Green Leaf Sushi

June 21, 2016June 19, 20162 Comments

After seeing so many beautiful pictures of aburi sushi on Instagram, I suggested to SP and SK to check out Green Leaf Sushi.

I’ve been hearing there are long line ups so I came a little earlier to grab a seat. Luckily, it still wasn’t very busy on a Sunday for some reason. Ambiance is simple and nothing special.

Aburi Sushi Platter

We decided to get the Aburi Sushi Platter since we could try most of the aburi sushi. This came with the following:

Sime Saba Oshi Sushi
Yukke Tuna Oshi Sushi
Aburi Tobiko Roll
Salmon Oshi Sushi
Hotate Oshi Sushi
Basil Ebi oshi Sushi

This is around $60 so definitely a platter to share. Between three girls, we were beyond full and could barely finish it in the end. The sushi all have a very creamy topping which made it very filling and by the end of it, we felt like each one tasted very similar. I would suggest splitting it with more people so you’ll find each one more satisfying. Our favourite was the Salmon Oshi and of course I had to compare it to the famous Miku’s. Although the price is cheaper, Miku’s is still much better. We found that the rice easily fell apart and the sauce was too creamy at Green Leaf.

Overall, based on the aburi sushi platter we tried, Green Leaf was a good alternative to Miku especially for its price. However, I would still go to Miku if I wanted to treat myself. I would need to revisit and try their other dishes to really comment on the restaurant overall though.

Pros:
– Great variety of aburi sushi
– Prices are quite reasonable

Cons:
– Rice fell apart easily from the items we tried
– Found the aburi sushi to be too creamy

Price Range: $20-25/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3.5 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 3 Overall: 3.5

Ramen Gojiro

May 8, 2016May 9, 2016Leave a comment

Seeing all the pictures of fried chicken on ramen on social media, I told S that this was a must try. Ramen Gojiro is part of the Menya Kouji group which also owns Ramen Butcher and Taishoken. Their newest ramen shop is located in the core of downtown featuring jiro-style ramen which means thick noodles and lots of toppings.

The interior is actually quite spacious and can fit quite a lot of diners. The kitchen is pretty much open so you can watch the action of the ramen chefs. Even though the space can fit around 20-30 people, there is always a line up! We arrived at around 5:30 and luckily were in the front of the line. By the time it was around 6pm, the line up was already very long.

The menu is quite simple. You can choose between fried chicken or chashu on your ramen. You can then choose to have their classic chicken and pork broth or the same broth with a spicy sauce. In addition, you can get the bakamori, which means you get more of everything. They also now offer tsukemen which are cold noodles in a separate hot broth you dip in.

Original Karaage

We were worried that having fried chicken on a hot broth would ruin the crispiness of the chicken, so we decided to order the Karaage on the side instead. You can choose to have this with a dipping sauce for $0.40 more, but we just got the original. These are big chunks of meat and are lightly battered so very crispy! They sure know how to make good fried chicken here.

Basic Chashu

S got the Basic Chashu and added an ajitama (soft boiled marinated egg). They will ask you if you want a fatty or lean broth, of which S chose the former. They will also ask you if you want garlic on top, which S got. The ramen noodles are quite thick (the size of spaghetti) and come loaded with bean sprouts. We were disappointed with the broth as we found it lacked flavour and depth. The chashu was also a miss for us as I found the meat very dry and the fatty parts did not have the melt in your mouth texture.

Spicy Chashu

For myself, I got the Spicy Chashu of which I found the broth to be slightly more rich and flavourful. I asked for mild spicy so this was the perfect amount of spice for me personally. The egg was decent, although I still prefer Marutama’s.

Overall, S and I were both not a fan of the thick noodles and all the bean sprouts but I know many enjoy this style of ramen. I don’t think we will be returning any time soon although we did enjoy their chicken karaage. Worth a try if you are interested in trying a new style of ramen or if you prefer thicker styles of ramen. Oh, and they offer you bibs to wear to avoid any splashing on your clothes!

Pros:
– Chicken karaage is moist inside and crispy on the outside
– Portions are pretty big, especially if you get the bakamori

Cons:
– Personally did not enjoy all the bean sprouts and thicker noodles
– Chashu was too dry and had too much fat

Price Range: $10-15/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 3 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 3

Applause Japanese Restaurant

February 28, 2016Leave a comment

S and I have been on a roll trying out new restaurants around the Marpole area since it’s on our way home from work anyways. This time we tried Applause Japanese Restaurant in a small strip mall. There is some parking on the side of the mall.

We arrived pretty early (around 6pm) so the restaurant was not too busy yet. However, food still took quite a long time to come out. Service was friendly though.

For myself, I got the Chirashi Don which came with miso soup. All their dons come with miso soup. Quite average and wished there was more tofu.

Chirashi Don

The Chirashi Don was a huge bowl of assorted sashimi on rice. Toppings included tuna, octopus, hokkigai, hamachi, saba, ebi, salmon, and tamago. All the sashimi was very fresh and the rice was pretty good with a nice ratio of rice vinegar. For under $14 and the amount and quality of the sashimi, I thought it was pretty reasonable

Yakiudon

S got the Yakiudon which comes with chicken and baby shrimp. This was a huge plate even to share between two people, let alone to finish by one. It was sizzling hot when it arrived and we really enjoyed the flavours of this dish. Great deal for under $10!

Overall, I quite enjoyed the quality of food at Applause Japanese Restaurant. Some of their rolls are slightly more expensive than other restaurants, but the quality of their sashimi seem pretty good based on the chirashi don I had. Will be back to try other items.

Pros:
– Good quality sashimi
– Reasonable prices for portion and quality

Cons:
– Interior is not the nicest (odd curtains)

Price Range: $10-20/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3.5 Service: 3 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 3.5

Mega Sushi (JUST EAT)

February 23, 2016February 21, 2016Leave a comment

Source: www.just-eat.ca

Recently I won a $25 credit voucher to be used towards Just Eat, an online food ordering system. Placing an order is easy. Just enter your postal code online or on their mobile app and they will show you a list of all the restaurants available for delivery to you. Choose the items you want and pay online with credit or debit card or choose to pay cash in person. Delivery may be charged or free depending on the restaurant. You can also choose to tip the driver online. You can also select the delivery time.

Assorted Sushi Combo

S and I get lazy on Saturday nights and enjoy just ordering take out home, so we took advantage of Just Eat without needing to head out. We chose to order from Mega Sushi since I’ve had good experiences at their restaurant. We made the order earlier in the afternoon and by 5:00pm, when the restaurant opened, they immediately called us to confirm our order and delivery time. We had set our delivery time to be 6:30pm and by 6:00pm, the restaurant already called us to confirm whether we would be home and our food arrived by 6:15pm – even earlier than what we had requested.

We got the Assorted Sushi Combo which featured a California roll and 8 pieces of nigiri. The rolls were well made and fish was very fresh. Had nothing to complain and tasted as if we were at the restaurant.

Mango Roll

We also got the Mango Roll which was still beautifully presented in the take out box. The roll was filled with prawn tempura, cucumber and avocado, and topped with fresh slices of mango and tobiko. This was delicious with the mango being very sweet.

Negitoro Roll

I also got a Negitoro Roll and it was filled generously with a good ratio to rice.

Overall, we were extremely please with the delivery service and food quality of Mega Sushi. From my experience with Just Eat for Richmond delivery service, it is always the restaurant employee or owner who is delivering the food. Therefore, it really depends on the restaurant for the quality of delivery service. We had a poor experience before where our food was almost an hour late, but Mega Sushi didn’t fail and I will be using their service again. Prices were the same as in their restaurant and delivery charge was only $3.95 or free if your order is over $35. Check out the ratings on Just Eat’s website to determine which restaurant is worth ordering from.

Just Eat

Pros:
– Easy to order online or on mobile app
– Can pay online so no need to fuss with cash

Cons:
– Hit or miss with delivery times depending on restaurant

Mega Sushi

Pros:
– Well constructed sushi
– Sashimi is very fresh

Cons:
– Prices slightly higher

Price Range: $15-20/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4 Service: N/A Ambiance: N/A Parking: N/A

Sushi Mura

February 22, 2016February 21, 20162 Comments

We drive on Oak pretty much everyday going to and from work, and Sushi Mura is one of the restaurants that we pass by. Finally, I suggested to S that we should check it out on our way home. The interior and menu reminds me of Sushi Garden so I have a feeling they might be owned by the same people. Even by 6pm, the place was already filled but we luckily got a seat right away.

Chirashi Don

I decided to try their Chirashi Don because it was only for a low price of $10.95. The don came with an assortment of sashimi, including regular salmon, wild salmon, tuna, toro, tuna tataki, ebi, tamago, and hokkigai.

I was surprised with the amount of sashimi I got (around 3 pieces of each). However, you can tell from the picture that the knife skills were quite poor so many of the fish did not have any clean cuts. The sashimi was surprisingly quite fresh for the price though. The rice was not very good as it was served too warm and a bit mushy. However, I can’t complain for the price.

Special Mango Roll

S got the Special Mango Roll for $6.95 which was filled with mango, cucumber, avocado and topped with slices of mango and pineapple sauce. Price was good for the portion but quality was terrible! The rice was warm and mushy and mangoes were too tart. There was no texture to this roll at all.

Chicken Teriyaki Roll

S also got the Chicken Teriyaki Roll. The rice here looked slightly better but S still said it was quite average.

Overall, we were slightly disappointed with the quality at Sushi Mura. The prices are cheap but the quality is not there. Food came out so fast it was astonishing. There were many students eating dinner here after school and I can see why it is attractive for the students with the low prices and large portions.

Pros:
– Low prices and large portions
– Sashimi is pretty fresh

Cons:
– Sushi rice is very poorly made
– Knife skills are poor and sushi is poorly constructed

Price Range: $10-15/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 2.5 Service: 2 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 2 Overall: 2.5

Torafuku – Dine Out Vancouver 2016

February 1, 2016February 1, 2016Leave a comment

Our first Dine Out Vancouver for 2016 was at Torafuku. I’ve been wanting to try this new restaurant ever since having a good meal from their sister food truck, Le Tigre. The Dine Out menu was $30 per person.

The interior is minimalist with barely any renovations. There is one long communal table and some booths on the side. We had made reservations early in advance but unfortunately we were still given bar seats. S was quite disappointed since he had wanted a more intimate seating. Bar seating was fun to watch the kitchen, but it definitely wasn’t very comfortable.

Love the wooden plates. Definitely has that hipster ambiance.

Since we were seated at the bar, we got a good view of what was going on in the kitchen.

One Fish, Two Fish

Apparently, we were only allowed to choose one appetizer per two people for the Dine Out menu. We were slightly upset with that since we had already heard that portions would be small. (It did say in fine print at the bottom of the online menu, so my fault for missing that!) Anyways, we chose One Fish, Two Fish. This was a bowl of sashimi salad with salmon, tuna, and geoduck sashimi on top of salad greens and wakame mixed with a sesame dressing. I quite liked this as the mix of seaweed and greens gave a nice texture, but I wish there was more dressing as it was slightly bland. Loved the texture of the geoduck though and the sashimi was quite fresh.

Pickled Cucumber and Radish

While waiting for our entrees, the server brought us a complimentary side dish of Pickled Cucumbers and Radish to share. I enjoyed the pickled flavour and it definitely opened up my stomach for more food.

Call of Duty (CoD)

For my entree, I chose the Call of Duty (CoD). If you go through Torafuku’s menu, they have such witty names! This consisted of crispy ling cod, clams, root veggies, and handmade gnocchi in sake a kumbu broth. The fish was moist and my favourite was the handmade gnocchi. The broth was very flavourful as well and I could’ve had a whole bowl of this. Veggies were slightly undercooked for my preference. Overall, a good dish, but the portion was way too small! The fish was almost half the size of usual portions.

Kare Kare

S got the Kare Kare, which I preferred out of the two entrees. It came with seared beef blade steak, on top of a 3 grain risotto, with pickled veggies, oxtail, and peanut ragu. The flavours were delicious and the beef was cooked to a beautiful medium rare. Again, portions were way too small though. This was more like an appetizer.

J-E-L-L-O

For dessert, the menu online had said we could choose between two options and I had seen pictures of others from the week earlier order the second option. However, our server told us that there was only the J-E-L-L-O that night. Quite disappointed since I wanted to try different desserts. However, the J-E-L-L-O has got to be one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time. It was an oolong infused yuzu jello, with condensed milk ice cream and topped with crispy salted caramel. The dessert was light and refreshing and the milky flavour paired well with the slightly citrus jello. I had nothing to complain about this and could eat this over and over again!

Overall, I was quite pleased with the dishes from the Dine Out menu. However, we both agreed that the portions were way too small! Especially the fact that we had to share an appetizer between the two of us and it still costed $30 per person. Service was also a bit cold. No one really checked up on us. We also ended up having to pay a visit to McDonald’s to fill up. I’m curious to see what it’s like during regular service though and will need to make a revisit to try their regular menu.

Pros:
– Great flavours on Asian-inspired dishes
– Jello dessert was the bomb!

Cons:
– Portions are small
– Seating isn’t very comfortable

Price Range: $30/person (DOVF menu)

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3.5 Service: 2.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: 3 Overall: 3

Sanpoutei Ramen

January 31, 2016Leave a comment

Sanpoutei Ramen opened up a few weeks ago and has been the talk of the town. Located just between Parker Place and Aberdeen in the new Kam Do Square, they feature Niigata style ramen. They have been having crazy line ups for the past few weeks so I would suggest trying them once the hype has died down if you don’t want to wait. We went on a Friday night around 6pm and luckily only waited around 15 minutes.

In the waiting area, you will find their ramen noodle maker. They make their noodles in house whereas many other ramen shops purchase their noodles.

I think the biggest differentiation of Sanpoutei is how nice and spacious the interior is. Decor is beautiful and you don’t need to be cramped with bar seating in front of a steamy kitchen like many other ramen shops.

Tori x Miso Spicy Ramen

I got the Tori x Miso Spicy Ramen which comes with 2 slices of aburi chashu, half a flavoured soft-boiled egg, stir-fried vegetables and minced chicken for $13. Unfortunately, I think my bowl missed the egg. Their spicy broth is much thicker than the others. The noodles really soaked up the broth so I was left with very little at the end. However, I liked the broth as it had just the right amount of spice level without covering the miso flavour. The noodles are a flat wide wavy type and very different from the usual. If you like chewy noodles, this is perfect for you. I quite liked this change from the usual.

Niigata Shoyu Ramen with Special Full Topping

S went all out and got the Niigata Shoyu Ramen with Special Full Topping for $14.50. This comes with 4 slices of aburi chashu, a full flavoured soft-boiled egg, dried seaweed, bamboo shoots and spinach. I tried the broth and it is definitely very different from your typical pork bone broth. It had a strong fish stock and they mention in their menu that this is from the dried sardines they use. We both agreed that we loved the aburi chashu very much though. It has a very nice char and the ratio of meat to fat is perfect with the fat melting in your mouth. Soft-boiled eggs were pretty good but Marumata’s is still the best.

Deep Fried Spring Chicken with Oroshi Ponzu Sauce

We also got one of their appetizers which were the Deep Fried Spring Chicken with Oroshi Ponzu Sauce. No gyozas here but three choices of fried chicken. The fried chicken itself was very crispy and well made, but the ponzu flavour wasn’t very apparent. For $6, this only came with 4 pieces, so it was pretty pricey.

Tsukemen

On another occasion, K visited Sanpoutei and tried the Tsukemen which she raved, so I might as well include it here. For $12.50, this comes with a flavourful broth of dried sardines and bonito and a side of cold noodles which you dip into the hot broth. It also comes with a full flavoured soft-boiled egg and bamboo shoots. With this menu item, you get 30% more noodles, so perfect for bigger eaters. You also get a jug of wari soup, which is a plain soup stock. Your pour this into the dried sardine soup to finish your noodles.

Overall, I was quite pleased that there is a new addition to ramen choices in Richmond. The style of ramen is quite different so a nice change. However, ramen is on the pricier side starting at around $12 a bowl. Friendly service and nice ambiance.

Pros:
– Quality chashu and noodles
– Beautiful decor and ambiance

Cons:
– On the pricey side for quantity
– Long waits

Price Range: $15/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4 Service: 4 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 3.5 Overall: 4

Top 10 Restaurants I Tried in 2015

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015Leave a comment

As 2015 is coming to an end, I thought it would be fun to look back at the restaurants that I’ve tried during the year to pick my top favourites. These are restaurants that I discovered in 2015 of which I personally enjoyed and now frequent or would love to revisit again in the near future. I couldn’t pick my top favourite so they are randomly ordered. I’d also like to take this chance to thank all the readers who have followed me this past year and I can’t wait to share my food adventures with you all in the new year! Happy New Year!

Sushi by Yuji
Cuisine: Japanese (Sushi)

A hidden gem I discovered this year is this tiny Japanese run sushi spot offering fresh sashimi and eye-catching nigiris. Good quality and reasonably priced.

Café Salade de Fruits
Cuisine: French

A longtime restaurant I only discovered this year is this cozy French bistro hidden inside the French Cultural Centre in the Fairview area. The mussels are plump and juicy and portions are generous.

Tacofino Taco Bar
Cuisine: Mexican

Expanding past their burrito shop earlier this year, this taco bar is my go to place for a good taco and their must-order nachos. Fun ambiance with great food and drinks in the Blood Alley of Gastown.

Chef Tony
Cuisine: Chinese (Dim Sum)

A new addition to the vast Chinese restaurants in Richmond in 2014, I only visited the restaurant this year and was very impressed. Elevating simple Chinese dishes by incorporating luxury ingredients like truffle and abalone, this spot is sure to impress your guests.

Chatime
Cuisine: Taiwanese Bubble Tea

2015 marked the addition of this Taiwanese bubble tea chain which has expanded rapidly over the Greater Vancouver. They offer quality and consistency in their drinks as well as a large variety of choices. Also one of the few bubble tea shops that allow you to customize sugar and ice levels. The must order here is the grass jelly roasted milk tea!

Hawksworth
Cuisine: Westcoast

Awarded Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2015, David Hawksworth carefully prepares dishes which feature the best ingredients of B.C. With a stunning ambiance and exceptional service, this upscale restaurant is perfect for special occasions when you want to splurge.

Pho 37
Cuisine: Vietnamese

This hidden gem in the Richmond Ironwood Plaza may look underwhelming on the outside but the clean, well-kept interior and friendly service always impresses me. It’s now my go to place in Richmond for pho.

Yah Yah Ya Ramen
Cuisine: Japanese (ramen)

There are very few choices for ramen in Richmond, but I discovered this Japanese run ramen shop this year. They specialize in their pork bone broth. Diners are able to customize the firmness of noodles, heaviness of broth, and amount of oil. I find myself returning here whenever I want ramen but too lazy to travel Downtown.

Temper Chocolate & Pastry
Cuisine: Desserts

Tucked away in the village of Dundarave in West Vancouver, this chocolate and pastry shop is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. Owner and chef, Steven Hodge trained under Thomas Haas, so you will find many chocolates and pastries inspired from his training there.

Ask for Luigi
Cuisine: Italian

In a tiny white house past the bustling Gastown shops towards the Railtown area, you will find line ups at this spot at all times. Be sure to get here early or expect a wait at this casual Italian family style restaurant offering delicious fresh pasta and other goodies.

Every Day is a Food Day

Category: Japanese

Green Leaf Sushi

Ramen Gojiro

Applause Japanese Restaurant

Mega Sushi (JUST EAT)

Sushi Mura

Torafuku – Dine Out Vancouver 2016

Sanpoutei Ramen

Top 10 Restaurants I Tried in 2015