The new restaurant – Rolls By U – featured in the Young&Hungry article below, is owned and operated by Peggy and Ken’s son-in-law. But you shouldn’t check it out just for that reason. It is like Chipolte but for sushi, which makes it allergy friendly for all of those out there that have to watch what we eat. Don’t worry if you don’t know what to add, though. They also have preset menu items.
Another Restaurant That Serves Burrito-Sized Sushi Is Coming
The group behind Chi-Cha Lounge, Guarapo, and Maté is getting into the business of burrito-sized sushi rolls. They’ll open Rolls By U with customizable “ritos” as well as regular-sized rolls and bowls by the middle of next week at 1713 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington.
Rolls By U follows Buredo, another oversized sushi roll joint that opened near Franklin Park in July. But Director of Operations Farees Salim claims the idea for Rolls By U actually predates Buredo and that they’ve had a lease for the concept for nearly two years.
Still, to differentiate itself from the competition, Rolls By U will allow guests to customize their dishes.”There’s a lot of allergies. There’s a lot of restrictions on what people eat. So they can come there and create their own rolls,” Salim says.
For bowls and “ritos,” patrons can decide between white rice, brown rice, or quinoa and a selection of greens as the base. Rolls also have a choice of rice as well as soy paper or seaweed paper. From there, people can pick one or two proteins from a list of nearly a dozen options, including tuna, salmon, grilled chicken, tofu, shrimp, and crab mix. Additional stuffings include everything from ginger guacamole to mango to jalapeno. The dishes are topped off with sauces like sweet teriyaki or sriracha aioli and crunchies like wonton crisps and sauteed shallots. For salads, dressings range from truffle balsamic to sesame soy-vinaigrette.
The restaurant will also have a number of “signature” rolls and ritos, including one with yellowfin tuna, lotus chips, cucumber, romaine lettuce, ginger guacamole, roasted corn, tobiko, and wasabi aioli. Prices will range from $7 to $8 for rolls, $10 for ritos, and $11 for bowls.
Unlike Buredo which has a single communal table in its tiny space, Rolls By U aims to not just cater to a to-go crowd. The high-ceilinged restaurant has 48 seats each with their own USB ports. Beer, wine, sake, and Champagne will also be available.
CORRECTION: This post initially stated the wrong address. It is located at 1713—not 1731—Wilson Boulevard.
Rolls By U, 1713 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; rollsbyu.com
Photo from Taste of DC by Jessica Sidman