A new sushi restaurant has made its way into town, riding on the wave of a food mashup trend that combines American fast food with Japanese sushi. At Wave Sushi, which just opened in Maitland, customers can choose from seemingly bizarre options that include sushi pizza, sushi burgers, sushi burritos and even sushi tacos.
They may sound a bit unusual, but each of these items on Wave Sushi’s unconventional menu is an eye-popping display of color that is both delicious and Instagram-worthy. Whether you are a diehard sushi fan or just enjoy trying something different, this new fusion of Japanese and American cuisine is sure to spark your interest.
Traditionally, sushi is served as raw fish and rice, either in roll form (maki) or individual pieces on top of vinegared rice mounds (nigiri). In fact, in Japanese, “su” means vinegar and “shi” is short for “meshi,” which means rice. When sushi arrived in the U.S. decades ago, it began to evolve with the creation of rolls like the California roll, adding new ingredients like avocado, “krab” and cream cheese. Now, restaurants in the U.S. are taking the sushi concept one step further, blending Japanese sushi with American comfort food.
Recently, new restaurants specializing in these sushi mashups have begun to pop up in Orlando, including Poke Burri, which opened in February 2024, and Wave Sushi, which opened in August 2024. This new location is the fast-casual version of Wave Asian Bistro in Mt. Dora, which has grown quite popular for its sushi burritos and sushi donuts, amassing almost half a million followers on its Instagram account.
As a sushi lover, I was excited to investigate this new trend by trying out Wave Sushi. I had already tasted sushi at restaurants in Japan (which is the best in my opinion – no surprise), conveyor belt restaurants like Kura Sushi, local sushi restaurants and even grab-and-go sushi from Publix. I could not wait to add Wave Sushi to the list.
Wave Sushi is in a newly renovated plaza on East Horatio Avenue. The building’s architecture and big windows give the restaurant’s exterior a sleek, modern look. The inside of the restaurant has a fast-casual atmosphere similar to a Shake Shack, and the interior is bright and clean, with a colorful mural covering the walls.
When I stepped up to order at the counter, I was hit with one disappointment: the Maitland location does not serve sushi donuts yet. Luckily, they had everything else. I decided to try four of the main menu items to see what this mashup trend is all about. (No, I did not finish all of this by myself!)
When the food was first brought to the table, it was a colorful blend of red, orange and green ingredients. I could not fight the urge to take a picture of everything before digging in. I first tried the Poke Sushi Pizza, which combined typical poke bowl toppings on a pizza slice made of rice. I have to hand it to the creativity and details that went into the design. I loved the use of masago (fish eggs) as the “sauce” of the sushi pizza and a tuna roll as the “crust.” The tuna, salmon, edamame and sesame seed toppings gave each bite great texture and flavor. While delicious, it was the heaviest “pizza slice” I have ever eaten.
Similarly, the Nami Sushi Burrito was basically an oversized California roll big enough to feed two people. Seaweed served as the “tortilla,” which was stuffed with a substantial mix of tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado and vegetables. Aside from the sheer size of the portions, the food tasted amazing. Both the fish and the vegetables were fresh and blended well together.
More sushi creativity came in the form of the Spicy Krab Taco, which had a fried tempura seaweed shell that kept the taco from falling apart, an annoying problem with traditional tacos. Similarly, the salmon sushi burger’s deep-fried sushi rice buns not only held the burger together well, but they also gave the sandwich a crunchy texture that complemented the soft salmon “patty” perfectly.
In terms of the taste, the food deserves a 9/10, and the presentation easily earned a 10/10. I will admit that the prices are a bit steep for “fast food” sushi: $70 before tax for four items. However, the large portions, flavor and presentation of the sushi make up for the hefty price tag.
Wave Asian Bistro’s sushi creations are a tasty novelty that is great for sushi lovers who do not mind paying a few extra dollars for the creativity and presentation. I think the restaurant is a great destination for eating with friends and/or family, and I would highly recommend trying it out.
