Episode #231: Ebisu on Broadway

Vancouver (Northwest), $$$ (Higher Priced)
www.ebisu.ca/broadway

There are two things I love about Ebisu: sushi boats and relatively cheap drinks. Ebisu's ability to accommodate large groups and its extensive menu (with items in different price ranges) makes it perfect for larger gatherings. Since my own home is not exactly fit for partying in, I frequently refer to the two Vancouver Ebisu locations as my party homes.

To celebrate the end of another exciting semester of TAing, I held an end-of-semester sushi adventure with fellow TAs Angus, Anya, Chris, Jeff and Maria. We were only able to make it for lunch, so we kept the relatively cheap drinks to a minimum. Most importantly, I had to ensure that I wasn't giving everything an A+. We focussed on enjoying our appetizers, rolls, and boats.

Miso Soup - A-

My first item to arrive was the Miso Soup from my BBQ Unagi & Roll Boat. The Miso Soup contained tofu, green onion, and seaweed. It was light and well-balanced.

BBQ Unagi & Roll Boat

The BBQ Unagi & Roll Boat came with two half rolls, a small unagi don, chicken karaage, assorted tempura, and two orange slices. For $13.95, the value was certainly there.

Dynamite Roll - B+

A combination of crunchy prawn tempura, crunchy cucumber, and sweet creamy mayonnaise made the Dynamite Roll a delight. The pieces were also a good size.

California Roll - B

The California Roll was standard fare. The avocado slices were on the larger side, and the imitation crab was sufficiently sweet.

Unagi Don - A-

The Unagi Don comes with three pieces of soft unagi, which had an aromatic smokiness. The seaweed on top provided extra flavour to the don and complemented the steamed rice.

Chicken Karaage - B+

The Chicken Karaage came with tender, crispy chicken. However, I thought that some spices would help liven up the flavour.

Assorted Tempura - B+

Next up, the Assorted Tempura came with two prawns and one piece each of kabocha, yam and carrot. The prawns were meaty, juicy, and crispy, though slightly oily. The kabocha was slightly mushy, while the yam and carrot were a good balance of sweet and savoury flavours.

Orange Slices - C

The only real flop of the boat was the Orange Slices. Cut into small, easily manageable pieces, the Orange Slices were juicy, but they were some of the sourest orange slices I have ever had. They may as well have been lemon slices. (Yes, I did write down notes on my orange slices, and yes, everyone was eagerly waiting for this moment.)

Besides the sushi boats, one other great deal on the lunch menu was the 3 for $12.99 lunch special, where you can choose 3 items from a select list of around 50 items (plus a miso soup, steamed rice, or soft drink) for just $12.99. Since my appetite does not wake up until late afternoon, I opted for just one item from the list (for $4.99).

BC Blazer (half order) - A-

Among the most deluxe items featured in the special was the BC Blazer, a roll with seared salmon, bonito flakes, and green onion on top of a California roll. This is a roll I would come to order again on subsequent visits. Overall, the roll had a rich, creamy, sweet flavour and was a pleasant amalgamation of soft textures. The green onion and bonito flakes on top of the roll provided a small amount of crunch for textural contrast.

Salad - B+ 

Somehow, in the midst of my note-taking, I ended up jacking someone's Salad to try myself. With copious amounts of vinaigrette dressing, the lettuce-based Salad was delectably creamy and savoury.

Mentaiko Yaki Udon - A

The Mentaiko Yaki Udon was a hidden gem in the menu that I would probably never have come across had Chris not offered to split it with me. The rich, savoury udon noodles had just the right amount of firmness, while a mildly detectable spiciness brings the dish to life. The creamy roe has a pleasant bubbly texture and works wonderfully against the udon noodles. The best part of this yakiudon is how it doesn't have the charred, greasy flavour of most yakiudon dishes but still packs plenty of flavour.

Overall, the staff was friendly and accommodating. Unlike the Robson location, which can get pricey during prime dinner hours, the Broadway location offers reasonably price food at any hour of the day. There are lunch specials, happy hour specials, and dinner boats that are a good deal if you have at least two people in your group and can eat a fair amount. The drinks are also slightly cheaper at the Broadway location. That being said, the Robson location has its own advantages too (to be discussed in a future episode).

Episode #223: Shizen Ya

Vancouver (Northwest), $$$ (Higher Priced)
www.shizenya.ca

After dying a little on the inside from our UBC sushi crawl, Vancity Noms and I decided to take things a little easier for our next sushi adventure. That took us to Shizen Ya, a small restaurant chain with two locations in Vancouver, where we planned to have a light lunch.

Shizen Ya is the Whole Foods of the sushi restaurant world. Everything about the restaurant screams healthy and organic. There is a large vegetarian menu, as well as many gluten-free options. Their food contains no additives in addition to being MSG-free, and they use organic brown rice for all of their sushi. They also make the prices high just to give you that real Whole Foods experience. Since Vancity Noms is an avid fan of Whole Foods, this was the perfect sushi restaurant for her.

Chicken Udon & Sushi Combo

Our "light" lunch quickly turned into a feast in which our table was completely jam-packed with food. I couldn't resist getting the Chicken Udon & Sushi Combo, which was only $10.95, but I also wanted to try loads of other stuff. I ended up having to balance plates and menus on my legs in order to clear the table barely enough for some food photography. Unfortunately, this is a regular occurrence with me.

Organic Salad - B+

The Organic Salad was an assortment of fresh greens accompanied by lots of dressing. The dressing was rather acidic and had a slight alcoholic zing to it. Mmm...

Salmon Roll - A-

Dynamite Roll - B+

I never thought I would like brown rice in my sushi, but Shizen Ya managed to make it work. The chopped sockeye salmon was super soft and created a nice, creamy texture. The seaweed was also easy to chew. The Dynamite Roll came with creamy avocado and juicy tempura prawn. The batter on the prawn was slightly hard, but the flavours worked well together.

Chicken Breast Udon Noodle Soup - B

The main filler of the combo, the Chicken Breast Udon Noodle Soup, came with white chicken meat and thick udon noodles. The broth was on the richer side, while the udon noodles tasted like standard fare. I thought it could have been tastier had they lightly grilled the chicken.

Toro Tataki Nigiri - A-

Wild Sockeye Salmon Nigiri - A-

Albacore Tuna Nigiri - A

After the Sushi & Udon combo, I had three pieces of nigiri that really blew my expectations. The Toro Tataki Nigiri was only seared very slightly, but had an extremely soft, melty texture. The texture was also perfect with the Wild Sockeye Salmon Nigiri. The Albacore Tuna Nigiri came with a thick slice of extremely fresh tuna, and the organic brown rice was packed just loosely enough to complement the soft, delicate textures of the fish. 

Spicy Salmon Roll - A-

Next up, the Spicy Salmon Roll came with the same soft and fresh sockeye salmon and a decent helping of creamy avocado. The spicy sauce was used conservatively and did not overwhelm any of the ingredients in the roll. 

Natural Bomber Roll - B+

Finally, just to blow up my stomach size a few more notches, I went for the Natural Bomber Roll, which consisted of tiger prawn "whole wheat" tempura, fresh real crab, mayonnaise, cucumber, organic spring mix lettuce, organic avocado, and creamy bomber sauce. The crab meat was pleasantly soft and tasted somewhat like the Brunswick canned sardines I regularly eat as 4 a.m. snacks. The prawn tempura was a little hard, but the abundance of fresh, tasty avocado and the richness of the mayonnaise-based creamy bomber sauce made up for it.

Service was not a problem despite how busy the restaurant got. Overall, I was quite impressed by the very fresh seafood and their ability to make me like brown rice. The fresh organic avocado was also a delight and a factor of success in many of the dishes. The excellent food here gave me a sudden urge to blow a whole paycheque at Whole Foods, but fortunately, I was deterred by how full I was. Maybe some other day, Vancity Noms...

Episode #200: Tojo's

Vancouver (Northwest), $$$$ (Luxury)
www.tojos.com

If I were to make an FAQ about me, the question "Have you been to Tojo's?" would definitely be near the top of the list. As much as I would have liked to answer "yes" to visiting what is perhaps Vancouver's most famous sushi restaurant, the prices there are not within the budget of any reasonable university student. A spicy tuna roll? $22. An order of Assorted Nigiri? How about $55? In all sanity, Tojo's would have been off limits for me until I got myself a well-paying job. However, there is a study that says not getting enough sleep is the same as being drunk. I've been averaging a paltry 4 hours of sleep per day since the start of the semester, and I suppose it all added up and resulted in me swinging myself into Tojo's to book a reservation for the priciest omakase dinner they had—the $150+ omakase at the sushi bar.

Omakase refers to a special dining experience in which the selection of dishes is left entirely up to the chef. At Tojo's, the omakase at the bar starts at $150 and begins to climb as he serves you more and more dishes (you indicate when to stop). As this was such a high-profile dinner, I was determined to make it Episode #200 and not #201 or #202. Having already made arrangements for Episode #201 with a friend, I braved a windstorm that involved fallen trees and downed power lines to get to Tojo's, eager to bust the paycheck that I had received earlier that day.

Inside the restaurant was one of the finest dining spaces I have ever come across. It was no measly sight—not only was the kitchen enormous, but there was enough seating for no less than 70 guests. There to greet me at the sushi bar was Chef Hidekazu Tojo, who is credited for inventing the ever-so-popular California Roll and BC Roll.

Chef Tojo may not have a very loud voice, but he has the confidence of Donald Trump. At the very beginning of the omakase, he made sure to reassure me that his food was "the best of the best." After that, much of my dinner was peppered with phrases like "very delicious," "this is excellent," and "you will definitely love this." He says these phrases with the tone and gestures of a wise, elderly philosopher. Although it may be perceived as arrogant, I think he does this to hypnotize people into believing that they are indeed eating "the best of the best."

Tuna Tartare - A

In the blink of an eye, Chef Tojo whipped out the Tuna Tartare, an appetizer featuring chopped tuna dressed with Tojo's special sauce. The sauce was a harmonious blend of gomaae and ponzu and was a perfect match for the soft, savoury tuna. Mixed within the tuna were very finely chopped green onions, which added a refreshing, energetic zing to the dish. On top were a few pieces of crunchy daikon, which Chef Tojo told me were added for a textural contrast. 

Assorted Tempura - A

The next course consisted of Zucchini Flower Tempura with Scallops, Cherry Tomato Tempura, and Okra Tempura. The tempura batter was precisely made with the right thickness and texture. The zucchini flower had a green onion essence was filled with soft scallops, though the scallops were not especially rich in flavour. The cherry tomato was so juicy that when I bit into it, juice flew out of my mouth and splattered onto the tempura lining paper. Whoops... The okra was also a delight and contained just the right amount of moisture.

Seafood Salad - A

Next up was a Seafood Salad containing wild salmon, sliced octopus, Dungeness crab, and mackerel dressed with mustard miso sauce and graced with a few slices of apple and daikon. I enjoyed the contrast of fruity vs. seafood flavours. The octopus was remarkably soft, while the Dungeness crab had an excellent silky texture. The sockeye was a little weaker and could have been smoother. However, the mackerel had the most amazing flavour of any mackerel I have ever had. It was rich with almost a hint of smokiness in it, yet not the slightest bit too salty.

Steamed Canadian Sablefish - before uncovering the paper "lid"

In addition to making sure I knew that his food was awesome, Chef Tojo also made sure that I remembered to take photos of his food. Yes, by this point, there were already a few horrendous near-tragedies in which I picked up my chopsticks before my camera. When he presented me with this dish, his instructions were very clear: take a picture first, and then pull apart the ribbon.

Steamed Canadian Sablefish - A

When I uncovered the paper lid, a wonderful, heartwarming aroma filled the air around me. Inside was a piece of soft, silky sablefish accompanied by some juicy asparagus and various mushrooms for additional depth of flavour. Though I've had softer and meltier sablefish in the past, the smooth texture of this one and the fullness of the broth made up for it.

Golden Roll - A+

The one item that blew me away was the Golden Roll, one of Tojo's most expensive special rolls. The three pieces that you see in the picture above amounted to about $20 of my bill. Using west coast ingredients such as salmon, scallop, spot prawns and Dungeness crab, this roll melted in my mouth like no other roll I have ever had. The heavenly sweet scallop went perfectly with the soft egg wrapping, and this was contrasted with a small helping of crunchy caviar atop each piece. The flavours of this roll were neither bold nor especially innovative. It was the precision that made it the sole highlight of my entire dinner.

Ikura Nigiri - A

Barracuda Nigiri - A

Spot Prawn Nigiri - A

Just prior to handing me this dish, Chef Tojo was trying hard to get the ikura (salmon roe) not to fall off. He succeeded, but just barely. In either case, the ikura was a success. The seaweed had a special roasted flavour to it, and the fish oils in the ikura were savoury. The Barracuda Nigiri had a nice zing from the green onion and ginger on top. It had a lightly smoked flavour and a delectably smooth texture. The Spot Prawn Nigiri was very fresh, creamy, and meaty, though it was a bit heavy on the wasabi.

Anago Nigiri - A

After the three pieces of regular-sized nigiri, I was presented with the jumbo-sized Anago Nigiri (sea eel). It was designed to be cut in half and then eaten as two separate pieces. The steamed, warm piece of anago was very soft, though I thought it could absorb a little more of the sauce. This piece of nigiri was where the sushi rice stood out the most. The texture was just right, and it was almost in line with the sushi rice at Miku and Octopus Garden. 

Geoduck Cucumber Temaki - A-

In a bold move, Chef Tojo presented me the Geoduck Cucumber Temaki, which he boldly dressed with spicy mayonnaise! The dressing worked, and the seaweed had the same nice crunch and roasted flavour as the seaweed from the Ikura Nigiri. The geoduck had an appealing crunch to it, though with so many different ingredients going on, it was difficult to discern the distinct flavour of geoduck within the cone.

By this point, the restaurant became busier than when I had just arrived. It seemed to me that in an effort to entertain the other omakase diners, Chef Tojo was starting to lose his focus on the food. The precision started to go down, and the magic began to fade. I was also having to wait longer and longer between each dish. I called for one more item and then dessert.

Local Albacore Tuna Nigiri - A-

My last item was one piece of lightly seared Local Albacore Tuna Nigiri accompanied by green onion, ginger, and grated daikon. As expected, the tuna had a wonderfully soft texture. However, the tangy dressing and savoury flavour of the tuna did not really mix together. I could not taste any smokiness from the searing of the tuna either.

Green Tea Crème Brûlée - A-

Finishing off the meal was the Green Tea Crème Brûlée, my favourite dessert. This one was accented by a sesame cookie, Tojo's signature daikon and apple combo, and a slice of strawberry. The sweet flavours worked together well, and the green tea flavour was well-distributed throughout the custard. However, the crème brûlée ended up being slightly drier than expected.

Now that we were all finished, it was time for me to witness the horror of the bill...

Uh oh...

...$216.30! In all fairness, they did tell me multiple times before my dinner that the price was most likely going to end up in the $200 to $300 range. The wait staff was more than professional. Multiple servers treated me with utmost respect and made sure that my plates were taken away as soon as I had finished each item.

Yes, I know what you're probably thinking right now: Was it worth it?

If my dinner was $100, my answer would be a definite "yes." $150? Probably. However, $216.30 was a little excessive. Indeed, I have never experienced the same level of consistency at any other sushi restaurant in Greater Vancouver, and the precision was among the finest I have encountered. However, for that price, there weren't as many dishes that blew me away as I had hoped. I suppose there is a premium for the experience of dining in front of an internationally famous chef. It also seemed like there was a significant premium to sit at the sushi bar. I looked at the menu once more and noticed that I could have gotten significantly more food by ordering the 5-course omakase ($80) and the 6-course omakase ($120) simultaneously. 

As I headed for the exit, I received two souvenirs: Chef Tojo's special business card and a glossy postcard. I asked if all omakase diners received these, and the wait staff told me "no." Apparently, these are only for special guests. Well, at least they made me feel special!

Episode #199: Tomokazu

Vancouver (Northwest), $$ (Moderately Priced)
www3.telus.net/ninkazu

Once again, I have a totally yucky schedule this semester. With only one day of the week to go out for sushi, I've often found myself having sushi twice in one day. Last Friday, I had a giant roll chowdown with the legendary Patrick for lunch, and just four hours later, I was at Tomokazu for an all-you-can-eat dinner with Enoch and his brother Luke.

I consider it lucky that I got the chance to have dinner with Enoch and Luke because they are some of the most popular people at SFU. I don't think I've met anyone from my faculty who doesn't know either of them. Sometimes, it would take Enoch half an hour to get from one side of campus to the other (normally a ten-minute walk at most) because he has to say hello to about 20 friends along the way.

Tomokazu is the sister restaurant of Ninkazu in Richmond, an all-you-can-eat place that I used to frequent in my teenage years. Tomokazu was relatively empty when we entered, but by about 7 p.m., the large dining area was almost completely occupied. After we placed our orders, the food came lightning fast. In just 10 minutes, our entire table was covered with more than 20 dishes of food. I could not even snap pictures of the food as quickly as it came, much less eat it. It turned into one epic game of Snap-a-mole, which I epically lost.

Alaska Roll - C

Tomokazu Roll - B-

One of the first things to arrive was the Alaska Roll (salmon, avocado, lettuce, crab meat) and the Tomokazu Roll (tempura salmon, lettuce). The quality of the rolls was in line with what I had at other AYCE restaurants. The Alaska Roll featured sweet imitation crab meat but was otherwise quite bland. The lettuce was obtrusive texture-wise. The Tomokazu Roll turned out to be moderately spicy and had sufficient flavour.

Burning Kiss Roll - B-

We had no idea what the Burning Kiss Roll contained, but it looked like an attractive choice on the menu. Who doesn't want a burning kiss? Featuring spicy tuna, spicy mayonnaise, and bonito flakes, the Burning Kiss Roll was quite spicy. The other ingredients did not stand out much, and the spicy sauce is basically all you taste.

Ebi Sunomono - B

The Ebi Sunomono was a refreshing break after all that spiciness. The sunomono was on the milder side and rather acidic. 

Gomaae - B-

The Gomaae featured chewy spinach and thick peanut sauce. Luke took one bite of it and exclaimed that it tasted like chocolate. Yes, we all burst out laughing when he said that, although there was some truth to his claim.

Salmon Sashimi - A-

Tuna Sashimi - B-

The Salmon Sashimi was noticeably fresh and had a nice, buttery flavour. The texture and thickness were also just right. It was the highlight of our whole dinner. The Tuna Sashimi was somewhat soft and not as obviously fresh.

Korean Salmon Sashimi - B

Another item that looked attractive was the Korean Salmon Sashimi, mainly because we had no idea what it was. It turned out to be salmon sashimi sliced into longer strips and dressed with a sweet, soy-like sauce. The sauce sort of dulled the buttery flavour of the sashimi.

Beef Tataki - C+

Tuna Tataki - C

As Enoch is a big fan of tataki, we had several orders of the Beef Tataki and the Tuna Tataki. Each of them was sliced into very small pieces. Each slice of Beef Tataki was about the size of a large haw flake. The Beef Tataki tasted virtually cooked, while the Tuna Tataki was overdone (which was hard to prevent due to its tiny size). Tangy ponzu sauce lined the bottom of the dish.

Oyster Motoyaki - C

The Oyster Motoyaki came with a rich, greasy custard that had a strong mayonnaise flavour. Unfortunately, the oysters inside were tough and largely unchewable. 

Abalone Sushi - C+

Shark Fin Sushi - B

Lobster Sushi - C

Chopped Scallop Sushi - C+

Next, we got every one of the fancier-sounding types of nigiri on the menu. The Abalone Sushi came with a layer of wakame and small bits of abalone on top. The sushi rice was packed quite tightly (as expected), and there was little abalone flavour. The best piece of nigiri was the Shark Fin Sushi, which was very savoury and came with sufficient moisture. It was mixed in with some jellyfish. The Lobster Sushi and the Chopped Scallop Sushi came in generous pieces, but were rather flavourless.

Salmon Teriyaki - B-

Chicken Teriyaki - C+

Unagi Fried Rice - C

Onto the cooked food, the Salmon Teriyaki came in a thin slice and was slightly overcooked. The Chicken Teriyaki came with tender chicken, but the skin was a little hard to chew. The Unagi Fried Rice featured very little unagi, if any. The fried rice itself was undercooked.

BBQ Korean Pork - B-

New York Steak - C+ 

Beef Short Rib - B

The BBQ Korean Pork and the New York Steak were both slightly overdone and a bit tough. However, that was not the case with the Beef Short Rib, which was surprisingly easy to chew, partially because it was also quite fatty. It came with a sweet marinade and exhibited a nice grilled flavour.

Salmon Kama - B+

Shishamo - B-

The second-best item of the night was the Salmon Kama. It was juicy and savoury, and a light lemony zing accented the flavours well. The Shishamo (smelt fish with many eggs) came with lots of roe and was crispy and salty.

Prawn Tempura - B-

Yam Tempura - B-

Many years ago, when I was a regular at Ninkazu (and hardly knew that better sushi existed), one of my favourite things to get would be the Prawn Tempura. I remembered it to be surprisingly good for an AYCE restaurant, but this one was just okay. The batter was more greasy than crispy, though the prawn inside was still juicy. The Yam Tempura was slightly less greasy, but a little harder in texture.

Agedashi Tofu - B-

Vegetable Samosa - B

The Agedashi Tofu was crispy with soft tofu inside. The Vegetable Samosas were served hot and crispy and were accompanied by a dash of sweet chili sauce. It was like a spring roll but with a different shape.

Slice of Orange - C+

Upon Enoch's request, I shall rate the Slice of Orange as well. They actually attempted to make the Slice of Orange two slices, but because the cutting was vague, the two pieces were joined together at the bottom. The Slice of Orange ended up being about as big as a quarter of an orange and featured the central column of the orange. At the top of the slice, near the central column, were three orange seeds. The exocarp (exterior wall) and the pulp of the orange were a vibrant orange hue, while the mesocarp (interior wall) had a whiter appearance. Texture-wise, the Slice of Orange was not especially easy to chew. The taste of the orange suggested that the orange had not fully matured yet. It would have been nice to see a little more sugar content inside the orange.

Mango Pudding - C

Fruit Jello - B

After all that food, Enoch still had the stomach room for multiple servings of Mango Pudding. I was out-eaten once again. Unfortunately, they didn't mix the ingredients in the Mango Pudding well enough, and it tasted rather powdery. Some parts of the pudding had a clear, transparent colour. The Fruit Jello fared better and was juicy, sweet, and refreshing.

We had no problems with the service during our visit. However, they do stick to their two-hour time limit quite strictly, and we were asked to place our last call around 1.5 hours after we sat down. Overall, the food quality was in line with what I expected for an all-you-can-eat restaurant. At Tomokazu, there are fewer fancy items on the all-you-can-eat menu, but the prices are also lower. 

When we were all done, we proceeded to the washroom and saw this...

"Govern yourself appropriately"

...which makes me wonder what could have happened in the washrooms before that led to this sign being posted. Let us all ponder about that for a few moments...