sushi pizza — Toronto, Canada

Sushi pizza is a Canadian dish that fuses sushi and pizza into a single round dish: a disc of sushi rice is pressed flat, pan-fried until lightly crisp on the outside while staying soft within, then topped in layers the way a pizza is topped, rather than rolled or hand-pressed the way sushi usually is. It is reported to have been created no later than May 1993 by chef Kaoru Ohsada at Nami, a Japanese seafood restaurant, and is closely tied to Toronto and the wider Greater Toronto Area, where it remains widely available and is counted among the city's signature dishes, alongside the peameal bacon sandwich. To prepare it, seasoned sushi rice is shaped into a disc and pan-fried in a little oil until the base turns golden and slightly crisp while the inside stays soft and sticky. The top is layered first with sliced avocado, then with sliced raw salmon, tuna or crab, before being finished with a drizzle of mayonnaise mixed with wasabi. Nori strips, pickled ginger and fish roe are common garnishes, served either on top or on the side. What sets this dish apart from standard sushi preparations is its pizza-like construction and presentation — a single round base cut into wedges and topped in layers rather than rolled pieces or individual nigiri — along with the contrast between the crisp fried rice base and the raw fish and creamy wasabi mayonnaise on top. Restaurants vary the fish used, the thickness of the rice base and the amount of mayonnaise, and some versions add cooked toppings such as tempura flakes.