Streets of San Francisco now filled with treats

SAN FRANCISCO—Koji Kanematsu folds Japanese seaweed as precisely as origami art.

He tops rice with pickled carrots and marinated eggplant, then expertly wraps that in seaweed triangles in seconds.

It’s a swift yet delicate operation, attracting the attention of a lunch-hour crowd that stops to watch street food in the making.

Kanematsu barely lifts his head to acknowledge the praise of office workers sampling food that was once a meal for Samurai warriors.

“It’s very popular in Japan,” says Kan Hasegawa, ladling hot miso soup into bowls. “It’s the Japanese equivalent of tapas.”

The 33-year-old Japanese immigrant co-founded “Onigilly: The Samurai Snack” six months ago to join this city’s boom in mobile food carts.

They’re usually stationed near one of the busiest sections of the waterfront, across from the historic Ferry Building.

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