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Hello, Eaters! No tables, no reservations and no tips? Eating at Momomaru, at 636 S. 200 West in Salt Lake City, is its own unique sushi experience, and this guide will help you know what to expect.

When you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the host and directed to grab a paper menu and a small pencil. With that in hand, you’ll be guided to the circular sushi bar, where you’ll take a seat facing the chefs.

Once you’re settled in, you’ll see a plate, chopsticks, a small dish with wasabi and ginger, another small dish for soy sauce, and a compressed hand towel tablet in a wooden holder.

Your server will pour water on the tablet so it expands into a small, moistened towel — use this to clean your hands, since they will be your most important utensils at Momomaru.

Peruse the menu. When I visited, my server recommended starting with one of the chef-prepared sets of hand rolls, which come with four to six rolls and range in price from $17 to $26. The Starting Four and The Starting Five are “flavor-forward and expressive,” according to the menu, with rolls like baked lobster (delicious!), salmon and spicy tuna.

The other sets are “fish-forward and traditional,” featuring rolls like blue crab (my favorite), yellowtail, toro and bay scallop.

If you want to try a hand roll without buying a whole set, there is a list of individual rolls along the left side of the menu.

Once you know what you want, use your pencil to make checkmarks next to your selections, and give your filled-out menu to your server.

Enjoy the show as the chefs prepare your rolls. They scoop a palmful of fresh rice out of the rice cooker, then pick up a sheet of nori with the other hand. Then they carefully press the rice into the nori, and add fish on top and any necessary additional seasonings and ingredients. Then they deftly roll up the nori.

The chefs will present your hand rolls to you as they’re made, by placing them on the paper mat in front of you and quietly announcing what type of roll it is.

According to Momomaru chef and owner Eric Park, hand rolls are meant to be eaten within 20 seconds of being set in front of you, so don’t delay. Pick up the roll with your hands, dipping it in the soy sauce if you wish, and take a bite, savoring the perfect balance of crispy nori, warm rice and fresh fish.

Your sushi chef will pace the meal for you, so surrender to the flow of the evening.

The server will let you know when the last roll arrives at your plate, and ask you if you’re finished for the night. If you’re still hungry, ask for another menu and make a few more selections.

When you’re done, your server will bring the check. There’s no tipping at Momomaru; instead, they just add a 16% service fee to each bill.

Remember to thank your server for a memorable evening, and head out into the night.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

P.S. Scroll down to “Dish of the Week” to read about one of my favorite rolls at Momomaru.

Pizza Madness

After weeks of voting and spirited debate, we have a winner in Pizza Madness, The Salt Lake Tribune’s bracket-style tournament to let you Eaters choose the best pizza place in Utah.

The winner is: Pizza Nono, at 925 E. Harvey Milk Blvd., in the 9th and 9th neighborhood of Salt Lake City. Pizza Nono received 76% of the vote, against 24% for The Pie.

Read my story about Pizza Nono’s win here.

Food News

Openings:

• A second location of The Other Side Donuts is opening at 100 South and 600 East, near The Other Side Academy, according to Utah Eats editor and occasional contributor Sean P. Means. An employee at The Other Side Donuts’ first location at 760 S. Redwood Road said the new spot is going to be opening in June. All doughnuts sold by The Other Side Donuts go to support permanent housing for formerly homeless Utahns.

• Ice cream chain Salt & Straw is opening its first location in Utah, in Trolley Square at 602 E. 500 South, Unit 109, in Salt Lake City, according to a news release. Salt & Straw is known for its decadent ice cream cakes and ice cream flavors like Chocolate Malted Potato Chip Cupcake and Chocolate Date Tiramisu Stracciatella.

Closings:

• Doki Doki, one of the best spots to get Asian desserts in Salt Lake City, is closing, according to an Instagram post from owner/chef Irie Cao. I’ve covered Doki Doki throughout its lifespan, and this will be a real loss for the SLC food scene. It closes its location at 249 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City, on April 19, so go get some fluffy pancakes (Cao is pictured making some, above) before then.

• An Eater has reported that Wildfin American Grill in Riverton is now closed.

• Has a restaurant opened or closed in your neighborhood? Let us know at food@sltrib.com.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• Mountain West Hard Cider, a bar and maker of cider at 425 N. 400 West in Salt Lake City, is branching out into the restaurant business, according to its building permit application with the city, which we heard about from Building Salt Lake. Owner Jeffrey Carleton told me that their new restaurant is going to be at 646 S. 400 West, in the Journeyman apartment building in the Granary District. Carleton said its menu will be “elevated casual,” served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He plans to open his new spot sometime in the fall.

Dish of the Week

One of the most beautiful rolls at Momomaru is the salmon roll ($4.50). It’s understated and simple, but when I picked up this hand roll, dipped it in the soy sauce, and took a bite, I felt transported to somewhere far away. The crispy nori was such a welcome contrast against the slightly sticky rice and soft salmon, and all the components let the delicate flavor of the fish shine through. Don’t miss this one as an individual roll or in a set of rolls.