We live in a melting pot of creativity. This shouldn’t be news to anyone. Year-after-year, artists from different walks of life journey to the center of Texas seeking refuge from the boredom of normality. These artists hope to collect blessings from the muse so many call Austin. This coming together of talents is what gives Austin its sought-after “vibe.”

Austin music, can you define it? Most of us would say no, and we like to think it’s because we’re unimaginably unique and creative, but there’s another theory. Perhaps our diversity drives our style. We live here together now, but we started our existence in very different places, and we bring those very different experiences to life through art. Our vibe is a collaboration of experiences.

For musicians, experiences are put into a new sound; for writers it’s in a new voice; for painters it’s a new color; for foodies it’s in a new flavor. Original, fusion, alive – all things that define Austin, and all things that we encourage at Roll On Sushi Diner.

We talk a lot about fusion cuisine, but haven’t paid nearly enough respect to the original fusion art – which is music. Fusion by definition is the combination of two styles to create something totally new. Rock-and-roll is an excellent example, which electrified the 1950s with its combined blues, gospel and country sound, and opened the doors for the musicians we love today.

With the 2011 Austin City Limits heading its way towards us, we are excited to welcome our favorite musicians like:  Stevie Wonder, Coldplay, Arcade Fire and Kanye West. These superstars, along with dozens of other artists, are going to rock the ATX. View the full lineup here - http://lineup.aclfestival.com/.

Remember to be safe at the festival, and if you are lucky enough to have a DD, head up Burnet road for some yummy traditional and fusion sushi dishes! Let’s have an experience together that makes us a better person going forward.

Elvis Presley is still The King of Rock n’ Roll. Born January 8, 1935 in Tupelo Mississippi, Elvis’ life began with tragedy. His twin brother was stillborn leaving him the only child to a truck driver father and sewing machine operator mother. His family later moved to Memphis Tennessee where his musical talent was discovered.

Elvis drew inspiration from pop, country, gospel and R&B music he learned while walking the streets of Memphis. His career exploded with instant success, and had Elvis lived longer, I’m sure he would have made a stop or two at one of Austin’s live venues. What a show we missed!

Known for many things … singing, acting, military service and being a God-fearing man, Elvis also had a passion for food. Eclectic would definitely be the word to describe The King’s food preferences. You think pregnant women have cravings? Elvis gave them a run for their money.

While today’s society is focusing on eating organic, Elvis chose to sidestep that notion. There is no doubt Elvis was a true Southern boy who loved his mama’s home cooking. The sidekick to most of Elvis’ favorite foods was the ever so healthy biscuits fried in butter and stuffed with sausage and t-bone steaks grilled in butter. Some of his other favorites included BBQ bologna, meatloaf, cheeseburgers, bratwurst sandwiches, fried okra and even fried squirrel. Healthy? I think not.

Elvis could never get enough of two meals in particular.

The first is the Fool’s Gold Loaf. Ingredients please:

1 loaf of Italian bread (hollowed out)

2 T. butter

1 lb. bacon

1 jar of peanut butter

1 jar of grape jelly

The other meal made famous by The King is the Elvis sandwich. This sandwich consists of peanut butter, sliced or mashed bananas, and crisp bacon with bread then fried or grilled in – you guessed it – butter.

Many restaurants and cookbooks have put their own spin on this sandwich, to rave reviews. Roll On Sushi Diner is going to join their ranks, and put our own spin on this creative, popular and quite yummy concoction.

Roll On Sushi Diner’s ELVIS ROLL:

This deep-fried spring roll is stuffed with peanut butter, bacon and bananas. It is served with mayo OR chocolate sauce for dipping, and it is amazingly delicious.

Come try one for yourself at the Grand Opening of Roll On Sushi Diner in early August! The countdown is on, and we can’t wait to feed you!

If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. ~ William Shakespeare

 Selecting what music to play in a restaurant has long been a sore subject for owners starting a venture. Do we or don’t we? If we do play music, what genre should it be? How loud do we play it? These questions force many restaurant owners to go so far as to hire music consultants to pick the perfect playlist, but how do you guarantee that one consultant knows what’s best for an eclectic city such as ours? We decided to start by understanding music, and what it does to our bodies, minds and souls.

Music began as a form of communication almost the same time as spoken language. It’s an ancient art that has seen many adaptations, and where it goes in the future we will leave to the talented artists emerging everyday. Beyond communicating a message or story, music can be used in therapy, as an aphrodisiac, as a mood enhancer, as a stress reliever, or even as an energy booster. What’s really amazing is when you breakdown the affect that a good tune plays on the human body.

Music has the ability to slow down and equalize each of the four different brainwaves. Different musical tones alert specific waves causing you, and your mood, to react accordingly. For example, if you find yourself in an unfocused or emotional mood, a few minutes of Mozart can steady your consciousness allowing thoughts to come through clearly. In other parts of the body, music can affect your blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, reduce muscle tension, increase coordination, regulate stress hormones, boost the immune system, and (the part that we like) aid in digestion.

So if different types of music have the ability to do different things to our body, how can we know what is the right sound for Roll On Sushi Diner? Well let’s start with what we know is wrong. According to an article in the NY Times, restaurants make up a “significant portion” of the 400,000 locations pumping out tired tunes from Muzak. We know we can do better; we just need to understand the art of pairing music with food.

If you think about it, every genre of fodder comes with its own musical influence. Italian fare makes us think Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. Think Asian cuisine, and we hear flutes and harps. Take Mexican dining, and we think of a Mariachi band bouncing between tables. An American burger joint, we think of Elvis and classic rock-and-roll.

It’s obvious that different styles of music complement certain cuisines, but what aligns with Austin fusion if, in the grand scheme of world foods, we have only just begun to define it as a cuisine? At Roll On Sushi, we think that local and independent musicians – introducing their sound to a restaurant of people already in the market for something new – sounds about right to us. That is exactly what we intend to do, it’s perfect. Our mission is to support local business. In Austin, music is the local business. We plan to feature fantastic artists that pour their souls into the music they create, just as every roll we prepare comes straight from the heart.