Tuna Comes to The Loop in a Big Way

As I walked up Orange Street, a large crowd of onlookers came into view. The usually mildly packed cafe that I have come to know and love, The Loop by Hachiroku, was overflowing with fascinated customers standing on their tippy toes, trying to get a glimpse of the spectacle that was a 206 pound fish.

The Loop hosted their first End of Summer Festival this past Sunday, September 28th, where, along with their usual menu, they served yakisoba and okonomiyaki, specialty cocktails, shaved ice, and most notably, bluefin tuna, freshly cut and portioned.    

Two sushi chefs stood in front of an enormous bluefin tuna, expertly carving and sectioning the fish for the pack of sushi-lovers watching in hungry anticipation. With knives the length of their arms, they removed the head and fins, and then began separating the meat from the bones. The line of buyers snaked around the establishment as slabs of tuna were being weighed, packaged, and sold; a tuna assembly line, if you will. After portioning off large pieces, one chef began cutting small strips of sashimi, and layering them into rice bowls. While the large portions were priced based on weight, the tuna rice bowls sold for $30 each. The fish was the freshest I had ever tasted, more so than sushi I’ve tried in Japan, and watching it go from bone to bowl made the experience all the more enjoyable. 

On The Loop’s back patio, visiting chefs were cooking okonomiyaki and yakisoba on open grills, made to order. The okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake made of cabbage, was a warm and comforting dish. It was paired with okonomi sauce, kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes, creating the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and umami flavors. 

To finish off the memorable meal, I tried the shaved ice topped with peach puree, condensed milk, and freshly cubed mandarin oranges. The three toppings balanced each other beautifully, no one flavor overpowering the others. The light, refreshing dessert was perfect for the warm September day, and didn’t leave me feeling overly full. The thoughtful amount of toppings gave the shaved ice the perfect amount of sweetness, and condensed milk was drizzled throughout the whole bowl, making each bite equally as delicious. 

The quality of the food was immaculate, but I’d go back just for the performance. This was the first event of its kind at The Loop, and I can only hope it won’t be the last.