Handheld. Made with few ingredients. Affordable. (Though at some spots, less so these days.) Musubi has found favor with an even wider audience as of late. The snack, a block or ball of rice paired with a savory filling or topping and often wrapped in nori, has roots in Japanese cuisine, while its Spam iteration was born in Hawaii.
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But first, one must spread the gospel of Spam musubi’s wartime lineage: Spam became ever-present in Hawaii during World War II, when it was served to U.S. troops before finding a lasting place in the islands’ food lexicon. Paired with rice and nori in the tradition of Japanese musubi, it became a beloved, cross-cultural snack and an infinitely riffed-upon handheld. And with that, here are a handful of musubi to get your hands on in Orange County right now.
‘Ai Pono Cafe / Exit 8 Bodega (Costa Mesa)
Starting with what I can safely call the best musubi in Orange County, ‘Ai Pono Cafe and the new Exit 8 Bodega (located across the street from one another), the brainchild of Hawaii-born Gene Villiatora, knows that, like sushi, the rice is just as important, if not more so, than the topping. Go for the hot dog or Spam iterations (at only $3.50 a pop), Korean Chicken ($5), Portuguese Sausage ($4) and Hot Dog ($4).
Find it: ‘Ai Pono Cafe, 283 E 17th St., ste A, Costa Mesa, aiponocafecostamesa.com; Exit 8 Bodega, 270 E 17th St., Costa Mesa, instagram.com/exit8bodega
Musubi Square (Anaheim)
Here, musubi takes the shape of tacos. Crisp nori is packed with rice, folded like a shell and loaded with Korean barbecue short ribs, grilled unagi, crunchy shrimp or wagyu with feta, arugula and cilantro sauce. A decidedly contemporary take on the dish. The combinations lean Korean-Hawaiian, with everything pressed to order. But traditionalists can still get a $3 Spam musubi, along with crab ($5), truffle grilled veggie ($6) and more.
Find it: 2626 W La Palma Ave, Anaheim, musubisquare.com
Club Musubi (San Clemente)
This pop-up does not deal in dainty rice snacks. Chef-owner Austin Fairchild specializes in Okinawa-style musubi, featuring hefty rectangles of rice folded around fillings. Offerings change every few days or weeks based on seasonal ingredients or whatever dish catches Fairchild’s eye. The idea percolated for years, born from a longtime musubi obsession and frustration. “The first one I ever did was the Kimchi Chicken Parm, and that kinda lit the fire under me,” he said. “Nothing is out of the question; I will fusion it.”
Club Musubi appears at Knuckleheads on select Fridays in San Clemente at 6 p.m. until midnight or sold out. Check Club Musubi’s Instagram for dates.
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Find it: Knuckleheads, 1717 N El Camino Real, San Clemente, instagram.com/clubmusubi
The Shore (Dana Point/San Juan Capistrano)
The newest musubi pit stop comes from Michael Campbell’s The Shore, with locations in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. But here, the musubi vibes lean toward maximalist. The surf-and-turf version, Campbell’s self-described guilty pleasure, layers Spam, wild shrimp and crab with seasoned rice and nori, then finishes it with teriyaki glaze. There’s also a bacon hot dog iteration and caramelized Spam over rice. Use both hands and a fork.
Find it: 24471 Del Prado Ave., ste B, Dana Point; 31654 Rancho Viejo Rd., ste G, San Juan Capistrano, theshoreoc.com
Shootz (San Juan Capistrano/Stanton)
With locations in San Juan Capistrano and Stanton, Shootz pushes musubi into dessert territory, but only a little. Grilled Spam sits between steamed rice and nori, which gets topped with kimchi aioli, green onion and brown sugar that gets torched until brûléed. The crackly caramel surface plays against the salty Spam while the aioli keeps any sweetness in check.
Find it: River Street Marketplace, 31856 Paseo Adelanto, ste 105, San Juan Capistrano; Rodeo 39, 12885 Beach Blvd., ste 11, Stanton, eatshootz.com
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