Onigiri Shokudo in Utrecht receives high praise for its authentic and delicious onigiri, offering a taste of Japan in the Netherlands. The shop provides a variety of rice balls with savory fillings, ranging from €3.50 to €6.50 each, alongside Japanese teas. Open on weekdays from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM and weekends until 4:00 PM, it’s a popular spot for a quick and satisfying Japanese snack.
The reviewer expresses surprise and delight at discovering onigiri, comparing the experience to someone trying a cheese sandwich for the first time and marveling at its simplicity, portability, and balanced flavors. The writer highlights the snack’s prevalence in Japan, where it’s a staple in lunchboxes, convenience stores, and specialty shops, drawing a parallel to the sandwich in Western cultures. Nori seaweed often wraps the onigiri, sometimes kept separate to maintain crispness until consumption.
The article notes the increasing availability of onigiri in the Netherlands, with Onigiri Shokudo standing out as a particularly fantastic option. This satellite shop of the Japanese eatery Shokudo, located in Utrecht’s Hardebollenstraat, is a tiny space with a counter, display case, and rice cooker. Customers can choose from a selection of cold onigiri or order warm ones, prepared by the friendly Japanese staff. The shop also sells Japanese sodas, teas, and sweets like daifuku-mochi and dorayaki, along with Japanese merchandise.
Among the warm onigiri, the aburi mentaiko (€6.50), featuring seared cod roe with Japanese mayonnaise, receives special mention for its excellent quality and irresistible bacon-smoky flavor. The unagi omelet onigiri (€6.50) with sweet-lacquered Japanese eel and egg, also earns high marks. The reviewer also sampled cold options, including a salmon and melted cheese combination (€5), walnut miso (€4.30), and tuna iburigakko (€4.50), praising the creative and tasty fillings.
The reviewer concludes by expressing enthusiasm for the growing availability of onigiri and recommending Onigiri Shokudo as a top destination to experience this sophisticated Japanese snack.