By Julia Lund
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar opened its first location in Carle Place, New York this summer. This is the first in the three planned New York locations, including Flushing, and Lake Grove. Kura has over 500 locations worldwide and only 52 in the United States.
Situated right across from the Roosevelt Field Mall, the restaurant is tucked into a quaint plaza with ample parking and outside waiting areas. This helps as the new restaurant is buzzing; current wait times are between 30 and 80 minutes.
But it’s worth the wait. Kura combines authentic Japanese cuisine with innovative service. It feels straight out of an 80s sci-fi film. Sushi, protected by sterile covers, whizzes by your table on a conveyor belt with easy access for selection. It’s just like personal tableside service, but without human interaction. The futuristic delivery system allows you to easily grab the food right off the belt and eat it immediately. No need for a server to wait on your table.
Additionally, each table has a tablet which allows for personal delivery of any menu item directly to the table. The food comes out on a separate conveyor belt and stops right at your table. The tablet announces its anticipated arrival with a bell tone and a written announcement of what food is on its way. You can order items that are not going around on the carousel or those that you missed grabbing the first time around. Additionally, you can read the ingredients for each menu item and edit the number of items that you receive.
The restaurant has a large range of offerings, from sushi rolls to ramen. Kura has three types of sushi: nigiri, which is rice with raw fish on top; hand rolls, which is sushi that can be eaten by hand; and gunkan, which is cubes of sushi wrapped in seaweed and topped with seafood. Kura also offers a wide range of seafood, including exotic flavors like eel and octopus, and more common options like salmon and shrimp.
“I really liked how it was so easy to try multiple kinds of sushi,” said junior music major Julia Gill. “The portions were small so you could order many different rolls. I liked how they had classic rolls that you would expect from a traditional sushi place, but also fun untraditional rolls like the popcorn shrimp."
Not a sushi fan? No problem. They offer other selections like miso soup, udon, ramen, and various sides. They also have a selection of soft drinks and alcoholic choices that are delivered by a friendly robot who alerts you of their presence by playing a little tone on its way to your table. This singing robot is the only visitor you will have at your table as the restaurant is completely human-free except for the hostess, there are no human waiters unless requested.
This restaurant is very accommodating to customers on a budget. Each plate costs only $3.75. Each serving comes with three pieces of sushi, so the low price allows you to try as many menu items as you please. Additionally, if you have 15 or more plates you get a secret prize.
This is a great place to grab a bite with some friends or have a date with a significant other as there are very few interruptions and opportunities for outside interactions. It’s an introvert’s dream.
Kura is open from 10:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. at 47 Old Country Rd, in Carle Place, NY. Visit Kurasushi.com for more information.