Okinawa-Style Onigiri and Japanese Snacks Find a Home at Chinatown’s Shanghai Plaza

FamilyMart, the ubiquitous convenience store chain found across Japan, recently declared Spam musubi as its most popular onigiri rice ball snack and now Las Vegas can experience its own version of the Okinawa-inspired dish at the Shanghai Plaza on Spring Mountain Road. Revealed back in April, O.Onigiri replaces the cosmetic store Shibuyala at the trendy Asian strip mall, sitting next door to the 85°C Bakery Cafe. Inside, the counter-service space offers a handful of tables and chairs, but serves the onigiri in paper bags to make it easier to eat on-the-go.

O.Onigiri adds the letter “O” for Okinawa to the front of its name, a nod to the southern Japanese island’s preference for folded onigiri. Staff create a flat surface of seaweed and rice, then sprinkle furikake seasoning, followed by portions of Spam and egg omelet to make its “classic” option. The menu features ingredients such as kimchi, avocado, unagi, shrimp salad, pork, chicken katsu, fried soft-shell crab, and shrimp tempura that diners can add to their order. Among the sides, panko-crusted fried oysters, pork gyoza, and fried octopus balls, plus mochi ice cream for dessert.

O.Onigiri, 4258 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 102, 702-844-8857. Open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., closing at 9 p.m. on Friday to Sunday.

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