www.tokyohonsushi.ca
Those of you who are well-acquainted with my previous posts may have noticed my subtle (or perhaps not-so-subtle) expressions of disdain for sushi in Langley. Unless I acquire amnesia someday (knock on wood), I will never forget the "fascinating" experience of having Worcestershire sauce on unagi. However, Vancouver food blogger Miss Vancouver Piggy recently brought to my attention a restaurant that would possibly alter my overall perception of Langley's sushi restaurants. That restaurant is Tokyo Hon Sushi, a rather large Korean-operated sushi restaurant a little off the beaten path in Langley.
After my mom and my sister finished picking blackberries from Krause Berry Farms (I tried to join them but I think I picked more insects than berries), we headed over to Tokyo Hon Sushi. As soon as I entered the restaurant, the first thing I saw was a nice, comfortable sofa that took up what could have been dining space for 30 customers (there's a photo of it on the restaurant's website). That's when you know the land prices are too cheap. Nonetheless, their actual dining area was still very spacious, and we were seated by a very friendly waitress with an awesome attitude.
Awesome Roll - A-
Since the waitress had such an awesome attitude, we decided to order the Awesome Roll, which consisted of avocado, crab meat, seared salmon, yam flakes (which turned out to be yam fries), and a special sauce. The special sauce was unique and quite sweet, and I could taste teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and a hint of sweet mustard in it. There may have been a minute amount of melted cheese as well. The seared salmon was sufficiently moist and melty, and the soft texture of the roll was nicely contrasted by the crunch of the yam fries.
Salmon Sashimi - A+
Tai Sashimi - A
Sockeye Salmon Sashimi - A
Tuna Sashimi - C+
Tako Sashimi - A-
Ika Sashimi - A-
Tamago - B-
Toro Sashimi - B
The Assorted Sashimi tasted nearly as spectacular as Sushi Hachi's Chef's Choice Sashimi (in Richmond). However, this sashimi platter came with about three times the amount of sashimi at just 60% of the price (I even received four more pieces than what was stated on the menu). The Atlantic Salmon Sashimi was the best I have ever eaten. It had a remarkably fresh and buttery flavour, and a slightly toro-like melty texture that made it virtually perfect. Also very fresh were the tai (snapper), sockeye salmon, tako (octopus) and ika (squid). Unfortunately, the tuna had a fishy flavour and the toro was not very soft. The Tamago was missing the fluffier, lighter texture I had expected. This wasn't the perfect plate of Assorted Sashimi, but overall, it exceeded my expectations.
Tempura Udon - A-
The tempura for the Tempura Udon was well executed. The batter was light and crunchy, and the prawn had a good snap. The zucchini tempura and the green bean tempura were both juicy, and the sweet potato tempura was quite rich in flavour. The only piece I found a bit dry was the yam tempura. Moving on to the left side, I enjoyed the udon broth, which was neither too rich nor too watery, as well as the udon noodles, which I found to be on the softer side but with a good rebound.
Chicken Teriyaki - A-
The chicken in the Chicken Teriyaki was tender, and my dad remarked that the steamed rice was above average. I also enjoyed the stir-fry bean sprouts, which absorbed the teriyaki sauce well. The teriyaki sauce was well-balanced and not too salty.
Seared Salmon Nigiri - B-
Due to the supreme freshness of the salmon in the Assorted Sashimi, my sister and I decided to try their Seared Salmon Nigiri. The two pieces of nigiri arrived on a hot plate. The seared salmon was juicy (though lacking a smoky flavour), but whatever flavour the salmon had was masked by the strangely sweet sushi rice. It tasted a bit like they took some of the berries from Krause Berry Farms and mashed it into the sushi rice. Did they make a mistake somewhere?
Prawn Tempura - A
Since we were quite impressed with the Prawn Tempura from the Tempura Udon, my dad called for an additional order of Prawn Tempura. The prawns were juicy, meaty, and undoubtedly fresh.
At last, I have found in Langley what I can call a good Japanese restaurant. The service was good, the prices were very good, and the quality of the food was good (other than the Tuna Sashimi, which my dad kept calling a fail). Something I found quite surprising was how the restaurant was nearly empty at dinner time on a Saturday evening. Am I missing out on an even better restaurant in Langley, or does location really matter that much?
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