Ricebunn Onigiri

Traditionally, the Japanese word “onigiri” refers to rice balls – most frequently triangular or spherical combinations of rice, one or two fillings, and a nori paper wrapper, though the specifics vary between places and price points. Operating as a single unit inside Irvine’s Trade Food Hall, Ricebunn Onigiri uses the term a little more loosely, selling more typical triangular rice balls in addition to “onigiri plates” ($14) that are essentially bowls with several times the rice, protein, and seasoning found in a single-piece onigiri ($4.50). You can choose from one of six proteins (KBBQ beef, salmon, shrimp, crab, tuna mayo, or “vegan”), either spicy or non-spicy, and get a discount when choosing three ($12) or four ($15.50) onigiri in any combination of flavors.

We’d call the standard onigiri the star attraction here. Our crab triangles arrived bursting with (likely imitation) crab meat, lightly nori-wrapped at the base, and covered in togarashi-like sesame and spices – a contrast in all regards with similarly priced, pre-packaged versions sold at cafes such as Junbi. On a subsequent visit, we ordered the plate, which arrived as a similarly seasoned gigantic mound of rice with protein on the side and plenty of seasoning – carb-heavy proportions that were more filling but not as enjoyable as just ordering several different triangles for roughly the same price.