Owners and chefs Gabby Delgadillo and Jesus Oleta of Samurai Sombrero — the beloved food truck that fuses Mexican and Japanese cuisine in every sushi roll — are once again expanding their reach here in Tucson.
Earlier this year, Delgadillo and Oleta opened Samurai Sombrero inside American Eat Co. at 1439 S. Fourth Ave. Last week, they debuted their brand-new concept, Viva Tokyo, in the very same food hall.
The menu is different from Samurai Sombrero, offering dishes like Spicy Tofu, ramen, Asian-inspired classics, beef bowls, and even more vegan options on the horizon. They also have smaller bites like gyozas, crab puffs, takoyaki balls, and spring rolls.
At the moment, there are three ramen options on the menu: Tonkotsu, Miso, and Shio (all of which can be ordered extra spicy).
Also, the ramen-making process is a two-day deal — there’s a lot of love and care put into each bowl. First, a pot of cold water and pork bones hang out in the fridge for one day. The following morning, Delgadillo cleans and boils the bones for an hour, washes the bones again, tosses it all in a bigger pot to make the broth, and then adds other ingredients like ginger and carrots (this is for the non-vegan ramen, of course). Then it boils for the remainder of the day.
Stay tuned for more dishes to land on the menu!
They’re located in the former Fatboy Sandos spot (they’ve since moved to Park Place Mall).
The hours of operation are — which is subject to change — 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday – Saturday, and noon – 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Viva Tokyo is located at American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave. For more information, follow Samurai Sombrero on Instagram.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
