• Alex Springer

There will come a point in my life when I have officially tried every bonkers sushi variation that has been invented within the past decade or so. I've been around long enough to see sushi nachos, sushi pizza and sushi burritos, but I recently had a chance to try a sushi burger thanks to Arigato Sushi. This cozy West Jordan sushi restaurant is an excellent example of the versatility that traditional sushi brings to the table, and it's given me much to ponder.

Though sushi itself has been around for over a thousand years, the sushi burger is a relative newcomer on the scene. Of course, it's nearly impossible to pin down the true origin of the sushi burger, but it's thought that the late Japanese businessman Satoshi Sakurada has the most claim. In the mid-1970s, Sakurada launched the popular MOS Burger franchise that is present in seven countries across Asia. Thanks to Sakurada and MOS Burger, putting traditional ingredients between two buns made out of rice became a popular example of East/West fusion.

Founded by Juan Dalle and Ingrid Olmos, Arigato Sushi is one of those hidden strip-mall gems that I absolutely live for. The menu is packed with Japanese classics and a vibrant arrangement of sushi rolls, but a closer look reveals a whole lot of Latin flair happening as well. For starters, Arigato makes excellent use of fried plantains in several menu items. The orange chicken ($16) comes with patacon, and the antojitos ($12) incorporate plantain into a unique, Mexican street food-inspired sushi roll.

It's a fascinating menu to dive into, whether you're after some traditional sushi or something a bit on the wilder side. I popped into Arigato for one reason and one reason alone: the sushi burger ($13). Where the sushi burgers popularized by MOS Burger use rice as their buns, Arigato's sushi burger wraps the whole affair in nori, batters it up with panko bread crumbs and then tosses it in the deep fryer. Between the rice buns you have avocado, cucumber, tuna and crab salad, which is really everything you need for a solid sushi roll.

The sushi burger is modest enough to be consumed by one hungry person, but can definitely be shared by a group that is eager to do some sampling. While I very much liked the sushi burger—the crunchy exterior is amazing, and it's replete with fresh tuna flavor and creamy avocado—I think this is a dish that could be so much more than it currently is. The basics are definitely there, but there's also something to be said about textural variation. The sushi burger gets loads of help with this thanks to that gorgeously crisp outer layer, but the innards could use a bit of a kick. I think a bit of thinly sliced lemon or pickled veggie would do wonders for this inspired but texturally one-note burger. It's such a great invention, and I do think watching the evolution of Arigato's sushi burger will be wonderful to behold.

As the sushi burger has revealed, the Arigato team isn't really one for subtlety, which is why you can also get a sushi hot dog here. Yes, the sushi dog ($13) is officially a thing in Utah, and it's a fried nori wrapper stuffed with fried shrimp, cream cheese, avocado and wakame. This one's got a bit more textural variation going for it, but I think the sushi burger has it beat ever-so-slightly.

I also took an opportunity to check out the more traditional rolls, and I was immediately charmed by the King Kong vs. Godzilla ($17). It's a face-off between two sushi rolls named after our favorite big screen city annihilators, and it's nothing but a good time. The Godzilla roll is stuffed with tempura shrimp, avocado and cream cheese before getting topped with a lovely blend of wakame and crab salad. In contrast, the King Kong roll is both stuffed and topped with a grilled picanha, which is a sirloin cut of beef.

In addition to the visual contrast between the rolls, the textural and flavor contrasts are also quite interesting. The wakame and crab salad on the Godzilla add a nice bit of creaminess to this roll, where that picanha adds a meaty heft to the King Kong. As it's a competition between both rolls, I had to pick one to be the winner, and that roll was the King Kong. I don't typically like beef in sushi, but this picanha really worked. It's sliced into thin little morsels, so all you really get is a shot of beef flavor and then some salt from the marinade.

Depending on what you like from a sushi place, Arigato has a lot going for it: friendly service, an intriguing fusion of Japanese and Latin menu items and a cozy vibe that is perfect for a casual lunch or dinner.