Tag Archives: Japanese

10.07.26
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When Sushi Ten Barely Rates In That Rating Scale….

ed in tee2006 Oak Bay Ave Victoria, BC Phone: (250) 590-1847 Hours: 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. (Daily) Website: www.sushi-ten.ca

ES: The sushi and sweets scene along Oak Bay Avenue has certainly changed over the years. Whether some closures were a result of the pandemic or otherwise (RIP Osaka, Sweet Delights and London Sweet Stop), I miss those early days. Thankfully, there are two other operations that have stuck it out, namely Bon and Kissato. I love the atmosphere of the latter, as it’s family-run, and though they seem to have downscaled, that’s alright when I’m in the area. Don’t get me started about the candy shops, though.

As Don and I looked around to see what’s changed, too much has changed. At least I got my mead, though!As for new operations, I feel Sushi Ten still has to earn its legs. Although they are popular amongst locals living nearby, they’ve been doing well since opening February 1, 2026.

DK: Popular is right. The mere mention of their name had my waitress at another recently opened eatery histrionic with praise last week. I went with her advice and got the salmon avo roll. Whether it’s aging taste buds or the effects of farming and freezing, I’m finding too much sushi salmon just a little bland these days. I had high hopes Sushi Ten would buck the trend. Then I remembered Ed’s rule about eating sushi on Sundays and Mondays…

Read more: When Sushi Ten Barely Rates In That Rating Scale….

ES: Or weekends for that matter! What’s just as equally important is how the fish was brought to the plate. There’s flash smacking it until the sakana is unconscious, or an ethical choice so that the death to feed our tummies is not as shocking. Ultimately, I think what we ate was more than a few days old before a fresh batch could be brought in.

Sushi Ten Basic Meal

I had the basic tuna and salmon roll to test the waters, and they weren’t all that appealing. As for their spicy chopped scallop roll, it seems the money went with the shellfish. That’s because those are harder to clam up if something goes wrong. At least the sunomono salad is hard to mess up, lest I want to pucker up for more octopus bites, which is why I often go for this appetizer to start with.

Don at Sushi Ten

DK: Safe to say Ed and I weren’t as enthused by the salmon here as others have been. Maybe it was just the wrong day of the week? That being said, I did enjoy my B.C. Roll. What it may have lacked in bold flavour, it made up for in pleasant crunch. Preparation that leads to proper texture and mouthfeel counts for something.

ES: At least the space is comforting, service is nice, and we didn’t have to wait long for the meal. Though we came in before the dinner crowd, I noticed how fast the place got packed by the time 6:30pm rolled around. Clearly this place is doing something right. I’d try to visit this place again on a day piggy arrived on market rather than grow old, though.

I wouldn’t say the tuna and salmon have gotten stale either. And I’d imagine Sushi Ten wants you to order from their fusion menu rather than standard, since they are slightly overpriced and offer more cream cheese than I need on my face for cleansing.

DK: Is Sushi Ten Head and Shoulders above the rest? No, but I’m willing to give them a second chance to make a first impression. Until then I’ll Google other old ’90s shampoo commercial taglines to shoehorn into reviews, and maybe we’ll give Sushi Ten’s neighbours Selah and Oak Bay Seafood a try. Because we’re worth it.

3½ Blokes out of 5

04.02.25
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[Vancouver, BC] Only The Best. Tojo’s Restaurant Exceeds Expectations!

Tojo's Restaurant's Head Chef1133 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Phone: (604) 872-8050
Menu: tojos.com

Tojo’s Restaurant is world renowned for a simple reason. This is the place where its head chef (and owner) not only invented the California roll but also has a philosophy that anyone who sees the documentary, The Chef and the Daruma (movie review), might want to adapt. He’s a person I’ve always admired ever since I saw him on morning news television on Global Vancouver with Simi Sara showing how he crafts particular Japanese dishes. Back then, I didn’t know about the life behind the camera, but it intrigued me. After seeing the 2024 film, my appreciation has only grown.

Over time, this restaurant became world-renowned because of the amazing range of food he can prepare. He’s also a licensed fugu chef, so if there’s the means to import this blowfish in, I’m there! But with other dishes prepared by him or one of his chefs he’s trained, I probably couldn’t tell the difference. There’ll be a time when he’ll retire and the people he’s taught will take over.

He’s a gentle soul who is great to talk to. He’s like the Mr. Rogers of Vancouver! I was in town for Fan Expo and this time; I made the point of setting aside time to visit this restaurant! It’s honestly not that far from the downtown core, but to get there means either taking the taxi or public transit. The former can get you there, and the latter, is about eight blocks away from the major routes. I visited this operation twice because the experience was amazing! The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is perfect. And there’s a slight chance of seeing someone famous dining here. I should advise that you first check with management if it’s okay to approach their table.

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11.06.24
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Sometimes Finding The One Japanese Place to Regularly Hit Isn’t All That “Yoshi”

20240929_124317Gateway Village
771 Vernon Ave
Victoria, BC

Hours: 12:00pm to 8:00pm Daily
Phone: (250) 475-3900
Menu: yoshisushi.ca

ES: In anime, “Yoshi” (where the I is silent) can mean, let’s do it, but in truth, it means excellence, and as a fixture in Victoria for such a long time, I’m sort of inclined to agree Yoshi Sushi is a great place to give your taste buds a treat. Had I truly wanted to go crazy, I could’ve gone for the massive platter of sashimi on my birthday to really experience all the wonders, but to be honest blowfish wasn’t on the menu and what’s offered are the safe staples.

The exception is with a soft shell crab roll, which when properly still warm, can do wonders to excite the taste buds. Or should I say the baos?

DK: My experience with the Japanese language pretty much begins and ends with doing flashcards with my roommate in the TRU dorms before tossing rotten vegetables into the parking lot from our balcony. Don’t know if he ever passed that test, but we did make room in the fridge for more eggs and bacon for our roommates to “borrow.” 

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07.17.24
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[Vancouver, BC] The Fast and the Furious with Ramen Danbo on Robson St.

20240216_2203321333 Robson St
Vancouver, BC

Hours: Daily from 11p.m to 11 p.m.
Menu: ramendanbo.com
Phone: (604) 559-8112

On a chilly night, sometimes a warm dish of ramen is required to chase the blues away. Technically, we’re now in summer, and it’s a great time to explore the big city, or the adjacent municipality like Richmond. Trying to find a bite late at night isn’t all that tough, but when my appetite strikes closer to midnight, the options are fewer. Thankfully, Ramen Danbo came to the rescue! With this chain opening operations all around the world (almost), I had to check out this operation. Every time I’m on the Robson strip, I see lineups. 

The buzz is in the broth, and it’s all about what’s in the white tonkotsu (pork bone) soup. Part of the process is now “mass-produced” so that it can be shipped to outlets so it can be brewed properly in house. Unlike open window operations, I couldn’t get to see how it’s made (when compared to another place I hit while in town).

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06.19.24
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[Seattle, WA] Just Chillin’ at Ohana Belltown

Screen Shot 2024-06-12 at 3.32.37 PM2207 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Hours: 3 pm to 1:30 am (12pm Tues)
Phone: (206) 956-9329
Menu: http://www.ohanasushigrill.com/menu.html

Hawaiian food can be unique, and to say it’s a fusion of other culinary styles brought to the island depends on who you ask. I’m sure most folks agree it really is a combination of ideas from other regions and when I’m craving something authentic, I just have to visit Hawaii and hope I get invited to a Lūʻau. I want to experience that true Ohana spirit, and this operation is so aptly named, I want to come back!

What’s provided at Coco Grill (review) is “real” but it’s not the food I’m looking for. Where’s the poi? As for all the pokes, they’re a dime a dozen and while they come from humble island origins, that’s not what I’m after. There’s always going to be some pork dish at all diners, but what about the seafood? With eel, having enough to feed the masses can be problematic. And who would’ve thought Seattle would have the ideal outlet to get my Japanese and local flavour right. At Ohana, the environment felt just right, and I dived right into the ocean blue as easily as a dolphin into water.

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03.15.23
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[Seattle, WA] No Need for Japanese Fusion when there’s Maneki

Maneki 2304 6th Ave S
Seattle, WA

Hours· 5:30–10:30pm
Phone: +1 206-622-2631

I visited Seattle, Washington many times and while readers may find it strange I have not been to Maneki—this city’s most famous Japanese restaurant—my reason is the International District is a fair distance from the Convention Center. Quite often my stamina after taking in Emerald City Comic Con needs more than a better pair of shoes to keep going. I’m thankful this operation managed to stay in operation when the pandemic was a huge thing. I’m planning a trip back to this city in the Spring to see what’s changed. 

In the meantime, I’ll be offering a review of what I loved when I was there last. My apologies for the lack of photos as my phone was low on power (images used are from online), and I thought I had posted this review. It did not show up in my search when I was fondly talking about this place on Facebook’s Seattle Foodies group.

ManekiMy original post follows:

Even on a busy Sunday, Maneki is busy. Fortunately, since I was here by myself, I was told that I can get a seat at the bar instead of waiting an hour for a regular table. I ordered my favourite brand of Japanese beer (Asahi), looked at the menu and pondered how much sushi I could have. The prices are on par with those back home to places like Futa and Omakase, so I avoided repeating familiar dishes. Their Jojo Roll (fresh water eel, cucumber, radish sprouts) was very warming. The rice was at an immaculate temperature and the homemade sauce was not overwhelming. I could taste all the flavours in this combination roll.

I also tried their variation of a Futomaki roll, which I did not finish. I was offered a container to take the rest home and I did, but not without a side order of gyoza to warm me up. I’m fairly sure their recipe is not advertised so competitors can not copy. Out of all the varieties I sampled at different places, this particular dumpling made my soul come alive and smile after a long day.

Thankfully I did not stop there. I asked if uni (sea urchin) was available. The female bartender said yes and they served it live! The shell is not opened until you order it. My ears waggled in excitement and they served up a very affordable and large dish to make my tummy say “yummy!” Yes, this delicate part is perfect. Nothing was added on to spoil the straight from the sea flavour. The portions and cost behind this item surprised me. I could have for another; I’m fairly certain the receipt said $9 (a far better price than any I’ve seen back home). Not since that one trip on a boat years ago with a fisherman has my tongue tasted this sensation again! Readers interested in my experience during that trip from long ago can find the article here.

While they do not have lobster sashimi (I asked) for the adventurous to sample, I’m certainly marking this place as a must visit for the sheer pleasantness of being in this space. It was laid back and not rushed. The variety of dishes have an air and look of being more traditional than hipster. I also had an eye on the various dishes served to fellow bar patrons. The bartender knows her nigiri and talked about how the flavour of salmon changes by region. They even had some brought down from British Columbia, if I remember correctly. Being at the bar gave me an opportunity to chat with fellow nerds (there must have been some Xbox competition happening nearby as gamers were there, and I talked to a couple from California). The bar can comfortably have up to eight people here without feeling cramped.

Reservations are recommended on a busy Friday or Saturday night. 

5 Blokes out of 5