by Molly Thamrong
If you’re looking for a fresh and fun food experience, and love good sushi, Kura Revolving Sushi Bar can provide! Everything about my experience dining at Kura was incredible. I stumbled upon this chain a few months ago, and when I heard they were opening a location in Freehold I had to try it out. Located at Freehold Raceway Mall, next to the Cheesecake Factory, Kura Sushi is an authentic Japanese restaurant that brings the conveyor belt sushi trend from Japan to America. The consistency across locations and the bright atmosphere of the space is impressive and will not disappoint you! From the décor to the expansive menu, and even a robot waiter, Kura Sushi is a fun restaurant for both a quick bite and a long meal with friends.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a friendly and attentive staff member. The space is both modern and traditional, with booths and a bar lined by a sleek conveyor belt. Everything was clean and comfortable. I appreciated the partition screens and long-backed booths, which created a private and intimate dining experience. The staff greets you at your table and offers instructions on how the conveyor works. Guests can pull fresh sushi rolls from the conveyor belt at their leisure, and when they finish, they dispense the plates into a slot built into the table. This slot both discards dirty plates and keeps track of how much sushi is eaten, calculating your bill as you go.
Kura Sushi offers dumplings, tempura, and Takoyaki as hot side dishes, as well as cold sides such as edamame and umami cucumber salad. Guests can order several flavors of ramen and udon soups as entrées. If there is a particular sushi item that you do not see on the conveyor belt, the touchscreen menu allows you to order directly to your table. I enjoyed this feature because I did not have to wait on the communal conveyor for my favorite sushi rolls! I ordered simple tuna and salmon nigiri, as well as their spicy popcorn shrimp roll; avocado wrapped in rice and seaweed, with a popcorn shrimp drizzled in a signature spicy sauce. Everything was served fresh, with a team of chefs making each dish to-order. They offer a diverse range of sushi and nigiri as well, with fish such as salmon, tuna, eel, sea bream, and mackerel.
While most items are delivered via conveyor belt, drink orders are fulfilled by a robot waiter who moves on wheels to deliver your beverages. It has sensory technology that allows it to navigate the space and bring items to your table directly without the guidance of a human. This was insanely cool to see! The staff said his name was Kur-B, a play on the restaurant’s name and the infamous Herbie from the Fantastic Four franchise.
After every 15 plates dispensed into the slot, guests can win a prize! There are large chutes above each table with plastic balls containing a rotating selection of smalls toys that roll down to the table. I received a small keychain depicting Kura sushi’s salmon nigiri roll, one of several options offered.
Everything about Kura Sushi was amazing; from the food, the décor, and the friendly staff who checked in frequently to answer questions, this was an awesome and one-of-a-kind experience. The ability to eat as much as you desire makes this place good for a quick bite or a longer dining experience. Overall, this was an interesting and delicious pick for lunch, and I would highly recommend checking this place out!
