Very happy to have tried a new place. Quality over quantity when compared to Sushi Garden. Above is their Sockeye Salmon Roll.
The Alaska Roll (left, front) has a sauce dribbled over it that is reminiscent of tempura bits. Spicy tuna roll (left, back) with two kinds of sesame seeds. Party Tray A on the right has a wonderful selection.
Gyoza here is deep fried and filling is standard. Toro (tuna) sashimi melted; so fresh it had a hint of sweetness.
Scary? Don’t let the eyes fool you. There’s a lot of meat under these heads. I always love coming here for their grilled salmon. My hand is almost sore after the meal of patience, but worth every savory bite. This is the first time I’ve been served the heads – must be salmon season.
The Miso Salmon is cut from the body, and therefore drier and less fat = less taste. Spicy calamari was deelish.
Spicy karaage and curry on pork chop are always consistently good.
I put our new hood fan to the test by broiling frozen Black Cod with Miso in our toaster oven sitting next to our stove. When hubby came home late, I asked him to stay by the front door and take a dep breath – he couldn’t smell it! I accidentally charred the skin trying to achieve a crispiness (hence the artsy close up shot), but didn’t smell it either. The cod was tender and so full of flavor, so you can enjoy restaurant quality food right at home.
Angel Seafoods: 1345 Grant St, Vancouver, BC V5L 2X7 (604) 254-2824 www.angelseafoods.com
Kitchen Hoods: PS13-30″ Under cabinet Range hood for $659 and worth every penny because the 900 cfm ensured I wouldn’t be smelling fish in my closet upstairs too. What I like beyond the power is a 3 minute self timer so it shuts itself off by the time we settle down to eat.
Saw this easy recipe on public television and it was… easy as muffins? Well it was easy because hubby made it! Extremely airy texture, not mushy or dense – we dived in immediately, but as they cooled, the tops became crispier, which made for a great combo. Normally I can’t even finish one store bought muffin because it’s just too sweet for my liking – I had no problem finishing off two!
Just assemble two bowls of wet and dry ingredients, then combine. Bake at 375˚ F for 20 minutes. Makes 7 to 8 muffins.
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
2 tbsp Green Tea powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
2/3 cup whole milk (we used 1%)
1/3 cup canola oil
Pronounced “cheek-o”, this take out box of desserts is a decadent finish to any meal – both visually and pallete-ly. Starting from the top and going clockwise: Strawberry Shortcake, Mont Blanc (chestnut), Japanese Soft Cheese Cake (it’s like cheese flavored cake, not baked style), and Greentea Moscarpone with red bean.
Here’s their site: http://www.chiccocafe.com/index.html
$5.80 Okonomi-yaki (Japanese pizza): much better ratio of ingredients and taste than the one served at Modern House.
$4.20 Calamari: batter is thin, no doughy, perfectly fried
$5.80 Aigamo-Salad (Duck Salad): dressing was light to balance all the fried items, can’t get enough garlic chips, but they’re not paper thin like they used to be.
$6.80 Saba-Grill (mackeral): you get half the mackeral, but no bones, crispy skin, buttery fat, on a bed of lemon slices and onions (sorry no photo).
$4.00 Korokke (croquette): fried mashed potato, corn
$5.20 Unagi-Meshi (eel on rice): need something substantial when eating tapas, so this rice filled some holes, but the sweet sauce could have been a little less.
$7.80 Ebi Mayo (deep fried prawns): doused with mayo and spice, you could taste the freshness of plump prawns
$7.80 Oden-mori (stew): An assortment of six pieces of Oden, definitely needed to cut the grease after those deep fried items (sorry no photo).
Good news is this was the most authentic tasting shrimp I’ve ever had in a cracker – not the weak, artificially colored, and dubiously flavored puffs of cardboard I’ve had before. Bad news is it’s from Japan. BUT that’s why I blog about food like this – so I can say “I don’t know what it’s called but it looks like this and if you have room in your luggage…” You can’t doubt a cracker that even has it’s own moisture wicking pouch in each package.
Vancouverites will line up 20 minutes before Toshi’s open, even in a downpour. You know they are regulars when they start counting how many people are ahead of them to see if they will make it in the first wave of clients (less than 30 seats). Toshi’s will not seat you if your party is not all there.
Once we saw a couple who waited for their friends and finally decided to eat without them as the last table of the first wave remained. We finished eating, paid, and left while they were the last to stare hungrily at the food all around them.
Lotus Root Tempura was only so-so. The batter was a little soggy/soft. Maybe they were rushed, as the first wave of people for dinner had just cleared and we were the next wave.
I was so exited to try Grilled Cod for the first time here because I’ve always loved how Japanese prepare it – so silky soft, and it was, but I think Toshi’s is fresher.
You can never go wrong ordering the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box.
600 5th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104-3898, US (206) 624-6248
My favorite Japanese crackers are from Uwajimaya in Seattle. Imagine Fujiya the size of Costco, complete with Kinokuniya Bookstore – ah just transports me back to Japan. It has a great selection for $6. Since they are from Japan, the texture is light and tender. Buy 3 bags or purchase up to $15 and parking in their lot is free.
Sadly, although I show a photo here of the whole selection of 6 varieties, they’ve now started only including one each of the expensive ones and make up the rest of the quantity in the top left and bottom right. Guess the economy is trickling down everywhere.
Here are other yummy crackers from Uwajimaya. The star one has various printing on the individually wrapped bags including a sumo wrestler’s outfit and bellybutton.
The batter is light and the strawberry jam’s tartness gives a wonderful counterpoint to all the sweetness.
Thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with rice wine vinegar, mirin, and chilli flakes. This Asian inspired dish is a nice garnish, or light salad. (more…)
Zipang Sushi, (Japanese) 3710 Main Street, Vancouver, Tel: 604-708-1667
as usual, good and bad reviews
Rekados Grill, (Phillipino) 4063 Main Street, Vancouver, Tel: 604-873-3133
good food but underwhelming service
Banana Leaf, (Malaysian) 820 W Broadway, Vancouver, Tel: (604) 731-6333
recommend the tuesday special, assorted seafood and vegetables with tamarind and turmeric sauce
Lhy Thai
7357 Edmond St., Burnaby
Tel: 604 526-8085
Sushi Garden
4635 Kingsway, Burnaby
Tel: (604) 436-0104
Pho Van
3370 Fraser Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-872-2879
7060 Kingsway, Burnaby | Tel: (604) 521-3131 (reservations not accepted)
One of the cheaper small ones, but is a locals’ favourite. Self-service (extremely understaffed during busy times). So busy, they have two discount rates for take-out order 2 hours early and one day early (5% & 10%).
181 E 16th, Vancouver | Tel: (604) 874-5173
Toshi Sushi is a popular sushi house off Main Street ran by proprietors Toshiyuki Saito and Tomoko Saito. Opens at 5 and suggest you line up early or else be prepared to wait. Do not bring a party over 6 people.
3096 Cambie Street (& 14th ave), Vancouver | 604-874-0027
Wed: 5-9:30
1442 Lonsdale, North Vancouver / Tel: 604.988.3513
This little gem is location on Lonsdale Ave (near 15th Ave) in North Vancouver. We’ve seen it change ownership, but the sushi & rolls are still super fresh and they are large cuts! Marlene
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