they see me rollin’

By Jenny Elig  //  Photography by Jana Jones

With the 2020 Summer Olympics set for Tokyo, eyes are looking east; so, too, are appetites. Here, find sushi rolls that pay homage to the Hoosier state and, more specifically, Indy’s southside.

The Indiana Roll
Yokohama Greenwood
67 N. Madison Ave.
Greenwood. (317) 859-1888,
yokohamagreenwood.com

Amidst the Philadelphia roll and the California roll, Yokohama offers an Indiana roll: a robust yet earnest roll featuring spicy tuna and avocado, topped with crabmeat and dolloped with spicy mayonnaise. Want more Indiana on your plate? Check out the Speedway roll, so named for one of Indiana’s greatest landmarks, which features shrimp tempura and crabmeat, topped with deep-fried, crunchy crab.

The Franklin Roll
Kumo Japanese Steak House
1051 W. Jefferson St.,
Franklin. (317) 736-5838, kumofranklin.com

Yes, small but mighty Franklin is honored at Kumo with its own roll. The Franklin roll features tempura eel and avocado, with lobster salad and eel salad as topping. Need more? Try the Kumo roll, which features crab, cucumber, mayonnaise and avocado on the inside, topped with fresh white tuna, jalapeno and the chef’s special sauce.

The Hoosier Roll
Roku Sushi and Pho
2800 S. State Road 135,
Suite A, Bargersville.
(317) 893-5180,
okusushiandpho.myrestaurantops.co

It’s a simple roll, but one not lacking in elegance. The Hoosier roll features spicy tuna and cucumber, topped with spicy crabmeat. After all that spice, cool things down with the avocado roll or the cucumber roll, both of which bear the same elegant simplicity.

The U.S. 31 and The Franklin Rolls
Tomo Japanese Restaurant
1874 Northwood Plaza, Franklin. (317) 494-6367, tomofranklin.com

Franklin’s Tomo doubles down on the Indiana love, with not one but two rolls referencing specific dots on the map. Try the U.S. 31, with deep-fried spicy tuna and avocado, served with tobiko (flying fish roe) and the house special sauce. Get more southside with the Franklin roll, which features smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese and jalapeno, all deep-fried to perfection.