Nigiri vs. Maki

The two primary types of sushi served at our Japanese restaurant in Seattle are Nigiri sushi and Maki sushi. Both are delicious in their own right, but what exactly is the difference?

Maki Sushi (“rolled sushi”) refers to a sushi roll wrapped in seaweed (called “nori”) and cut into the eight pieces that make up a typical Maki dish. Maki sushi varies in size, shape, and contents, so there are always new types to try. I Love Sushi even features its own signature selection of Maki sushi, like the White Dragon Roll, loaded with seared white tuna, crispy shrimp tempura, boiled eel, and fresh avocado.

Nigiri Sushi (“hand-formed sushi”) are rectangular mounds of rice with contents laid across the top (“neta”), sometimes with a dab of wasabi. Toppings are most commonly fish like tuna and salmon secured by a strip of seaweed. I Love Sushi also provides numerous Nigiri vegetarian alternatives, so everyone is welcome to give the famous Nigiri sushi a try.

Check out I Love Sushi’s menu to see the variety that’s possible at our Japanese restaurant in Seattle!