Sushi Burrito Cafe brings hefty helpings of healthy seafood to Fargo

FARGO - It’s sushi! It’s a burrito! It’s a sushi burrito!

The hybrid of fresh, healthy and holdable seafood is now at hand with the opening of Sushi Burrito Cafe in downtown Fargo.

The latest addition to the area’s eatery scene opened Monday, Jan. 11, at 623 Northern Pacific Ave., sandwiched between Pho D’licious and 623 Nutrition Co. in the “Patrick Flats” building.

Owners Nat Nongnuang and Aleyah Fettig say the fusion seafood concept is perfect for a metro with colleges to spare: Plenty of tasty sushi in a portable package for price-conscious students, plus boba teas and smoothies as an accompaniment.

The sushi burritos are three times the size of a regular sushi roll. They are also the same price as their less-than-burritolicious brethren, about $10 to $13 apiece, the couple said.

“Here you can get your own burrito, and customers can choose their own toppings. It gives the general public the freedom of having whatever they want in a sushi, and it’s being made right in front of them,” Nongnuang said. “The timing is crucial. It takes (just) a couple of minutes to get done.”

Sushi burritos first surfaced commercially on the West Coast about a decade ago and have since spread across the country.

The hybrid makes sushi more accessible and appeals to those seeking foods that are fresh and healthy.

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“We wanted to bring that to Fargo. People can enjoy new foods in different ways,” Fettig said.
Fettig said they are aiming for an upscale fast-casual vibe at Sushi Burrito, with bright blue and pink walls, and Japanese and neon art filling what had once been half of the Pho D’licious dining room.

(The restaurants also share some kitchen space, but they are separate ventures.)

Designing, painting and decorating the restaurant was “a lot of hard work and effort and a lot of long nights. Lots of long nights. But it’s fun,” Fettig said.

Both have busy lives outside of this venture.

Fettig is from Lignite, N.D., and is now studying in a masters of business administration program at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Nongnuang has been a sushi chef for more than five years. His father is a fisherman and he grew up on the ocean in Thailand. “So I enjoy good seafood,” he said. He came to the U.S. when he was 12. He’s also a student at the Fargo Jet Center, studying to get his commercial pilot’s rating and aiming to become a flight instructor, perhaps one day working for an airline.

The couple both love seafood, and decided to take a chance on opening their business after consulting with family and friends.

They wanted “really good seafood sushi, but cheaper!” Nongnuang said. “Alright, we’ll make that happen.”

They had looked all over Fargo, searching for a spot to start. Using some of the Pho D’licious space fit the bill.

“We came here to dinner one time and we thought it was a nice location,” Fettig said. “It turned out great for everyone.”

Nongnuang agrees.

“I just want a great environment overall for our customers,” he said.

“We just hope everyone enjoys the space,” Fettig added.

Sushi Burrito Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

A menu and online ordering is available at sushiburrito.cafe .