweed in place of a burrito’s tortilla, lined with rice and stuffed with the fresh ingredients. The sushirrito is wrapped in paper, which should be peeled away as you eat, to keep from losing components out of the back end.
A sushirrito is basically a longer—much longer—sushi roll, but the seaweed tortilla offers a snap to the sushi bite you didn’t know you needed, while the ingredients are bright and fresh. Big Bang’s dressings stand out, especially the pungently aromatic eel sauce.
Big Bang’s staff makes building your own creation a fun and easy experience. The helpful sushi master behind the counter has recommendations and suggestions, but ultimately adheres to the customer’s exact request. One such order included white rice, eel, spicy tuna, seaweed salad, scallions and cucumbers, along with eel sauce and sesame yuzu sauce. Fresh, bright, clean and deeply satisfying, the bowl, along with the sushirritos, are a dynamic and tasty take those favorite Japanese flavors.
As for price, Big Bang is a real bang for the buck. Two sushirritos and one bowl, as well as miso and hot and sour soup with two beverages came to about $30 during lunch, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant is also offering grand opening deals through Dec. 31, as well as free delivery.
Bottom line, Big Bang is well worth a try and frequent visits.
Big Bang Sushirrito, 342 Hempstead Tpke., West Hempstead; 516-750-8889; www.bigbangsushirrito.com
