Austin has established itself as a sushi city, but it's time to accept a newcomer from an unexpected neighbor up north. Aburi Oshi Sushi is a new to-go concept by a group called Aburi Restaurants that has achieved regional dominance operating Aburi Hana, the first sushi restaurant in Canada to receive a Michelin star. It opens September 20 at 5610 N. Interstate Hwy. 35 at the edge of the North Loop neighborhood.
This pickup spot is a part of CloudKitchens, a national chain of ghost kitchens — commercial kitchens used by restaurant concepts without a dining space. It'll also offer delivery and catering.
Although this particular takeout concept is new, Aburi restaurants share a style, with some variations in each venture. A release touts Aburi's flame-searing technique, which it applies to pressed sushi (not rolls, but usually bite-sized rectangular cakes) doused in house sauces.
Sushi receiving a sear.Photo courtesy of Aburi Oshi Sushi
Guests can try it in the Aburi Salmon Oshi, a fan-favorite menu item featuring Sockeye salmon, Aburi's unique Miku sauce (which home chefs have attempted to replicate with miso and mayonnaise as main ingredients), jalapeño, and black pepper. A new item in Austin is the Aburi Yellowtail Oshi with cilantro, avocado sauce, and serrano.
The oshi (pressed) sushi is the main draw — and presents great in photos — but there are also plenty of rolls on the Austin concept's menu. Those don't get too fancy, featuring combos like tuna and cucumber; yellowtail and scallion; and the all-vegetable Shojin Roll with avocado, carrot, and cucumber. The obligatory California Roll shows up in a more traditional form, plus Miku sauce and a flame-sear dress up a specialty version.
In addition to running an acclaimed group of restaurants in Canada, Aburi Restaurants owns and operates two restaurants in Tokyo, Japan, including Aburi TORA Futako Tamagawa, one of Tokyo’s most famous sushi restaurants, and nine properties in Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario.
"We are honored to introduce our flame-seared style of sushi to Austin, and to add to the vibrant food scene here," said Aburi's corporate chef, Kazuki Uchigoshi, in the release. "Our expansion outside of Canada marks a significant milestone for us, and we’re thrilled to be a part of the Austin and overall Texas dining community."
All these rectangular sushis look very neat in a row.Photo courtesy of Aburi Oshi Sushi
Before founder Seigo Nakamura was making sushi in Canada, he was making it at 20 years old in Miyazaki, Japan, following in his father's footsteps. But he later took a less traditional path, opening nine locations showing off his flame-seared creations, eventually leaving Japan at age 32.
During his travels abroad in his late 20s, Nakamura was inspired by how sushi had evolved into a global phenomenon, particularly in its embrace of salmon as a top sushi topping. In Japan, raw fish (sashimi) is more commonly consumed, so this discovery sparked his desire to craft something new that would appeal to international palates. Aburi Restaurants is based in Canada — specifically Vancouver and Toronto — but it also owns and operates two restaurants in Tokyo.
Aburi Oshi will be open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. Pickup and delivery are available via 5610foodco.com. Catering inquiries should be directed to catering@aburioshisushi.com. More information about the concept is available at aburioshisushi.com.
