CJ Lunchbox

CJ Lunchbox
403 Richmond St.

Proletarian Sushi. Sushi for the masses. CJ Lunchbox is about the cheapest possible place in the city, and it’s not bad either. This is the place that introduced me to the idea of sushi as a regular meal instead of once and a while. My co-workers used to go there 2-3 times a week for lunch, and I soon overtook them. Where else can you get a roll for less than $4?

The reason it’s so cheap is because it is basically mass produced. All the Maki is basically made by machine. There is a machine that expertly spreads the rice onto a sheet of nori. The contents are added and it’s hand rolled, then moved to a machine that deftly slices the roll into 8 pieces. Human interaction is kept to a minimum. The selection is also limited. There are usually about half a dozen kinds of sushi available, and woe to those who try to eat after 1pm.

This place is busy. It’s usually filled from 11am to 1pm a non stop lineup of people getting their rolls and taking them back to the office. Seating is limited.

Our favorite wasn’t there today. Usually one person gets a roll and edamame and another gets a rolle and “BBQ” chicken. No chicken today. But the California Roll ($3.75), the Edamame ($1.25), and the Avocado Roll ($3.75) were all well prepared and allw e had to do was scoop what we wanted from the cooler, pay, and go.

Hours of operation are limited, it’s basically only open from 11am to 3pm weekdays. But if you need a quick, cheap, and good lunch this is the place to go.