Off the Beaten Plate: Kansas Roll at Oriental Bistro

Kansas Roll at Oriental Bistro & Grill, 1511 W. 23rd St.

The beauty of sushi bars comes down to the degree of creativity chefs choose to execute with fillings and toppings, resulting in some of the most interesting concoctions and even better names (see below).

As far as interesting combinations go, the Kansas Roll at Oriental Bistro provides you with dinner and dessert at the time. The roll itself is fashioned with crab meat, avocado and cream cheese, wrapped with rice and a crispy deep-fried coating. It is then topped with chunks of fried banana… and caviar. (Which one of these things is not like the other?)

It’s almost a startling mix of sensations for taste buds, the salty creaminess of the center paired with crispy and sweet bites of fruit. And completely throws a wrench in the “which dipping sauce” decision.

Where to get it:Oriental Bistro & Grill, 1511 W. 23rd St.

What you’ll pay: $10.79, plus tax

Try it with: You get a number of options on your tray, including wasabi, slices of ginger and soy sauce. Whatever you think best complements the banana.

Also on the menu: More than 100 choices of any Oriental dish you can think of, which honestly becomes an overwhelming game of eliminating as many sections as you can to narrow down your selection before the server comes back to the table. Separated by type of cuisine, and specialty dishes, select from Thai noodles or curry, Korean-style spicy pork or bulgogi beef, Japanese ramen noodle soup, or a huge selection of special sushi rolls, including the BMW, XoXo roll, and even the Yo Roll.