PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

My eyes are bigger than my stomach and this has never been more apparent than at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in the SouthSide Works. 

A two-tier conveyor belt snakes through the 3,809-square-foot restaurant. As small, covered plates of sushi — each priced at $3.65 — passed by my booth on the lower belt, I grabbed whatever looked good and chowed down like I was at some sort of culinary baggage claim. 

Is it necessary? No. Is it fun? You bet!

Although I was already filled with Tiger Rolls, Salmon Toro, Spanish Mackerel and Yuzu Jalapeño Tuna, I had a hankering for ramen. There are many customizable items, from noodle and rice bowls to sides and desserts available at different price points. I pressed a few buttons on the touchscreen mounted above the table and, within moments, a bowl of Tantanmen zipped from the kitchen on the upper belt and magically stopped in front of my face. 

After a few spicy slurps I was in need of more water, so I hit the screen again and Kur-B the KuraBot brought me another glass. The eatery doesn’t have a full bar but it does offer Sapporo beer on tap and will soon serve sake. Humans, not bots, deliver the booze. 

“I’m heading back,” Kur-B said in an adorably digital voice. “Call me if you need anything.”

The robot has better manners than my kid.

Speaking of kids (and kids at heart), a Bikkura Pon prize machine dispenses figurines, magnets and keychains for every 15 sushi plates you dispose of in the sensor-equipped slot at your table. If you don’t get the keepsake you want by chance, there’s a purchase option on the touchscreen. You can pay your check that way, too. 

Bussing your plates keeps a tally of how much you’re spending. You also can order udon, ramen, side dishes and desserts at varied price points. Due to the tremendous amount of stimuli in the space, it’s easy to rack up a big bill without noticing. Who can focus on math when you’re playing with toys and waiting for another round of Hokkaido Scallops to float by?

Each plate is contained by a patented Mr. Fresh ventilated sushi lid, which limits airborne exposure and has plate-tracking technology that monitors how long the item has been circulating and ejects it after a 2-hour ride. 

Technology is obviously an integral part of the brand. The company’s IT department is run out of its corporate support center in Irvine, California.

If you’re a Luddite like me (my tech-savviness peaked at the Nintendo Power Glove), don’t let the gadgets and gizmos scare you away; there are plenty of friendly employees who will help you out. (Thanks to Assistant Manager Angelique Richer and her crew for giving me guidance without judgment.) 

With the Kura app, customers can earn rewards, claim exclusive coupons and remotely join the restaurant’s waitlist. I recommend downloading it; Kura has been consistently packed since its Sept. 17 debut at 415 Cinema Drive. 

The parent company, Kura Sushi Inc., opened its first restaurant — a take-out joint — in 1977.

Founder Kunihiko Tanaka was born and raised in a Japanese town known for its old warehouses, known as kura. Fascinated by the strange storage units, he often found himself wondering what was inside them. He named his company Kura in the hope of providing diners the same kind of curiosity and wonder. 

His rotating restaurant idea was put into motion in 1984 when he unveiled Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Sakai, a city located in Osaka Prefecture.

Kura Sushi has more than 600 restaurants in Japan, Taiwan and the United States. Hajime “Jimmy” Uba is the president and CEO of Kura Sushi USA. He owns and manages all of the Kura Revolving Sushi Bar business locations in the country. 

If, like Uba, your life revolves around sushi, make Kura your next stop. And let me know if you want to trade toys!