Thursday, May 19, 2016

Episode #171: Kyuzo Japanese Restaurant

Vancouver (Southwest), $$$$ (Luxury)
www.facebook.com/kyuzovancouver

Ever since I started going to university and receiving my U-Passes, I've been exploring Vancouver bit by bit along with my sushi adventures. It's been almost five years since then, and I've gone from not being able to find downtown on a map of Vancouver to knowing what every major street in Vancouver looks like. Lately, I started running out of places to visit, so I decided to spend an afternoon at Langara College because I pretty much have no life. Everyone there was having a blast. The students outside were having an epic sword tournament, and the students inside were making artistic masterpieces or going on YouTube. On the other hand, while trying to find the new on-campus sushi place, I got lost in what looked like a huge paint factory...


After finding my way out of Langara, I walked over to Kyuzo Japanese Restaurant, a new, upscale, Chinese-operated Japanese restaurant. The walk there was longer than I had anticipated, so I entered the restaurant totally exhausted and a little sweaty, which totally made for a brilliant first impression. Another thing that I did not anticipate was the high prices and the high number of fusion items that piqued my interest, so I ended up following my heart's desires, which resulted in a rather nasty bill. That being said, the dining space was elegant and the service was professional.


If you order any skewers, you will be presented with the black cup above to hold your empty/finished skewers. Do not pour your tea into this cup like I did! When the waitress saw what I was doing, she frantically rushed over to stop me. Oops... This was mostly my fault for not paying attention to my surroundings.

Salmon Nigiri - B+
Tuna Toro Nigiri - A-

First up was the nigiri, which was not mindblowing but reasonably prepared. The salmon came with a thick, neat cut and a nice buttery flavour, but it was slightly dry. The toro also came in a generous cut and was soft, though not exactly melty. The sushi rice was decent. 

Ebi Mayo - C+

Next, the Ebi Mayo came with spicy mayonnaise and tough, overdone shrimp. There was very little crispiness, but I felt like I was eating the shrimps with the shells left on. The flavours worked, but the textures did not. Now, let's take a look at the salad to the right. Why is there a big, honking piece of random broccoli in there?? Did they run out of green salad? I think they took the term "liberty" a little too far.

Foie Gras Nigiri - A+

Whatever happened with the previous dish, they made up for it with this $6 piece of Foie Gras Nigiri. The foie gras was very juicy with lightly crispy edges and was dressed with a light coating of truffle oil. This was not just delectable, but it also worked as a mood booster and an embarrassment forgetter for me.

Salmon Oshi - A-

The Salmon Oshi was a decent attempt at mimicking Miku's famous Salmon Oshi Sushi. This won't be mistaken for Miku's version, but the creamy sauce on top was savoury, and the jalapeño provided just the right amount of spiciness. They also added salmon inside for enhanced flavour, though the rice around it was a little too tightly packed.

Gyutan Kushiyaki - A-

The Gyutan Kushiyaki (grilled beef tongue skewers) came with a good amount of seasoning and a nice helping of black pepper. There was sufficient moisture in the beef tongue, but it was slightly tougher than Zakkushi's version. 

Parmesan Beef Roll - B+

The Parmesan Beef Roll came with prawn tempura, beef carpaccio, truffle oil, and parmesan cheese. The tender, thin slices of beef on top were very savoury when combined with the truffle oil and cheese, and as a whole, the roll felt a little too heavy. Inside the roll, the sweet, creamy avocado worked well with the meaty prawn.

The service was above average and more professional than the service I have received at any other Chinese-operated restaurant. If you enjoy fusion Japanese food, an upscale vibe, and high prices, then this may be a good place for you to visit. This ranks among my most expensive sushi adventures, at a total of $68 including tips. That's $68 I could have used to buy other fancy sushi and nigiri...

Kyuzo Japanese Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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