Given the online craze for sushi pizzas, burritos and doughnuts, the sushi king cake was inevitable. The idea came to Rock-n-Sake co-owner Dirk Dantin one morning, and after a little experimentation and a social media post, a modern Mardi Gras tradition was born in 2018.
Now, Rock-n-Sake makes 300-400 sushi king cakes each season between its Baton Rouge, Metairie and Lafayette locations. The cakes often sell out, especially on big weekends like Super Bowl Sunday.
“The first layer is rice,” Dantin says. “Then, in the middle is some snowkrab and a little cream cheese. It’s topped with rice again, and pressed into a box mold.”
The cream cheese-filled rice “cake” is then artfully decorated in sections inspired by Rock-n-Sake’s most popular rolls. Each of the four corners is dressed with more krab and avocado. The remaining ends get generous layers of torched salmon, yellowtail and tuna—both sliced and spicy—along with toppings like tobiko, tempura flakes and jalapeños. Rest assured, the classic sushi sauces, ponzu, soy sauce and more, are served on the side with wasabi and ginger.
With raw and cooked fish, the 16-slice creation is priced at $100.
The process can be time-consuming, so Rock-n-Sake limits the number its sushi chefs make a day.
“Usually, we cap it at seven or eight a day,” Dantin says. “On the weekends, we’ll offer 10.”
Despite its popularity, Dantin recognizes that some king cake purists may be hesitant.
“People look at it as just this sushi item that we made just to look like a king cake, and it’s kind of like a joke,” he says.
But, he contends that the sushi king cake is more than the sum of its parts. The unique king cake format offers multiple flavor combinations and travels well.
If you’re looking to switch up the next king cake party, consider picking up a savory option. After all, as Dantin says, “How many sweet, frosted king cakes can someone have?”
