Episode #166: Sun Sushi

Vancouver (Northwest), $$ (Moderately Priced)
www.sunsushi.ca

Early last week, I went on another UBC adventure in an attempt to escape from the heat. Right after getting off the bus, I saw a crowd of students holding colourfully highlighted stacks of paper, waiting for their exams to start. I then went inside to see what UBC's exam rooms were like, and the first thing I saw was a sign with the words "Bird Coop" and "Dojo". I'm sure those are superb locations for writing exams. Next, I went to explore the science buildings, but I quickly noticed that it was even hotter inside than it was outside. On each entrance was a sign that said "UBC Heating System Upgrade". If that is their main concern, they really need to rethink their priorities. After suffocating for a few moments, I finally found what I needed: a large -80°C freezer. Too bad it was bolted shut! How could they be so heartless?! That's it. It was time for another sushi adventure, since, as we all know, sushi is the solution to every problem.

My plan was to go to Takumi Japanese Restaurant to enjoy some fancy authentic nigiri, but unfortunately, they changed their schedule and were no longer open for lunch on Tuesdays. I walked around for a bit and found Sun Sushi, and since it looked rather popular, I went in and gave it a try. The dining space is actually quite large and can seat at least 40 people. There were multiple chefs and servers on duty, and I had the luxury of being seated right beside a very excited diner who constantly sounded like a YouTuber on a megaphone.

Appetizer Tempura - B-

Despite my "Moderately Priced" rating, the prices were very budget friendly relative to other restaurants in the area. This Appetizer Tempura cost only $4.25 and came with zucchini, kabocha, prawn, carrot, and sweet potato (one piece each). The sweet potato was the highlight of this dish. The other items exhibited issues such as being cut too thick or being too dry. The batter was not too heavy, but it was unusually hard. 

Ebi Salad Dragon Roll - B+

To those of you who have been diligently following my blog, I am sure you are tired of me constantly ordering Dragon Rolls, so allow me to present to you the all-new, exclusive Ebi Salad Dragon Roll. This revolutionary roll comes with chopped shrimp, masago, and savoury BBQ eel! The salad shrimp tastes just like your typical imitation crab meat, but with a creamier, richer flavour. This roll also features mediocre sushi rice, so you'll definitely enjoy this roll if you are not picky about the small details. Order yours now! 

Sorry, I'm a business student after all...

Chirashi Sushi - B

Despite the menu being quite extensive, I could not find any particularly special fillers, so I just went for the Chirashi Sushi. I was surprised that for just $13.95, I received one piece of hokkigai (B), five thin pieces of toro (B), one piece of ika (B-), two pieces of salmon (A-), two pieces of tamago (B+), one piece of ebi (A-), two pieces of tuna (C+), and one piece of saba (B-). The highlight of this dish was the salmon sashimi, which had a rich, buttery flavour. The tuna was my least favourite because it tasted quite fishy, though its placement right next to the saba may have contributed to the fishiness. The rice would have benefitted from having a bit more moisture, and it felt slightly undercooked.

The service was unremarkable, but it was generally polite and efficient, at least during my visit. Food-wise, the quality tended to hover around average. It is evident that the lower prices are what makes this restaurant popular. If you wish to inflict more damage on your wallet, Hime Sushi and Takumi Japanese Restaurant are good choices nearby. 

Episode #165: Ryuu Japanese Kitchen

Richmond, $$$$ (Luxury)
www.ryuujapanesekitchen.com

A few months ago, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet attracted so many shoppers that widespread traffic jams occurred, and traffic attendants had to direct incoming cars into free parking spaces to relieve some of the congestion. However, during my visit last week, the outlet had about as much life as the airport does at midnight. The gloomy jazz music on the speakers did not exactly help. There were many discounts in the clothing stores, but since I was only here for the sushi (who needs clothes when there's sushi?), I stepped into Ryuu Japanese Kitchen hoping there would be discounts as well.

Suffice to say, my hopes were a little crushed when I saw the high prices on the menu. However, my biggest disappointment was that the menu was not the menu that was posted online. There was no Aburi sushi, no oshizushi, and no Chef's Daily Special Lunch set on the menu I was given. As a last resort, I asked one of the servers if they served Aburi sushi as a special, but she just gave me a very confused look. My dreams were crushed at that very moment. How could they do this to me?

(menu - click to enlarge)

The choices in terms of special rolls were very limited, and they even considered the Dynamite Roll a special roll. With not much to pick from, I went for the Beef Bento and the pricey $15 Dragon Roll. The nigiri was so expensive that I decided not to order any until I was assured of the quality of the food. Come on, $3 for a piece of Hokkigai Nigiri? Strangely enough, the labelling on the chopstick wrapper suggested that Ryuu Japanese Kitchen and Neptune Wonton Noodle are part of the same restaurant group. I remember Neptune Wonton Noodle being fairly priced.

Miso Soup - B-

First to arrive was the Miso Soup from the Beef Bento, which came with seaweed, tofu, and green onion. The Miso Soup was lacking in flavour and tasted more like a light broth than miso soup. Uh oh...

This is the rest of the Beef Bento. The items looked standard fare and fell short of my expectations considering the $15 price tag.

Salad - B-

The Salad came with some mixed greens and a slice of tomato. I liked how the Salad was dressed with Goma-ae peanut sauce for a change, but the dressing was uneven and insufficient. Parts of the salad felt very dry. 

Assorted Tempura - B

The Assorted Tempura, with two prawns and one piece each of eggplant and zucchini, could be considered the highlight of the bento box. For the most part, the amount of batter was correct, and it was sufficiently crispy. The zucchini was the best of the bunch and tasted juicy and rich. One of the prawns was successful, while the other was too thin and tasted floury. The eggplant was also cut thinly and tasted floury.

Beef Teriyaki - C

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse with the Beef Teriyaki. The steamed rice was mushy, and the beef was chewy. To top it all off, the carrot was also lacking in flavour. Based on the dish, I think they would be better off hiring one of those dudes at Koya to do the teriyaki for them.

California Roll - B

Next, the California Roll wasn't so bad. There was even a nice little teriyaki sauce accident on one of the pieces. The crab meat was creamy, and there was a significant amount of avocado. The sushi rice was a little stickier than usual, but other than that, it tasted like standard fare.

Dragon Roll - B

After the Beef Bento, I tried the Dragon Roll, which consisted of masago, tempura unagi, cucumber and avocado. The small pieces of unagi on top had a sweet, savoury flavour. However, this was a very pricey roll considering what I received. For $15, they could not afford to give me any imitation crab meat or prawn tempura! How was I supposed to get my protein for the day?! With just avocado and cucumber inside, the overall flavour was weaker than the typical Dragon Roll, which features either crab meat or prawn tempura (or sometimes both). 

The service was decent throughout my visit, and I also liked the modern decor, though it was styled more like an elegant Hong Kong cafe than a Japanese restaurant. The quality of the food was not sufficient to entice me to try the nigiri, so I left the restaurant after the Dragon Roll. I believe the proximity to the airport has something to do with the higher prices, but generally, the quality did not live up to those prices. I have dined at both Neptune Seafood Restaurant and Neptune Wonton Noodle, and from those visits, I know that Neptune Restaurant Group is capable of much more than what I received here at Ryuu Japanese Kitchen.

Episode #164: Hiroba Sushi

Port Coquitlam, $$ (Moderately Priced)

Port Coquitlam is a delightful place to visit, but it is basically a Bermuda Triangle if you are travelling by bus. The bus routes in Port Coquitlam look like something I would get if I spammed the buttons on my graphing calculator in one of the obscure modes. As much as I enjoy and survive on Translink's services, something might need to be fixed if an "intelligent" university student like me cannot figure out what's going on. That being said, after a few eons of Raymond's Wrong Way Adventures, I managed to land myself at Hiroba Sushi.

Other than the handful of bright, colourful signs advertising the restaurant's special deals, the restaurant has one of the most elegant settings for any Port Coquitlam sushi restaurant. Hiroba Sushi is Korean-operated, and the extensive menu features many special rolls, including Aburi rolls.

(specials schedule - click to enlarge)

They also have a 20% discount on a particular category of items every day of the week. I came on a Monday and was pleased to see that the discount was on my favourite category: fancy nigiri. It's always nice when a restaurant cares about my personal preferences.

Cod Tempura - B

On the list of new menu additions was the Cod Tempura. Although the menu said there would be six pieces, I only received four. I guess the dipping and the paper lining also count as pieces. The cod had a sufficiently soft texture and a nice aromatic flavour when coupled with the creamy dill dipping, while the batter was slightly dry and overdone. Overall, it wasn't the best fried fish that I have come across, but it was decent.

Toro Nigiri - B+

Sockeye Salmon Nigiri - B+

Unagi Nigiri - B

Aburi Salmon Nigiri - B+

The Toro Nigiri had a rich flavour and a melty texture, and it would be excellent if there was more of the toro to accompany the rice. The Sockeye Salmon Nigiri was fresh with a pleasant smooth texture, while the Unagi Nigiri was not particularly soft and a bit dry. The Aburi Salmon Nigiri was creamy and accompanied by some pesto purée. It would be nice if the sushi rice had slightly more flavour.

Tuna Aburi Roll - B+

Next, the Tuna Aburi Roll consisted of cucumber, avocado, tuna, seared tuna, ponzu sauce, and purée. The cheese-flavoured purée was delectable and accented the flavours of the roll eloquently. I also enjoyed the interplay between the soft tuna inside the roll and the slightly rougher smoked tuna outside the roll, though I would have liked more of a smoky flavour from the smoked tuna. The ponzu sauce, the sliced daikon, and the red onion contributed a good amount of tanginess to the roll.

Yakitori - B-

The lowlight of my meal happened to be the Yakitori. It was overdone and therefore, the chicken was tougher than expected. However, the leeks were still juicy, and the teriyaki sauce was applied appropriately.

Flower Nigiri - A-

The food came in rather small portions, so I was still not full after my initial order. Since discounts are one of life's greatest pleasures, I decided to indulge in the fanciest piece of nigiri they had: the Flower Nigiri. Shaped like a luscious rose with a gorgeous white liquid coming out of it, the Flower Nigiri consisted of chopped scallop, salmon, and sushi rice. The sweet scallop was dressed with a chowder-like sweet creamy sauce, and the Atlantic salmon was seared. There was more of a smoky flavour here than in either the Aburi Salmon Nigiri or the Tuna Aburi Roll. 

The service was friendly and complemented the stylish atmosphere inside the restaurant. While there were no very spectacular dishes, the quality of the food was quite consistent. The prices are not especially cheap, and the smaller portions mean that you may need to spend more here than in other nearby sushi restaurants. Once out of the restaurant, I found myself on another quest to find the right bus stop, but this time, the difficulty level was set to "Mission Impossible" because I simultaneously had to escape from a lady who was loudly claiming that the entire sidewalk was hers and that no one else belonged on it. I suppose this is what happens when people don't eat enough sushi.