Onigiri look like sushi, but are made with hot rice that isn’t seasoned with vinegar. Onigiri is also the term for the sushi with the meat on top, so, it can be confusing. “Nigiri” means “squeezed” or “clenched”. “O” is an honorific, so “onigiri” is the honorific form. Ironically, people call the fancier food “nigiri sushi”, and the less fancy rice ball as “onigiri”, at least in the US.
“Omusubi” or “musubi” is also the same thing as “onigiri”. It’s also called “nigirimeshi”. The following is an ever growing list of nigiri-selling restaurants in the Americas.
- Jichan’s Onigiri (closed)
- Tozai Foods Rosemead
- Mogu Mogu Rosemead
- Ramen Ichiraku El Monte
- Rice and Nori Pasadena and Little Tokyo
- Mitsuwa Marketplace
- Supamu Okinawa Onigiri Koreatown
- Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen
- Atoyubu Buena Park
- Maruichi Bento Artesia
- Ricebunn Irvine
- Gam Tu Bop Glendale
- Tenori Stanton
- Poki Cafe Corona
- Onigiri Sun Little Tokyo
- Lagu Cafe Irvine
- Oniguru Garden Grove
- Okinawa BBQ and Onigiri Lancaster
- Kyoko’s Kitchen Lancaster
- Gardena and Torrance
Pending Listings
To get added: https://forms.gle/32vTnNT9M7ER8A9f7