Kaiyo Handroll Bar Relaunches in San Francisco with Nikkei

Kaiyo Handroll Bar is a relaunch of Kaiyo’s original Union Street space, which debuted in 2018. The new restaurant in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood refocuses the original space on hand rolls as the centerpiece of the menu, championing Nikkei cuisine.

Concept and Cuisine

Nikkei cuisine combines Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques, a genre dating back to 1889. The menu includes Peruvian classics and unique twists, featuring a section for tiraditos and ceviche alongside its signature hand rolls. Classic hand roll options include uni-toro, made with bluefin tuna and uni, and diced salmon.

Ambiance and Design

The redesigned space features a lush, street-facing patio filled with plants representing Peruvian rainforests. Inside, the moodier interior transports diners into a night market atmosphere. The decor includes neon lights, artwork depicting Japanese business signage, and paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling. This feel is more fitting for the restaurant’s ambition to become a destination cocktail lounge after the kitchen closes.

Menu Highlights

Signature hand rolls anchor the experience. The wagyu lomo saltado roll features A5 wagyu, shoestring potatoes, tomato, onion, and a chicha morada rice base. Other notable rolls include the ebiten acevichado and the arroz con pato, which pairs seared roast duck with sansho pepper and cilantro rice.

Premium shared dishes include scallop udon in a mentaiko sauce with rocoto pepper-infused dashi cream and seared scallops for $32. A vegetarian matcha fettuccine with mushrooms and walnut pesto costs $26 and is allegedly a staff favorite.

Danny Louie created the charming cocktail menu. He described one option, saying, "The Orenji ($19) is a good one to start with, especially for those with a soft spot for Orange Julius." The Chuhai, also $19, blends basil, green apple, honey, coconut, and lime with Japanese whisky.

For dessert, there are five alcohol-included soft serve flavors-rum, coconut, passionfruit, cream, or matcha-each costing $16. Two nonalcoholic options, matcha or vanilla, are $8 each. An insider tip suggests sharing the soft serve with a friend and appreciating the homemade waffle cone.

The beverage program extends beyond cocktails. Nonalcoholic options include three standard choices and two mixed matcha beverages, like the Kukki which combines matcha, pineapple juice, Oreo milk, and vanilla syrup for $11. The beer selection includes imports like Hitachino and Yoho Brewing Company, local outlier Fort Point, and the Peruvian Cusqueña lager. Sake is available from Japan, and the wine selection spans European growers and California producers.

The hand roll bar refocuses the original space on hand rolls as the centerpiece of the menu.