Sushi may be a little overstatement.
Fusion is a better description ;)
Having local friends show you around is unbeatable. Asian food here is not the same as what we can get at home and one friend misses state-side sushi and Thai food terribly. But at the same time, we were advised that we had to try "Puertorrican sushi" while visiting.
She wasn't kidding. It was a one-of-a-kind experience.
First, our local friend advised that genuine Japanese sushi isn't popular here. All this beautiful seafood and Puertorricans aren't too keen on raw fish as it turns out. So their versions include skirt steak and plantains (!) The sushi rolls were filled with cream cheese.
Pionono Roll - steak, avocado, maduro, queso crema (cream cheese.) Friends that tried it said it was good. If you can get any Puertorrican sushi with crisp plantain chips on top, I highly recommend it -- the crunch is really good!
Gringo Roll - chicken tempura, avocado and queso crema. Surprisingly decent, if a little bland
Shrimp dumplings - frozen har gow (like the kind you can get at Trader Joe's)
Shrimp and crab egg rolls - don't forget that cream cheese ;) and remove the 'c' from the "crab" and replace with a 'k'!
We had other rolls that tasted similar. There were two exceptions:
Lobster Volcano Roll - (Note: it's not lobster) and has krab and more avocado. The whole roll is completely drenched in a powdered cheese sauce mix that was strangely homey and satisfying. A food that I'd make at home on a cold day when I felt like Spaghetti-O's or something. Cheese sauce and sushi. I know. I read the words now and they don't make sense to me either
Paradise Roll - Smoked Salmon (Note: it's not smoked salmon) krab, cream cheese & avocado. People were deep in conversation when I took the first bite. I tried to chew and swallow it but couldn't summon the courage and I had to spit it out. The salmon was like eating ultra-sweet fish jam/jelly in both taste and consistency. Blargh. Needless to say, it wasn't finished. Although...one guy ate a few pieces...hmm
The bottled beer selection covers beer from Beligium, to the PNW -- crazy.
If you want to be a true Boricua, you'll have to try some Puertorrican sushi! read more