I t’s easy to make the case for handrolls. Classic maki (sushi rolls) is a joy, to be sure. But a handroll, or temaki (typically cone-shaped or little wraps), is the playful, hand-held play on maki. I remember when the handroll bar craze kicked off as the first KazuNori opened in downtown LA (DTLA) in 2014 by the popular Sugarfish. There are now eight KazuNori locations (6 in LA, 2 in NYC), and they’ve spawned imitators.

I dined at the first KazuNori DTLA not long after it opened, a casual eatery centered around a rectangular bar with a front-row view of chefs churning out handrolls. It was quick, easy and the rolls fairly straightforward, mostly under $6 each.

But the handroll craze never seemed to quite take off in San Francisco as it has in LA or even NYC. Tan Truong and chef Geoffrey Lee, of one Michelin-starred Ju-Ni in NoPa/Western Addition (my 2016 review when Ju-Ni opened), may change all that.

Handroll Project opened May 18, 2022, in a lofty, minimalist space with murals from local artist The Apexer. Across the street from the original Tartine Bakery, this corner space has faced a lot of turnover over the years: Al’s Deli, and the legit Yuzuki Japanese Eatery, to name but a couple. A handroll restaurant was actually Lee and Truong’s original plan even before Ju-Ni, with their vision of a casual, “quick bite” kind of spot.

So let’s get the annoying part out of the way: “casual and easy” is far from how it’s operating in opening weeks. With no reservations and no waitlist except in person — which when I was in or have passed by is already closed before 6:30pm — this new hotspot is officially nearly impossible to get into, given the small two bars with a total of 16 seats. No rolling in for a quick bite here, rather trek across town (or wherever you’re coming from) only in hopes the waitlist might still be open. Personally, this will keep me from returning as gambling for a seat is not an option in my ever-packed weeks-ahead dining and work travel schedule. But those with time to spare (I’d encourage a backup dining plan) can take chances at snagging a seat when they open. Lunch is in the works and hopefully they will move to at least a digital waitlist or reservations, so even if impossible to snag those, at least when going to dine here, one knows they will have a seat.

Now, IF you do get a seat, you can expect quality higher than typical handroll spots in LA, NY, etc., which often are easy, casual spots to pop in. At Handroll Project, a total of ten rolls include a standard seven, all worthwhile and delicious, plus three rotating special handrolls. Go a la carte, five handrolls for $35, the standard seven for $54 or the full 10 for $95. It’s easy to get full on seven so 10 is going nuts — and with drinks can easily top $300. Standard rolls run under $10 with luxury ingredients like fish toro (belly), uni (sea urchin) or A5 wagyu beef handrolls in the teens.

I like the clean, linear lines of the menu. It’s removed from excess, with everything intentional and thought through, no throwaways. A couple items listed up top — among the few that are not handrolls — like cucumber salad or miso soup — go beyond their simple listing. For example, what could be a basic miso soup is actually the stellar, umami-sweet white miso version served at Ju-ni. Even an albacore tataki starter was a top-notch crudo/tataki of ultra-silky albacore tuna dotted with crispy puffs, onions and tomatoes.

Now about those handrolls: expect the same sushi rice as at Ju-Ni with just the right touch of vinegar, quality nori (seaweed), fish sourced from Japan’s Toyosu Fish Market and a $4 supplement of Kizami wasabi with pickled wasabi roots, offering a vibrant, pungent hit.

In some cases, the most straightforward are some of the best given the quality, like the salmon & sesame handroll ($7.50), marked by juicy ikura fish roe and bonito flakes, or spicy tuna ($7) dotted with shiso, cucumber and gari (pickled sushi ginger), creamy with shichimi aioli. Even a smoked hamachi handroll is smoked so delicately, the fish still shines. Each roll almost “melts in your mouth,” not literally, but in seamless integration of ingredients, with just the right amount of shiso (a Japanese mint) or other contrasts.

I live for raw Hokkaido scallops — and creamy scallop handrolls are pinnacle of handrolls. Lee’s version does not disappoint. Subtle accents of tobiko (flying fish roe) and negi (Welsh onion) enhance the luxuriousness of miso aioli and avocado. Similarly, toro takuan (fatty tuna) handrolls, marked by pickled radish, shiso and negi, feel decadent and harmonious.

Another standout is chef’s poke handroll, which changes regularly. On my visit, it was a mix of salmon, albacore and yellowtail in miso aioli with bonito flakes, ponzu sauce, chives, sesame and that pop of ikura roe. Special handrolls held some of the best moments, though I was surprised to find A5 Wagyu (with garlic chips, shiso, chives) was my least favorite of all ten handrolls. I am crazy about A5, the primo cut of already primo wagyu. Through hundreds of A5 tastings over the years, its fatty elegance shines. This handroll was tasty, but somehow “one note” in flavor with the wagyu cooked/torched just enough to take away some of its medium rare, pink glory.

In contrast, the smoked Hokkaido uni handroll — marked by plump ikura — was lightly cold smoked, subtle enough to add a layer of flavor, without taking away from the Santa Barbara uni’s gorgeous umami-ness. The show-stealer is a signature Ju-Ni maki. Here, it’s in handroll form, a sheet of nori packed with house-cured ikura roe and rice, while frozen ankimo (monkfish liver paté) is shaved over/into the roll. The rice’s vinegary warmth, ikura’s briny pop and ankimo’s frozen umami depth meld together in a hot-cold explosion of happiness. More, please.

GM/beverage manager Alice Lee’s similarly tight, small drink menu includes Japanese staples like Calpico soda, alongside a select few beers and wines, like cans of a light Yoho Nippon Citrus yuzu sea salt ale or West+Wilder Sparkling White Wine, plus three sakes, including the nuanced, dry Kubota Manju Junmai Daiginjo in 300ml bottles.

Here’s hoping there will be easier, digital/remote reservations or waitlist coming soon so you have a chance to get in to Handroll Project. Why? Because it’s one of the best handroll spots in any city, a step (or a few) up from the “easy and quick” spots elsewhere. With Michelin sushi chef pedigree behind the focused, fun, exceptional temaki, it’s the kind of place I wish every neighborhood had. Leaving utterly full after ten handrolls, I dreamed of being able to roll in and out for a few handrolls and a drink for lunch or dinner. When San Francisco finally got into the handroll bar “craze,” per usual, we did it a few steps above, thanks to Truong, Lee and their team.

// 598 Guerrero Street, www.instagram.com/handrollproject

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Founding The Perfect Spot in 2007, Virginia is World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ Chairperson, judging & writing/editor at 60+ publications on dining & drink globally