The uramaki or “inverted roll” has a lot of possible origins, though everything points to the fact that chef Ichiro Mashita- owner of the restaurant Tokyo Kaikan- that was created in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, in the mid-1960s. Apparently, the chef had problems finding toro (tuna belly) to make maki for his japanese clients and thought that he could substitute it with avocado, whose buttery texture can resemble this part of tuna.
The Japanese clients were satisfied, but as the restaurant’s popularity grew among Americans, Mashita encountered their reluctance to the particular texture of the seaweed. His solution was to turn the dish upside down, so that the rice was on the outside and the contents were surrounded by the nori sheet. This also allowed him to increase the size and quantity of the filling, allowing to play with different combinations of ingredients and add toppings that provide new flavors and textures.
En Arko we’re preparing a great selection of uramakis. With tuna, avocado, sesame and tobiko (flying fish roe); with salmon and crispy sweet potato, eel, foie and green apple or tempura prawns with avocado, yellow chili and teriyaki sauce. Book your table now at Arko, a Japanese restaurant in Barcelona, and try them à la carte or as part of our omakase menu.