Food Hybrids Are Here To Stay, Probably

Everyone and their mother seems to be raving about Uma Temakaria's release of the sushi burrito in New York, a concept that has been thriving at the appropriately named Sushirrito in San Francisco since 2011. Chef Chris Jaeckle's fast-casual sushi joint is just the latest spot to feature a food hybrid on its menu.

In a society that seems to fall over itself at any sight of the latest food mash-up or hybrid, perhaps it's time to take a step back and reflect: Are these oversized hand rolls really worth the exaggerated excitement? And when does that excitement end? Will it ever?

In the case of the marriage of croissant and donut (yes, we're still talking about the c-word), Dunkin' Donuts and countless others have made their own versions, which you can buy at any time and in any quantity. But is Dominique Ansel's original creation any less line-worthy? I received a Snapchat from my friend that showed a 50-person-deep line for the pastry around 10 a.m. last Wednesday. So maybe not.

Over in Brooklyn, Keizo Shimamoto is still slinging ramen burgers to lines that rival only those at Home Frite at Smorgasburg. Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in San Francisco has tried its hand at pastry mash-ups with the Cruffin, a — you guessed it — half muffin, half croissant. Donut burgers are also a pipe dream come true, slowly making their way through people's clogging arteries. KFCs in the United Kingdom are dishing out coffee cups made of cookies — essentially sweet, tiny versions of chowder bread bowls. And has Taco Bell run out of vehicles for its breakfast tacos yet? The waffle and biscuit tacos would suggest not.

The list goes on, but not all hybrid foods are cringeworthy. Classic hybrids include the ice cream sandwich and the root beer float — let's remember that there was a time when neither of these existed. Marriages between cuisines have also brought us Korean tacos, matcha lattes and California rolls. So hybrids really aren't all that bad...right?