Operations Manager Janine Guckes personally takes on the first order of the day. The customer knows what he wants – he orders a “Salmon Roll”, a “Maki Avocado Roll” and a “Fried Ebi Roll”. Each dish is freshly prepared when ordered. With practiced hands, Janine Guckes turns avocado, rice, king prawns and fresh salmon into typical health food rolls. The 34-year-old has been familiar with Japanese cuisine for two years and has already worked at the headquarters of “Sushi 51” in Groß-Gerau. Since July 1, she has been in charge of the newly opened branch of the pick-up and delivery service in the Mainz customs port.
A small electric car from Rüsselsheim is ready to deliver the Asian delicacies in the new branch: the Opel Rocks Electric. “He fits in perfectly with us and our offer,” says Janine Guckes. Because in addition to quality, freshness and craftsmanship, the Mainz restaurateurs focus on sustainability. Not only do they process hand-fished tuna from the Indian Ocean that have received awards from Greenpeace, as well as Danish salmon, which is bred in recirculation systems without the use of medicines – delivery is also 100 percent locally emission-free with the smallest from Opel.
The Asian delicacies are freshly prepared when ordered.
The rolled maki are among the classics of sushi cuisine.
Only the best ingredients such as hand-caught tuna are processed.
“As in many inner cities, only 30 km/h is allowed in Mainz. The Rocks has no problem keeping up with the flow of traffic.”
Sushi for beginners
An essential ingredient is short-grain rice, which becomes sticky during cooking and thus holds the sushi together. A seasoning mixture of rice vinegar, salt and sugar gives it flavor. In addition, dried algae leaves (nori) are often processed.
MakiThe classic rolled on a bamboo mat. Rice is served with vegetables or fish in a nori shell.
Inside-Out-RollSpecial maki, where the rice roll runs outside, decorated with sesame seeds or fish eggs.
Nigiri Original form of sushi – a piece of raw fish on top, a pillow of rice below, often with a hint of wasabi in between.
SashimiRaw, sliced fish. Salmon and tuna are good options. Served without rice.
Variations There are no limits to your imagination. Filled with aioli, avocado and quinoa, sushi also makes vegans happy.
ExtrasA must is the soy sauce (shoyu) for dipping, as well as the hot green horseradish (wasabi).
The operations manager garnishes the rolls with shoyu, fills the wasabi and off you go. The electric delivery vehicle is not parked somewhere outside outside opening hours, but directly in the pick-up area, where walk-in customers spend their short waiting time – as a stylish decorative element, so to speak. Janine Guckes stows the ordered drinks together with the styrofoam box on the passenger seat, opens the wing doors to the street and off we go.
Sushi on the Rocks
She can find her way to the delivery address even without a GPS. “After two months I’ve mastered most of the routes,” she says. “Sushi 51” delivers around 80 percent of the orders that arrive at the Mainz branch within a maximum radius of five kilometers. The journey time is rarely more than ten minutes, only in rush hour traffic it can sometimes take longer. “I take turns with three other drivers,” says Janine Guckes. The briefing for the company vehicle with flash was completed quickly: “Just start and accelerate. That’s all it takes.” You can drive the Rocks Electric from the age of 15, an AM driver’s license is sufficient. The top speed is reached at 45 km/h.
The small Opel Stromer is parked on the premises outside of opening hours.
“Admiring looks”: Janine Guckes loves her cute sushi taxi.
“Our customers value sustainability. We do justice to this with our offer, but also with the way we deliver.”
“This means that the Rocks is almost overpowered for our purposes,” says Janine Guckes with a laugh. As in many inner cities, only 30 km/h is allowed in Mainz. In this respect, the SUM has no problems keeping up with the flow of traffic. “And I get more admiring looks in my stylish Opel than many who drive their high-powered body,” she is certain. The rolling billboard with the “Sushi 51” logo on the side doors that open in opposite directions – a real eye-catcher.
Rolling billboard
That’s another reason why the owners opted for the Opel Rocks Electric, reveals Jörg Boberg, Managing Director of Sushi 51. “In the run-up to the opening, we had of course found out which customer group we could address in Mainz,” he says. As a university city, Mainz stands for a young audience that increasingly eats meatless or vegan foods, is environmentally conscious and appreciates sustainability. “And we not only want to do justice to this with our range of dishes, but also with the way in which we supply it.”
100 percent locally emission-free: With the Opel Rocks Electric, delivery is also sustainable.
In no way did they decide to go with the Rocks Electric because, as a company from Groß-Gerau, they have a kind of natural affinity with Opel. “We took a very close look at what was available on the market and what matched our ideas.” Most of what they saw was somewhere “between a souped-up bike and a messed-up car”. On the other hand, they liked the Rocks straight away: “It looks cute and is ideal for our purposes,” says Jörg Boberg.
“Ideal for our purposes”
The Mainz branch is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 5 p.m. Last orders are taken at 9.45pm. Doesn’t it sometimes come down to the range, which is a maximum of 75 kilometers? “Not at all,” reports Janine Guckes, “we deliberately kept our delivery area quite small – that fits perfectly.” Especially since the 5.5 kWh battery can be charged at a normal household socket in between. Janine Guckes loves her compact sushi taxi, which is 2.41 meters long and just two and a half arm lengths. “I can fit into the smallest parking space when making deliveries,” she says.
Unbeatable: The small Opel Stromer fits into the smallest gap.
Tireless: the sushi taxi is in action in downtown Mainz.
Practical: The payment for the delivery is cashless.
Sep 2023
Text: Eric Scherer, photos: Alex Heimann