KOI Express adds Asian fusion to food scene near BYU
The New York Wrap and Louisiana Wrap are photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Braised Pork Belly bento box at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Sunset Ramen Bowl is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Louisiana Wrap is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Braised Pork Belly bento box is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The New York Wrap is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Louisiana Wrap is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
The Hong Kong Waffle Ice Cream is photographed at KOI Express in Provo on Monday, Aug. 16, 2017. Sammy Jo Hester, Daily Herald
Those familiar with Rita’s Italian Ice in Provo will have found a new restaurant in its vacated space this summer.
Located near the CVS on the corner of Bulldog and University Ave., the spot is busy with people and new businesses, that also now include KOI Express Sushi Wrap & Ramen. We visited KOI for lunch recently during the workweek.
With space for just a few tables in the inside, KOI joins the throngs of Utah County restaurants aspiring to fast casual success. Situated so closely to BYU, and Provo High for one more year, the restaurant definitely seems to cater to those demographics with its lower-priced Asian fusion menu.
The menu itself is fairly simple in its organization and offerings, getting the “express” part of its name right in one regard. We ordered an item from almost every different category on the menu: bento box, featured wraps, ramen soup and dessert. It also offers a few appetizers and basic salads.
Our bento box, the Pork Belly, will apparently no longer be on the menu in a few months. So if you have a hankering for tender pork, your time to get it is limited. The remainder of the bento boxes feature chicken as the main protein. Ringing up at less than $8, these bento boxes are more than a fair alternative for a complete meal when you consider Americans pay the same amount for awful fast food combos at places like McDonalds.
From the featured wraps, we ordered two different options (for both you seafood lovers and haters): the New York Wrap and Louisiana Wrap. The wraps are a little more expensive than the bento boxes, but such is the case when you deal with fish.
The New York Wrap was the favorite item of the lunch. It was also my first time eating a wrap or what some call a “sushi burrito.” While I definitely prefer regular sushi, the New York Wrap exceeded my expectations in quality and quantity of salmon. The wrap features salmon, cream cheese, crabstick, avocado, lettuce, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sweet potato crunches. While I didn’t detect any spice at all, the wrap tasted fresh with the large chunks of salmon and cream cheese.
The Lousiana Wrap, I was warned, has a bit more spice. (Which I believe is completely tolerable despite the staff’s concern it was very hot. However, I am not a native Utahn and it seems many residents here struggle with any degree of spiciness in their food.) This wrap featured spicy breaded chicken, instead of crab or salmon, with avocado, tomato, jalapeno, spinach, katsu sauce and sriracha. It was a decent alternative for those who typically steer away from seafood, though the New York Wrap was much better.
Perhaps the least favorite part of our meal was our choice of ramen. Initially, I blame ourselves for not sticking with the tried and true options. We ordered the Sunrise Ramen on the specials list, which did not include broth. It did not taste like any ramen I’ve sampled before — and I love ramen. While I applaud the restaurant for its attempt at creativity, the dish just didn’t deliver and really tasted more like Thai noodles or ramen noodles with Korean flavors.
Because the food and meal was more economical, we were able to order KOI’s dessert: a beautifully presented Hong Kong Waffle Ice Cream. I’ve seen these at restaurants and street fairs before, but never got the chance to try it. The waffle looks like bubbles and is egg based and the flavor reflects that, which varies greatly from American waffles. It was topped with walnuts, sprinkles and graham cracker crumbles. For us, the egg and icy ice cream just didn’t seal the deal. We’ll probably stick to the Mochi Ice Cream next time.
KOI Express Sushi Wrap & Ramen
Location: 1283 N. University Ave., Unit 102
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Cost: $1-$10.40