By Chi Wing Wong
21 Jul 2025
Sushi has always been that one dependable lunch: fast, filling, and easy to eat while speed-walking between classes. For some reason no one in law school can really explain, we’re surrounded by sushi places. One new spot even dropped its prices recently, and the one next door had to match it. So yeah, things are getting serious 😳.
Since we somehow got dragged into the middle of this sushi war just by being law students…we figured we might as well investigate and do what law students do best: overanalyse it.
Sample Size: Four of us — the Communications Directors and us, the Purely Dicta editors. Not a formal tasting panel, just a bunch of hungry law students who eat too much sushi and always have opinions.
The Method: We cut each roll into four pieces and placed them on a board like some kind of sushi science experiment. One editor handled the setup and kept the shop names secret, so the rest of us could do a blind tasting. We rated each one out of five, just going with our gut.
The Order: We originally planned to test the classic salmon roll, but one of our directors had a traumatic experience with food poisoning, and since some students don’t eat raw fish, we decided to go for something safer and just as iconic: the panko prawn roll.
Judging Criteria: We rated them on prawn quality, how crispy they were, rice texture, seaweed texture, flavour, and price — the essentials when you’re standing in front of the fridge asking yourself if this roll is about to ruin your day.
A Little Sushi Backstory:
Australia didn’t invent hand rolls, but it reimagined them and turned them into a lunch staple. In the 1980s and ’90s, sushi kiosks across Australian cities began selling single, uncut rolls. People started calling them hand rolls, even though they’re technically futomaki (太巻き), which means thick rolls traditionally filled with several ingredients. Aussies loved the convenience — you could just grab one and eat it like a sandwich or burrito. To keep up with demand, shops began serving them upright in display cases, ready for the lunch crowd.
“Growing up, Sushi Sushi’s cooked tuna and avocado roll felt like a reward. It was the sort of thing you’d beg your mum for after school, and maybe walk out with a Smiggle eraser too if you played your cards right.
Then the crispy chicken roll started to take over… crumbed chicken with teriyaki sauce, mayo, and a bit of lettuce or avocado, all wrapped in rice and seaweed. It felt like comfort food: crunchy, familiar, and something you just keep coming back to.”
Fun fact: You can now find crispy chicken-style sushi in Japanese convenience stores, often labelled “Western-style sushi.” These pre-packed rolls started showing up in the early 2010s, when konbini chains like 7-Eleven and Lawson expanded their ready-to-eat range. In a full-circle moment, the Australian version of sushi has made its way back to Japan!
So… which one actually tastes the best?
📍Moonfish
Address: Student Pavilion, The University of Melbourne Tenancy SP5, Student Pavilion, Building 162 Monash Rd, Cnr, 761 Swanston St, Parkville VIC 3010
Moonfish came out on top, and it made sense given the quality. It was the most expensive roll, but you could taste the difference — it was crunchy, warm, and easily the most satisfying bite. They used brown rice, which gave it a firmer texture and a bit more chew, but it felt like a healthier choice. The seaweed had a slight chew to it as well, but not in a way that made it hard to eat. The flavours were well balanced, with a hint of sesame oil. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt like the most complete roll we tried.
That said, it’s located in the Student Pavilion, a bit further from the law building, and it’s also the priciest. Whether it’s worth the trip really depends on what you’re after.
📍226 Sushi & Kimbap
Address: 226 Pelham St, Melbourne VIC 3000
226 felt like it was doing its own thing. The prawn was barely noticeable, but the flavour still stood out. It used tempura instead of panko, which made the crunch softer. The roll leaned toward Korean-style flavours, more like kimbap, with sesame oil, yellow pickled radish, and soft, sticky rice. It was a filling bite. The pickled radish might not be for everyone, but it added a nice contrast. With the card surcharge, it ended up being one of the most expensive rolls, so just something to keep in mind.
📍Momo Sushi
Address: 660 Swanston St, Carlton VIC 3053
Momo’s roll had the worst structural integrity and started falling apart as soon as you picked it up. It probably sat in the fridge for a while — the prawn was soggy, the rice was mushy, and the mayo had seeped into everything, softening the seaweed, which might explain why it didn’t hold together. It’s not a bad option if you’re starving and want something cheap, but be ready for a slightly messy bite.
📍Edo Sushi Carlton
Address: 159 Pelham St, Carlton VIC 3053
Edo’s roll stood out a bit because the prawn tasted fresher than in some of the others. The rice was packed well, the prawn was more noticeable, and even though the seaweed was thin, it didn’t really affect the structure. The only downside was that the prawn wasn’t crispy. Overall, it’s a solid choice for the price. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
Here’s a quick summary:
Purely Dicta 