Oni225 :: Baton Rouge’s New Japanese Street Food Pop-Up is Worth Visiting
Oni225 came to fruition in February at the Asian Night Market when two lifelong friends and former Chow Yum line cooks, Shawn Cao and Riley Dunaway introduced their Oni Onigiri and sold out at the festival. From there, these pop-ups have been taking on quite the popularity around Baton Rouge.
I was introduced to Oni225 when my employer sent out an e-mail about a Pop-Up lunch and dinner across the street where I work in downtown Baton Rouge. The menu included Smoked Turkey and Sausage Gumbo, Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich with sides that included Japanese Potato Salad, Cucumber Salad and 5 spice Candied Yams. Also on the menu were their specialty Onigiri (Kimchi, Snow crab and Tuna Mayo). Japanese cheesecake, Ube cheesecake and Mochi Brownie were also offered from Em’s Bakery, along with soft drinks and a bottle of Siracha on the table if you needed to spice things up.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good and fresh my lunch from the pop-up was. I decided to try the Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich with the Cucumber Salad and the Candied Yams. The bread used for the sandwich was so light and fluffy and the egg salad so fresh. I don’t think I have ever had an Egg Salad Sandwich this good. The cucumber salad sliced in one long spiral was tangy and crunchy with just the right amount of seasoning. The candied yams were sweet, and filling and the spices used were a perfect blend. I tried a Mochi Brownie being sold during the pop-up to end the meal and it was just the right amount of chewy sweetness for a perfect dessert.
What is Onigiri?
I was excited to try the Snowcrab Onigiri, and it was just as good as I imagined. My Co-worker was adventurous and tried one too.
Onigiri are Japanese Rice Balls stuffed with a variety of fillings and flavors. They make an ideal snack or a fun alternative to a boring lunch sandwich. Who doesn’t like portable food that can be taken anywhere from bento lunch boxes, movie snacks, or even hiking? 
According to Britannica, Onigiri takes its name from the Japanese word nigiru, meaning “to grasp” or “to squeeze” as it is pressed by hand into a ball, triangular or cylindrical shape. They are sometimes wrapped in nori (seaweed). The first known instance of Onigiri dates back more than 2,000 years ago, recovered from an archaeological site in Ishikawa prefecture.
Where to find these Pop-Ups
You can find these Oni Pop-Ups at local bars and breweries around Baton Rouge, such as Pelican to Mars, Tin Roof Brewing Co., The Radio Bar, Chelsea’s Live, Brickyard South, and Cypress Cove Brewing Company. Pop-Ups have even been found at Live After Five, Manship Theatre, and Kung Fu Tea. Due to the popularity, business partners are popping up in New Orleans and may eventually expand to Hammond and Lafayette. 
Other Dishes
A new novel dish called the Snow Dog, an all-beef hotdog topped with snow Krab salad and Kewpie mayo and topped with eel sauce, furikake, green onions and fried shallots is also being sold. Other options that have been on the menu have been a tofu miso soup and inari, tofu skin with seasoned rice and topped with snow Krab salad and salmon, Chicken Katsu Curry, Japanese Curry Beef, Onions and Carrots served over rice, and Shrimp Etouffee. Other fillings offered with the Onigiri have included caramelized beef, shrimp, and black bean tofu and mushroom.
I have followed OniBR on Facebook and Instagram to keep track of these pop-ups near me so I can definitely sample more of this delicious Japanese street food.
