Yami Sushi
101A-9775 4th St.
Sidney, BC
(778) 426-0100

E: When James goes trinket shopping at the charity shops, I go food spotting, and instead of going down a straight line, we took the side-streets of Sidney to reach one particular destination. We never got there since my insatiable appetite for sushi got in the way. I yam what I am when it comes to wanting to try fresh raw fish.

J: On this trip to Sidney we learned to look off the side streets of Beacon Avenue to find those interesting places like Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop or Yami Sushi. I was determined to reach the Beacon thrift store but Ed’s determination overpowered mine. If we were trained in the ways of the force, I would’ve been choked with ease. The sushi is strong in this one.

E: The quality can certainly be tasted. I enjoyed the gentle flavours of the soft vinegar off the rice and this operation seems to be one of those ‘mom and pop’ type places that I hope will survive well past the operator’s retirement years. Of course, I had to sample their
trademark maki: The Sidney Roll ($8.55). Many other places have tried to lay claim to this title, and did they succeed?

J: Retirement years, I think Yami Sushi is their retirement. I believe it’s owned by a Japanese couple. They seemed nice enough and so was their Sidney roll, I found it was a great fusion of Japanese tradition with a west coast flavour. With every taste it reminded me of our British Columbia coast. It was such a hit with me. It’s a shame I couldn’t say the same of their ebi sunomono salad ($4.25). It had a nice lemon twist but it needed that extra sweetness with the vinegar to match. Perhaps next time.

E: I did really like their BBQ eel roll ($7.95). I could swear they added something to what traditionally goes into this roll, namely the finely grated onion bits. It wasn’t too sharp but it brought out the flavours of both the eel and rice. And these were giant bite-sized pieces. The price felt right for this particular dish.

The other menu items, however, looked like they were priced above the usual prices I expect for many types of dishes, maki and nigiri pieces included.

J: True, not all prices were above average. Although the sunomono was higher than I would pay elsewhere, the priceof miso ($1.90) remained about the same. Yami sushi has only been around for 3 years but in that time it seems the customers I saw enter the store were on a first name basis with the owners. They were greeted appropriately and that’s a plus. Even though they serve the basics here, when next I’m in Sidney and I have a sushi hunger, I’m making my stop at Yami.