Salmon skin rolls began in the izakayas of Japan, where cooks discovered that crisping the fatty skin of salmon transforms it into something extraordinary — crunchy, savoury, and rich. On the BC coast, the roll found a perfect partner in the region’s wild salmon, and it has become a staple of Vancouver’s sushi scene, a dish that shows how perfectly Japanese technique and Pacific salmon belong together.
What makes it great is the contrast: warm, crackling salmon skin against cool, vinegared rice, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado, all wrapped in nori and finished with a drizzle of unagi sauce. The skin turns shatteringly crisp in the pan, its fat rendering into pure flavour. It’s the roll you order every time — and surprisingly fun to make at home.
