A new restaurant planning to send sushi gliding past diners on a conveyor belt is set to open this fall in New Orleans' Central Business District. KOI Japanese Revolving Sushi & Hibachi will land at 1200 Poydras St, bringing a dining format long popular in Japan to the city for the first time.
The concept, often called kaiten-zushi, has diners pick small plates of fresh rolls and nigiri as they circulate on a moving belt, according to What Now New Orleans. Reported pricing starts at $3.50 for basic plates such as a tuna roll, while larger specialty roll plates run $7.95, per the same outlet. Beyond the belt, KOI is also planning hibachi offerings and a full bar, rounding out a menu that includes hibachi and other Japanese dishes.
What's On The Belt — And Beyond It
KOI's own website describes a rotating lineup of nigiri, maki and hand rolls alongside hibachi, warm Japanese dishes, starters, desserts and rice bowls, with KOI Revolving Sushi noting that each dish is prepared to order. WWL-TV reports the restaurant is set to open to the public in September with more than 100 sushi, hibachi, appetizer, dessert and drink options on the menu.
The station's report also describes an interior styled after traditional Japanese dining culture, with Japanese street-inspired decorations and hanging lanterns meant to set a mood built around shared meals and group gatherings. Customers will reportedly be able to choose plates directly off the lower revolving belt as it moves along, or place made-to-order requests with a server, with a transportation belt delivering those items straight to the table. Per the same account, dishes can be priced individually, while KOI's website also advertises an all-you-can-eat premium sushi and Japanese cuisine option for $34.99 per adult.
A Trend Already Spinning Through Louisiana
New Orleans isn't the first Louisiana city to get in on the format. Revolving sushi recently debuted in both Baton Rouge and Lafayette, as What Now New Orleans notes, ahead of KOI's planned Central Business District opening. The outlet also reports that KOI shares an operating partner, Leo Wu, with the recently opened Juicy Seafood.
An official opening date has not yet been announced, though WWL-TV reports KOI plans to share a soft-opening date soon via Instagram. Until then, New Orleans diners curious about watching their dinner roll by on a conveyor belt will have to wait for the doors at 1200 Poydras St to open this fall.
