Kura Sushi is a popular and well-known revolving sushi restaurant in the US and Japan. It has numerous locations nationwide and is opening 3 new locations in New Jersey, including Cherry Hill, which opened this past weekend.
This new location opened up in the Market Place at Garden State Park, situated between Red Wing and the Philadelphia Eagles Pro Shop. Kura claims to be an “eater-tainment” restaurant that combines Japanese cuisine with interactive dining.
Once I heard about this experience, I had to try it for myself. As I walked in, I was greeted by the restaurant’s design and ambiance. The style of the restaurant is modern, and with a conveyor belt system and robots flowing throughout the restaurant, you get a futuristic and innovative feel. There are cherry blossoms and Japanese motifs all over the restaurant, which lends a traditional feeling. Typically, the wait times for Kura are long, but I decided to go at an earlier time of 4 p.m., so I could be seated right away.
When I got seated, I was given water by a friendly robot that brings drinks to customers. Unlike most restaurants, there is no menu. You can grab a variety of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri off the conveyor belt, or you can order many different udon noodles, ramen, side dishes, and desserts off the touch screen at your table. Each plate that comes on the belt has a price of $3.95 and contains two-four pieces of sushi. Otherwise, the screen offers plenty of more expensive items. Although Kura uses the touch screen, conveyor belt, and robot for most services, there is still staff to explain the ordering process, refill waters, and clear the table.
All of your food is delivered by two conveyor belts that revolve around the restaurant. The lower belt is a variety of circulating dishes that customers can grab, while the “express” upper belt delivers food that customers order off the touchscreen. Once you are finished with your food, you slide into a slot on the side of your table. For every five plates that are inserted, a cartoon animation pops up on the screen. If you reach 15 plates, you earn a mini prize (typically a badge).
The plates that I chose were the Spicy Popcorn Shrimp Roll, Snow Crab California Roll, and the Crunchy Roll. I also ordered Shrimp Tempura Udon Noodles ($10.40) from the touch screen, which arrived at my table on the upper belt in only about 5 minutes. The highlight of the meal was definitely the Spicy Popcorn Shrimp Roll. It included avocado and shrimp mayo wrapped in sushi rice and dried seaweed with crispy popcorn shrimp and masago. To top it off, there is spicy sauce and green onion. The crispy shrimp combined with the mayo and spicy sauce gave off amazing savory flavors with a hint of spice.
Before you pay, you need to make sure all of your plates have been placed through the slot. Click the “finished” button on the screen and it will give you the option to pay through your phone, or an employee can give you your check. Three sushi plates and the Shrimp Tempura Udon Noodles totaled out to only $22.25!
Kura takes the phrase “fast food” to a whole new level, as I was in and out of the restaurant in about 30 minutes. It provided an experience that was entertaining, innovative, and tasty with affordable pricing along with friendly staff. Overall, Kura Revolving Sushi Bar delivers a fun, unique dining experience like no other that is great for a quick and casual lunch or dinner on any given day.