American version of Japanese food

I went to a Japanese market named Marukai which is a chain here in California. Most of the stores are in the Los Angeles area, but a few have popped up in Northern California over the years.

Most of the products in the store are from Japan and there is a handful of products from Hawaii. (There are a lot of asians in Hawaii!) The store is usually busy as the next closest Japanese specific market is Mitsuwa, about 6 miles away.

So I picked up what is called a 'futomaki' which is seaweed, sushi rice, cucumber, egg, marinated shitaki mushroom and a vegetable named kampyo. Some pickled ginger is on the side to clean your palette between different types of sushi rolls/nigiri.

I also got this for the main lunch, a chirashi bowl which is a variety of seafood and vegetables over rice. I would give this a 6 out of 10 as it is in a cooled area which makes the rice cold. The best chirashi bowls are right from a sushi chef at the resturant.

The California roll was started in the United States as a way of eating 'sushi', but nothing in it is raw. It typically has crab, cucumber and avocado.

I picked up some rice mix which is an easy way to start off a chirashi bowl. After mixing the contents of the package, all you need to add is seafood like shrimps or crab, unagi (eel)...

I also got some HOT curry sauce which I will be trying this week. I have never tried this one, so I'm curious on how hot it is.... Next to that is some manju which is a smashed rice exterior and sweetened red bean on the inside. Delicious for dessert.

So how is the food? In general, I'd say between a 6-7 out of 10. There are a few really good Sushi bars in the bay area which may be close to some that are in Japan. I will let you know as I will be in Osaka and Tokyo in late October to early November. (First time)