My wife's first attempt at a California Roll – not bad at all! (Credit: Cathryn Breslin)

For the longest time, I believed the creation of a sushi roll involved some witchcraft and a whole lot of luck.

But thanks to a really fun event from Scoutmob and Bottle Rocket in Castleberry Hill, I learned all about how the magic is made. My wife and I took a sushi-making class on Sunday afternoon, and it was a fantastic experience.

For about 90 minutes, chef Jen Anderson showed us all the basics necessary to make our own sushi at home. We made salmon nigiri, a California Roll and then the restaurant’s signature Aloha Roll.

We also got to snack on crab rangoon, enjoy a handmade cocktail while we made our creations, and there was even a sake bomb break between the creation of our two rolls.

(Also read: 5 thoughts from the Falcons’ season opener)

Bottle Rocket is a really fun sushi restaurant that doesn’t exactly fit the mold of what you’d expect in a similar establishment. Located in front of No Mas! Cantina, Bottle Rocket was reopened under new ownership and a new name in January 2011 in the space that was formerly occupied by the restaurant Wasabi.

Its quirky name was a nod to the history of the still-up-and-coming neighborhood, manager Josh Calvin told us. In 2011, Castleberry Hill was more abandoned and less refined than it is now, and as a result, the neighborhood was a launching point for many of the city’s fireworks shows. Therefore, Calvin said, Bottle Rocket just seemed like the ideal name for this new idea of his.

If you want to learn how to make sushi, there are four remaining classes – two on Saturday, Sept. 26 and two more the next day. The cost is $39 per person, but you’ll leave with a full belly and a renewed confidence that you can make beautiful culinary creations.

Trust me when I say this: if I can do it, you can do it.

For best viewing, click on the first image and scroll through using your arrow keys



We started simple, with a piece of salmon nigiri. (Credit: Cathryn Breslin) Here’s how my California Roll turned out. (Credit: Sean Breslin) Our setup, with cocktail included. Our stations soon became very messy. (Credit: Sean Breslin) My wife’s first attempt at a California Roll – not bad at all! (Credit: Cathryn Breslin) My wife got a little imaginative and turned her Aloha Roll into a caterpillar. (Credit: Cathryn Breslin) My Aloha Roll – cutting a sushi roll into six equally sized pieces is a lot harder than it looks! (Credit: Sean Breslin) My wife prepares to eat the last piece of her California Roll, though she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her creation. (Credit: Sean Breslin) Chef Jen Anderson, ruling over her sushi kingdom (not our class in this photo). (Image via Scoutmob) How the Aloha Roll looks before it gets rolled up. Looks easy, no? (Image via Scoutmob) Hungry yet? Thirsty yet? (Image via Scoutmob) How the Aloha Roll looks when a professional sushi chef rolls it. (Image via Scoutmob)

Bottle Rocket

180 Walker St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313

(404)574-5680

Website

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