Special thanks to Street Sushi for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Chit Chat Corner is a food truck park at the corner of Chulia Street (Lebuh Chulia) and Chulia Lane (Lorong Chulia). Street Sushi (道寿司) is one of the several food trucks here. As the name implies, Street Sushi specializes in sushi (寿司) and other Japanese street food. Its menu is entirely pork-free.
The proprietor-cum-chef of Street Sushi has worked as a Japanese chef in Singapore for many years. In Japanese restaurants, the term “omakase” (お任せ) means “leave it to you (to decide)”. To handle omakase orders, the chef needs to be innovative in improvising seasonal ingredients and should be familiar with each customer’s palate.
Even when operating Street Sushi, the chef sets unusually high standards that are unheard of in the food truck business. For instance, he insists that each piece of sushi must be made to order. Even when dealing with fast-moving items, he refuses to prepare them upfront in bulk because the sushi pieces will not be at their freshest.
Seafood Temari (シーフード手まり, 6 pieces for RM17.00, 12 pieces for RM31.00) is the best way to sample the food here. Compared to regular nigiri (握り) sushi, temari (手まり) uses rounder rice balls. Each order consists of a variety of sushi. Customers can request for specific types, but generally it’s better to leave this to the chef.
The chef’s choices today are:
– Salmon (サーモン): A fresh slice of salmon over a clump of vinegar-laced rice.
– Squid (イカ): Aburi (炙り) style, garnished with fish roe (とびこ).
– Unagi (ウナギ): Prepared from raw fish, seasoning is based on the chef’s own recipe.
– Mackerel (サバ): Too salty for me, not sure whether this is intentional.
– Quail egg (ウズラの卵): Deep-fried with a coating of crispy crumbs, rested over a cucumber ring.
– Scallop (ホタテ): Aburi (炙り) style, pleasantly juicy due to its freshness.
Next, Sushirrito (寿司リトー, RM12.00) is a recent addition and has yet to be listed on the regular menu. It is essentially a very thick roll of sushi rice with fillings like sweet omelette (たまご), crab stick (カニカマ), pickled daikon (沢庵), cucumber, tempura crumbs (天かす), sesame seeds and cheese sauce. The rice roll is wrapped in seaweed (海苔) using a bamboo mat called “makisu” (巻き簾).
One might be inclined to think that such a thick roll will make Sushirrito too dry and bland. But this assumption cannot be any further from the truth. Even eating the Sushirrito without any condiments is quite palatable. Of course, the flavor is significantly improved with some wasabi (山葵) and soy sauce (醤油).
As for vegan sushi, Inari Maki (稲荷巻き, RM4.00) contains no animal products like egg or milk. The main ingredient is sweetened tofu called inari (稲荷). Inari is named after the titular Shinto god who is believed to love eating this food. Compared to other types of sushi, Inari Sushi has more gentle taste.
Sushi Cups (寿司カップ, RM10.00) are not on Street Sushi’s menu as these are something that the chef just created on the fly. While being fried in oil, seaweed is shaped into cups by gently pressing the center of each sheet with a toothpick. The rice toppings are cubed salmon, cubed avocado and fish roe. Sushi Cups can be eaten with pickled ginger (ガリ) and wasabi.
In response to popular demand, Street Sushi also sells Chicken Shawarma Sandwich (RM8.00). It is rather odd to see Japanese and Middle Eastern food under the same roof. Anyway, the chicken is first marinated thoroughly, and then cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
As the chicken becomes cooked, the outer layer is shaved off to allow the next layer to become cooked. Chicken slices are fried again to enhance flavor, and then wrapped in homemade tortilla bread. Cheese can be added for RM3.00 more. The beef version of shawarma is also available.
Chit Chat Corner has several colorful wooden tables next to the side fence. But most people still prefer to eat while standing anyway. This casual setting allows passersby to sample food from different food trucks. Besides Street Sushi, the other food trucks sell burgers, Korean food, coconut ice cream and coffee.
Name: Street Sushi (道寿司)
Address: 1, Lebuh Chulia, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-916-6387
Business hours: 5:00pm-12:00am, closed on Tuesdays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Streetsushipenang
Coordinates: 5.41809 N, 100.33701 E
Directions: Chit Chat Corner is located at the corner of Chulia Street and Chulia Lane. Street Sushi is one of the food trucks here. There are limited street parking spaces along both roads. For more parking, try the further end of Love Lane.
