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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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Posted on: 2014/8/22 0:37
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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I am surprised no one has asked this yet: why are they called "rice balls" when they are commonly shaped as triangles?
Posted on: 2014/8/21 18:06
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Quite a regular
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I picked up the spicy salmon on my way to work today and it was delicious.
Of course I did tell myself, "shoot, I could make these at home", but would I ever and could I ever shape them so cutely? probably not! I'm super happy to have this new spot in JC and look forward to trying the rest of the rice balls.
Posted on: 2014/8/21 16:40
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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oh absolutely. and I do limit my takeout for just this reason. I really wish restaurants would let us bring back those heavy plastic takeout containers for reuse.
Posted on: 2014/8/21 16:33
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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I assume you also don't drive a car that runs on fuel, use electricity which hurts the environment (unless it's solar), eat meat (factory farming cows is horrible for the planet), etc etc etc...
Posted on: 2014/8/21 14:53
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Quite a regular
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I had a few onigiri from here last night. I thought they were generally bland and dry. I would love to support more small businesses, but we probably won't return.
Posted on: 2014/8/21 12:33
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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I thought the balls were tasty, but excess plastic packaging - in this era of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch - is a real peeve of mine, so I probably won't be back.
I get that having plastic wrap inside and outside of the ball keeps the seaweed crispy, but the planet has bigger problems than soggy rice balls. yeah, I'm *that* guy.
Posted on: 2014/8/21 6:50
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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We went to Koro Koro last night and it was delicious! A+
We tried the Indian, spicy tuna and Cuban. All of them were super tasty but indian was our favorite flavor followed by spicy tuna then Cuban. 2-3 onigiri will fill you up! I didn't have any trouble removing the wrapper but someone with me did... Here is a helpful video for those still finding it difficult : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RHi6jCvyi2k
Posted on: 2014/8/20 21:30
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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Thanks, we did think of trying the good ol' "band-aid tactic" but envisioned spicy salmon decorating our walls! We'll give it a go next time.
Posted on: 2014/8/19 21:00
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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My only advice would be that when you're pulling apart the bottom corners of the plastic (steps 2 and 3 on their packaging) do it quickly and decisively, both corners at the same time. If you try to slowly wiggle the corners outward you'll inevitably pull the rice ball with it.
Posted on: 2014/8/19 16:37
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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My wife an i tried it out last night. We got six balls and two orders of the potato salad - which was def enough for dinner for two (at least for us). For me, the Spicy Salmon was the highlight of our order.
So, this is the first time I've ever attempted to open one of these critters before, though my wife has had these from other places is the past. Out of the six, neither one of us was able to successfully remove the wrap completely from the ball without totally sliding the ball out one side or breaking it in half. We kept rereading the instructions and even looked at several videos on youtube. So either both of us are lucky to have lived this long in an overly-simplistic world or possibly these buggers were being wrapped a bit too tight? Any of you pro's have any tips? I feel like I'm asking for advice on how to boil water...
Posted on: 2014/8/19 15:28
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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Hit the nail right on the head ! For me
Posted on: 2014/8/18 18:21
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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FYI- they are closed on Sundays :( I went yesterday... I am excited to try it later this week.
Posted on: 2014/8/18 13:27
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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Congratulations from all of us at Kraverie. We cant wait to try your food.
Posted on: 2014/8/17 20:55
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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I tried the Indian and the miso beef yesterday for the first time.
The Indian was actually the better of the two in my opinion though I enjoyed both. My problem is with the seaweed. Never been a huge fan of it and these in particular(I assume rice balls in general) do have a pungent smell. The consistency of the seaweed didn't fit well with the rice/filling. I will definitely go back but will need to warm up to the seaweed. The place itself is nice and cozy. Staff looks friendly. Hoping them all the best with their endeavour
Posted on: 2014/8/17 13:02
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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Ate there the first night, wasn't too impressed I'm afraid. Got 4 rice balls to share with my SO and to me they all tasted pretty much the same.
I probably won't be back to this culinary pearl harbor.
Posted on: 2014/8/15 14:12
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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I stopped in last night for three rice balls: Miso Beef, Spicy Salmon, and Uneboshi. All were very good and I particularly liked the uneboshi. Make sure to ask for a side of their spicy sauce when you go...really excellent. They obviously aren't doing straight traditional onigiri but their twist on it is great. I didn't find the plastic wrap difficult at all as long as you read the instructions.
They're clearly getting a warm welcome from the neighborhood because half of their menu was sold out around 7pm when I went. I have no doubt that they'll work out the amount of food to keep on hand and they already had their credit card machine working again which someone complained about earlier in this thread. Those working the counter and making the rice balls (possibly the owners?) were super friendly and efficient. I think it's fantastic that someone is taking a chance opening up something different in the neighborhood and judging by the reception they seem to be getting I'm not the only one. The design of the restaurant is perfect for what they're serving and they already seem to have a great system in place for making the rice balls to order. In my opinion, this is what we need more of in JC; places with some imagination, some thought put into their design/image, serving good food, and, go ahead and skewer me, a little "Brooklyn-y". I'll definitely be back and wish them the best!
Posted on: 2014/8/15 13:58
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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No need to wonder! It's right on their site: What Does Koro Koro Mean?
Posted on: 2014/8/15 13:57
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Quite a regular
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I also tried these the other day; had the Salmon and Umeboshi. They were really good and fresher than the usual supermarket ones. I agree with some of the criticism regarding slow prep, but not a big deal for a brand new business. The folks were friendly and the space looked good. The salmon was especially good and spicy (kimchi?) The Umeboshi was a little light on the filling unlike the salmon which was stuffed well. Good luck to them! I'll def be back.
Posted on: 2014/8/15 13:32
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
Joined:
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Has anyone wondered what Koro Koro means? I didn't ask the owner, so they may have a different meaning in mind though. But here is what I know:
Koro Koro is onomatopoeia in Japanese language that describes small object, like a rice ball tumbling/rolling down on a slope. So I'm sure Koro Koro refers to rice balls.
Posted on: 2014/8/15 13:07
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Quite a regular
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Stopped by there today with my wife, here are my thoughts, and they are meant to be constructive and in the context of the soft opening:
1. Waited in line a little too long for comfort. Open kitchen gave us the view of the food handler, putting food together very slowly. He did not seem proficient. This can be fixed with time. 2. Still smells of paint. This should fade, obviously. 3. Old register, with hand-written tabs. Another chokepoint. Perhaps splurge on a new POS? 4. The food is good! And fairly priced for the Northeast. 5. Great design: good menu placement (although I think prices should be added) 6. Dancing tony was there 7. Collabo with Milk, Sugar, Love 8. The plastic wrap was cumbersome. I'm familiar with onigiri and plastic wrap; this was not easy to get off. You should go and eat, I think you'll like it, and I hope things like this stay around for a long while. It will be great once they work out a few kinks.
Posted on: 2014/8/15 0:58
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
Joined:
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Went with my daughter yesterday and tried the Miso Beef, Cuban, Spicy Salmon and Umeboshi - all of them are pretty good. Liked the Umeboshi a lot, quite refreshing.
It's a great concept, 1 rice ball of you wanted a snack, 2 if you want a meal and if you;re me, 3 cause I'm a glutton. Almost like Dim Sum, if you share the rice balls. Will definitely be back
Posted on: 2014/8/15 0:56
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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I am glad to see another storefront filled with a locally owned business! Will try to stop by soon to try it out.
Posted on: 2014/8/14 17:25
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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Went for dinner tonight...everything was really tasty! My husband really liked the salmon rice ball; my favorite was the Cuban. And the potato salad was delicious.
Prices were pretty reasonable...we got 5 rice balls, potato salad, and an iced tea for $26. We'll definitely be back.
Posted on: 2014/8/14 2:55
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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Hey, Atsushi: thank you for the nuanced review! It's nice to get your perspective, as a true Japanese native. Much appreciated.
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Atsushi wrote: My wife and I went to Koro Koro last night, and it was very good. Background cultural info for people who may not be familiar with Japanese culture (I?m Japanese): Rice ball is called Onigiri or Omusubi in Japan. It has been the most classic lunch people in Japan bring to picnic and outing since the ancient time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri Rice balls this restaurant serves are similar to what you can buy at convenience stores in Japan with a special plastic wrap to keep the seaweed dry and crisp, except: They make them fresh (on the spot) manually one by one. (Rice balls you can buy at a convenience store are made by machines in a food factory and probably several hours old by the time they get to the stores.) I thought that because they make their rice balls on the spot and serve them right away, plastic wrap is not necessary (indeed some customers were having a hard time unwrapping it correctly). I believe that for those orders to stay, serving them without a wrap on a plate would be more authentic and intimate. And for those orders to go, plastic wrap should be an option as some people prefer seaweed to be crisp and others prefer wet (moist). What?s embedded in a rice ball (content) is what gives individual rice ball unique flavor. Traditionally, only a few kinds of content were used in Japan, like pickled plum or salted salmon. But in the last 30 years, many new contents have been invented and have become popular. Most of the contents that they serve appear to be their original and definitely with western twists (They even had one with Indian twist and Cuban twist; next time I shall try those!). I tried those rice balls with western twists, and they were really good. (I was reminded of Ramen noodles served at Union Republic. Their ramen is definitely with western twist. They may not be strictly traditional, but there is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. There are many kinds of food Japan has imported from the west and has given them her own twist, so I have no objections with Americans giving their own twists to Japanese food. Some of these ideas are really unique, and native Japanese would never have been able to come up with. I enjoy American twists on Japanese food in general.) I also tried their miso-soup and Japanese potato salad. Both were very good. Like rice balls, what you put in a soup makes miso-soup unique, in addition to type of miso (fermented beat paste) and stock (or called Dashi). They put eggplant and seaweed in theirs, which they said that it?s from Okinawa. I?ve never been there, so I can?t specifically comment on that, but I thought that eggplant worked well and the soup tasted like authentically home-cooked. Of course, it wasn?t quite as good as what my mother makes, but I?ll give it an A minus. (Every Japanese person thinks their mother makes the best miso-soup
Posted on: 2014/8/13 19:36
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
Joined:
2008/6/5 10:12 Last Login : 2016/11/8 21:51 From Jersey City
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Posts:
704
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My wife and I went to Koro Koro last night, and it was very good.
Background cultural info for people who may not be familiar with Japanese culture (I?m Japanese):
Rice ball is called Onigiri or Omusubi in Japan. It has been the most classic lunch people in Japan bring to picnic and outing since the ancient time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri
Rice balls this restaurant serves are similar to what you can buy at convenience stores in Japan with a special plastic wrap to keep the seaweed dry and crisp, except:
They make them fresh (on the spot) manually one by one. (Rice balls you can buy at a convenience store are made by machines in a food factory and probably several hours old by the time they get to the stores.)
I thought that because they make their rice balls on the spot and serve them right away, plastic wrap is not necessary (indeed some customers were having a hard time unwrapping it correctly). I believe that for those orders to stay, serving them without a wrap on a plate would be more authentic and intimate. And for those orders to go, plastic wrap should be an option as some people prefer seaweed to be crisp and others prefer wet (moist).
What?s embedded in a rice ball (content) is what gives individual rice ball unique flavor. Traditionally, only a few kinds of content were used in Japan, like pickled plum or salted salmon. But in the last 30 years, many new contents have been invented and have become popular. Most of the contents that they serve appear to be their original and definitely with western twists (They even had one with Indian twist and Cuban twist; next time I shall try those!). I tried those rice balls with western twists, and they were really good.
(I was reminded of Ramen noodles served at Union Republic. Their ramen is definitely with western twist. They may not be strictly traditional, but there is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. There are many kinds of food Japan has imported from the west and has given them her own twist, so I have no objections with Americans giving their own twists to Japanese food. Some of these ideas are really unique, and native Japanese would never have been able to come up with. I enjoy American twists on Japanese food in general.)
I also tried their miso-soup and Japanese potato salad. Both were very good.
Like rice balls, what you put in a soup makes miso-soup unique, in addition to type of miso (fermented beat paste) and stock (or called Dashi). They put eggplant and seaweed in theirs, which they said that it?s from Okinawa. I?ve never been there, so I can?t specifically comment on that, but I thought that eggplant worked well and the soup tasted like authentically home-cooked. Of course, it wasn?t quite as good as what my mother makes, but I?ll give it an A minus. (Every Japanese person thinks their mother makes the best miso-soup
Posted on: 2014/8/13 17:39
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Newbie
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Each rice ball is $3.25
Had the miso beef, spicy salmon, cuban, and umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) The miso beef is OK- they should add more flavor (but it's the most simple and safe choice) Spicy salmon and cuban were pretty good If you like sour, try the umeboshi. It's pretty strong so you might get surprised at first, but it's unique The rice balls are about as big as a triangle you make with your 2 thumbs and pointer fingers (if you have smallish hands). Otherwise, it's about 3-4 inches on each side. The way they wrap it is pretty weird so be careful
Posted on: 2014/8/13 16:37
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Just can't stay away
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I went last night. I had the miso soup, spicy salmon, miso beef and some pork one that i cannot remember. Very good. I think they need to give a better tutorial on how to open them, because i tried and ended up eating plastic.
Posted on: 2014/8/13 15:49
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Re: Koro Koro rice ball cafe
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Home away from home
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Not too large, they recommend 3 to be full or 2 and a side salad. 1 would be a great light snack if you're not too hungry.
Posted on: 2014/8/13 11:03
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