Episode #134: Sushi Paradise

New Westminster, $$ (Moderately Priced)
www.sushiparadise.ca

After surviving the deathly combination of midterms, assignments, and group projects for the semester, I finally had a few moments of spare time. I really wanted to have a vacation to reward myself for my hard work, but because I still had classes to attend and finals to prepare for, I decided to "vacation" at Sushi Paradise. The restaurant donned ocean-themed decorations and played exotic ukulele music. What more could I ask for?

Sushi Paradise is Japanese-operated and focuses on takeout, though they do have a few tables inside. You order and pay at the front, but there is a server who brings the food to your table. One unique feature of their menu is that you can order mini versions of their Teriyaki Donburi and Udon dishes, which is perfect for people like me who like try as many dishes as possible.

All of my food came out almost simultaneously. I wasn't especially hungry, so I didn't order a lot of food this time.

Paradise Roll - B+

The Paradise Roll, at $6.98, was the most expensive roll on the menu, and going by the logic that expensive things should be better, I decided to order it. It consisted of tuna, salmon, unagi, tamago, inari, fish roe, and vegetables. The individual ingredients were well-executed. In particular, the tamago was soft and fluffy, while the unagi had a tasty smoky flavour. I found it interesting how the inari had rice inside it - it was like having a piece of nigiri inside a sushi roll! Some of the ingredients got lost in the mix, but as a whole, the roll tasted decent.

Hamachi Nigiri - B

Toro Nigiri - C+

Amaebi Nigiri - A

Chop² Nigiri - B+

The Hamachi Nigiri had a light flavour and a smooth texture. It was not outstanding, and I thought that the sushi rice could have more flavour. The Toro Nigiri was sliced too thin, so it was lacking in flavour and did not exhibit a melty texture. However, the Amaebi Nigiri was excellent. The sushi rice was packed correctly, and the amaebi tasted like fresh spot prawns melting in my mouth. The Chop² Nigiri, which was essentially Chopped Scallop Nigiri, came with fresh, creamy scallop and was wrapped with a slightly crispy piece of seaweed.

Mini Tempura Udon - C+

Next, I had the Mini Tempura Udon, and for $4.98, it was a fair deal. The udon noodles were on the softer side, and the broth was quite standard fare. Unfortunately, the tempura prawn that came with the udon was poorly executed, as the batter was hard on one side and soft and soggy on the other. Did they accidentally drop it into the udon broth and then pull it back out? After one bite, I just dunked the rest of the tempura into the broth so that it would at least be consistently soggy.

Mini Chicken Don - B

I found the Mini Chicken Don ($4.28) to be more filling than the udon. It was also executed better and came with fresh, tender chicken and well-cooked rice. The colourful assortment of green beans, bell pepper, daikon, and ginger made the donburi more visually appealing. The only issue I had was that the thick consistency of the teriyaki sauce made the chicken and the rice taste mushy (even though they were not in fact mushy). 

The staff at Sushi Paradise were quite friendly, and most of the sushi items were decent. After all, it's Sushi Paradise and not Udon and Donburi Paradise. The restaurant's location behind Royal City Centre in New Westminster makes it hard to find, and this is further complicated by New Westminster's insanely confusing street-naming system. I managed to get off at the right bus stop, but it took me almost fifteen minutes to locate the restaurant because I kept mixing the diagonal streets and avenues up. At the very least, I got my exercise for the week.

Episode #133: Yuji's from Japan

Vancouver (Northwest), $$$$ (Luxury)
www.yujis.ca

After the midterms season ended, I immediately felt the need to go for an omakase dinner, a special dining experience in which the selection of dishes is left up to the chef. I've heard many good things about Yuji's from Japan, but what really made their omakase attractive to me was the fact that it was for $50. For only $50, I could forget all about how I did on my midterms. An excellent deal, I would say.

I visited the restaurant on Chef Yuji's first day back from his trip to Japan, and during my visit, the restaurant was already bustling with activity. Things were off to a good start as the servers were very friendly, and the quality of the green tea was excellent. However, trying to be discreet with my note-taking was an epic fail as the dishes were highly creative, which meant that I had to ask one of the servers to repeat the descriptions for many of the dishes I was served. I am very grateful for his patience.

First to arrive was a tower of six appetizers. While I was awed by the presentation, what amazed me more was how this was brought to me intact. If I were the server, the result would most likely be a disappointed (and possibly angry) Chef Yuji staring at his creations lying on the floor in a splat.

Sesame-Covered Eggplant - A

The first appetizer I tried, the Sesame-Covered Eggplant, was a success. With a juicy piece of eggplant in the center and a crunchy, aromatic layer of sesame seeds on the outside, this was a delightful start to the omakase.

Snow Crab on Egg Custard with Wasabi - A+

I was very impressed with the second appetizer, which featured silky, soft snow crab and a refreshing egg custard. The amount of wasabi was just right and went surprisingly well with the custard, giving it a unique, spicy kick.

Cherry Tomato Gomaae - A-

The Cherry Tomato Gomaae came with two extremely juicy cherry tomatoes. The sesame sauce was decent but not really absorbed by the cherry tomatoes.

Chicken Tsukune with Mushroom - A

The Chicken Tsukune was solid as the meatball was comprised of tender chicken meat that absorbed the light teriyaki sauce perfectly. 

Grilled Bamboo Shoot - B+

There was nothing mindblowing about this one, but the miso glaze on each piece added a nice sweetness. The bamboo shoot was not too chewy and had sufficient moisture.

Taro and Squash with Minced Meat - A+

I love miso-infused taro, and they nailed it here! The squash was by far the juiciest and softest piece of squash I have ever had. This definitely tasted much better than it looked.

Miso-Marinated Sablefish - A

Shio-koji Chicken - A+

After the appetizers, I was presented with two more resounding hits. The Miso-Marinated Sablefish was very juicy and silky, and I enjoyed the aromatic fish oils. The fish was so soft that it just melted in my mouth. I would have given it an A+ if it had a slightly stronger miso flavour. Moving to the right, I was highly impressed with the Shio-koji Chicken. It had a delicious pepper-like, smoky flavour and was very juicy and tender. The shio-koji and slice of lemon worked together to provide a slight zing.

Assorted Tempura - A

Next came a dish consisting of various tempura items. The batter was excellent and was appropriately thin, crispy, and savoury. The sweet chili pepper was not spicy and pleasantly juicy. The Cipollini onion had a nice balanced flavour but fell apart. Next, the kabocha was sliced thinly but was full of moisture. The prawn tempura was meaty with a good snap, and the ika (squid) with shiso had a refreshing minty flavour and a decent rebound. Finally, I was quite intrigued by the large piece of kale tempura at the back. It tasted almost exactly like a fluffy, airy version of vegetable chips (but of course, this tasted much better than standard vegetable chips).

Chawanmushi - A

I'm not the biggest fan of eggs, which explains why I have never ordered a Chawanmushi before. However, this Chawanmushi transformed my brain from fearing chawanmushi to craving chawanmushi. The steaming egg custard was mixed with a tasty, heart-warming seafood broth and contained some cooked scallop, shrimp, tilapia, and spinach.

Bigeye Tuna Nigiri - B+

Hamachi Nigiri - B+

Yazu Nigiri - B

Sockeye Salmon Nigiri - A-

Tai Nigiri - B

I was very impressed with my omakase dinner so far, but the nigiri sushi was a blunder compared to everything that came before. There were just too many mistakes. The sushi rice tasted overcooked and was too hard texture-wise, while some pieces contained too much wasabi. In addition, the sushi rice was too tightly packed in the Tai Nigiri. Was Chef Yuji still in vacation mode?? Well, at least it was still better than T&T Supermaket's sushi rice.

Despite the subpar rice, the fish were very fresh. The bigeye tuna had a delicate, sweet flavour, while the hamachi was soft and creamy. The yazu, a younger variant of hamachi, was slightly chewy, but the sockeye salmon had an appealing, smooth texture. The tai, being creamy, smooth, and not too chewy, was also a delight.

Cream Caramel Custard Pudding - A

Thankfully, the omakase ended with a well-executed dessert, the Cream Caramel Custard Pudding. It was homemade and consisted of a vibrant blend of sweet flavours, accented by the melty layer of caramel on top. It was served at a cool temperature, which made it especially refreshing.

The highly enjoyable and creative dishes were complemented by the friendly and attentive service, which lasted throughout my dinner. Despite the nigiri mishap, I still highly enjoyed my visit. For an omakase, I would have liked to see more high-ticket items, and I felt that $50 was slightly on the pricey side. That being said, Chef Yuji's creativity made up for the price premium. Hopefully, when I decide to make a repeat visit, I will be able to experience the masterfully crafted sushi described in the online reviews.

Episode #132: Sushi Aria

Vancouver (Northeast), $$ (Moderately Priced)

One of the newest Japanese restaurants in Vancouver is Sushi Aria, which opened on October 31. The restaurant's name quickly piqued my interest because it combined two of my favourite things: sushi and music. I have always wondered what it would be like if someone sang a song about sushi in an opera voice. Curious as to whether the food or the staff would give me any insight into that matter, I decided to give the restaurant a visit.

Sushi Aria is Korean-operated and is located right beside the Copa Cafe on Cambie St. Although Sushi Aria is the one with the sleek, modern decor, spacious seating, and very welcoming servers, Copa Cafe is the one with too many diners (the place was literally jam-packed).

(menu - click to enlarge)

There were many interesting fusion items on the menu that I wanted to try, and I think we all know what happens in that situation. The waitress expressed serious doubts that I could finish all the food I had ordered, but never underestimate the eating capabilities of a university student. 

Miso Soup - B+

My dinner started off with a complimentary Miso Soup! The Miso Soup was hearty and came with bean curd, tofu, and green onion. The bean curd enhanced the soup, making it more savoury and rich.

Salad - A-

Imagine my surprise when I was also presented with a complimentary Salad! There was a nice colourful mix of green lettuce, purple cabbage, and thin carrot strips dressed with a slightly creamy, well-balanced vinaigrette. The copious amount of dressing at the bottom kept trying to attack my clothing by splashing out of the bowl. Okay, that's just me being clumsy...

 Gold Dragon Roll - B

The Gold Dragon Roll came with unagi, tobiko, paprika, avocado, crab meat, mango, and special sauce, and was beautifully presented with a vibrant mix of colours. The ingredients were fresh, and the mango and unagi both had appealingly soft textures. The California Roll base was neatly constructed, though taste-wise, it wasn't really remarkable. The crab meat inside somewhat overpowered the unagi and mango on top. 

Aburi Saba Nigiri - A-

Unagi Nigiri - B+

Although the saba was not the softest I have had, the Aburi Saba Nigiri had a decent smoky flavour and was not too salty. The Unagi Nigiri was sufficiently savoury, though the piece of seaweed was slightly tough. The sushi rice was well-formed and not too tightly packed.

Corn Bass - A-

When I saw Corn Bass on the menu, I thought of cooked bass fish served with corn. However, the price was only $3.95, so something seemed a little fishy (or perhaps "non-fishy"). I would literally be jumping up and down if there was cooked bass for just $3.95. Indeed, the Corn Bass consisted of 6 large "filets" of deep-fried corn with a honey-like flavour and no fish. Despite the fishlessness, this was my favourite item of the night. Each filet was slightly crispy on the outside and was filled with numerous delicious, juicy bits of corn. 

Tuna Gomae - B

The Tuna Gomae came with three generous slices of tuna and a good-sized portion of spinach dressed with sesame sauce. The slices of tuna were a little chewy in the center, though the exterior exhibited a smooth texture. I found the spinach a little too chewy for my liking. 

Salmon Oshi Sushi - B+

Of course, I needed to have my regular dose of Salmon Oshi Sushi, especially when it's $10.25 for 8 pieces. There was Atlantic salmon on top as well as small slices of sockeye in the middle for extra flavour. The excess amount of sushi rice made the oshi sushi very, very filling. On the bright side, I enjoyed the mildly spicy kick from the seared layer of savoury mayonnaise-based oshi sauce and the very thin slices of jalapeño.

Overall, the service was very friendly and accommodating throughout my visit, and the food was consistently a bit above average. The food also came quite quickly, and even though I was seated at a table for four, there was one point at which my entire table was covered with different dishes. Fortunately, I managed to elegantly and gracefully clear every dish like a corpulent king.