Tag Archives: Sushi

09.01.11
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How to do the Victoria Fringe Festival: Going Japanese?

The Victoria Fringe Festival has grown and so has my waistline. With this event celebrating its 25th year, I knew this was one party I couldn’t miss. When this event has regular venues that remain consistent every year, one thing I will often do his hit familiar dining spots to satisfy my appetite. Fast food does not always mean hitting burger joint. Maki Rolls are considered fast food in Japan, and while there’s no option for Takoyaki here in Victoria, there are a few establishments to get a quick bite in before a show. When the Metro Studio, St. Andrews (Downtown Victoria) and Langham Court Theatre (Oak Bay) are very close by, there’s a few places nearby to get a snack in.

In Gordon Head, where St. Michael’s Richmond Campus lay, there’s even Fujiya’s Grocery. This place is well-known for churning out meals by the truck-load. They close at 7pm.  Herein contains my picks for folks looking for a bit of Nippon for their Fringe show for this year and beyond, as these operations show no sign of closing.

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07.19.11
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Thank You very much Mr. Sushi Roboto

salt spring rollArigato Sushi & Teriyaki
102-149 Fulford Ganges Rd.
Gasoline Alley
Ganges
Salt Spring Island, BC
(250) 538-1881

E: Even on an island as small as Salt Spring, I wouldn’t consider the visit complete without the prerequisite visit to a diner offering sushi. There were two choices that I could visibly see from the main drag: a questionable shack called Express Sushi 2 Go or Arigato Sushi & Teriyaki. I’m sure both are family owned, but it was the Salt Spring Roll which enticed me into braving the briny seas.

J: The family looked friendly enough but I think the jig was up for Ed and myself.

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05.20.11
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Shaking it up Shiki Style

Shiki Sushi
1113 Blanshard St.,
Victoria, BC
(250) 381-8622

Shiki Sushi has plenty of flavourful options to shake up the establishment. I appreciated the fact that they moved to bigger digs over a year ago, and recently, I managed to see how big they’ve grown. Their new décor reflects a post-modern Japan, and the spaciousness helps add to the ambience for the new look they’re going for. If I were to decide on a jaunt to swing on by to, this place would be it.

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05.07.11
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The Village within a Village, Nihon-Style

Sushi Village
4272 Mountain Square
Whistler, BC
(604) 932-3330

When I entered Sushi Village, I was half expecting to be whisked away to feudal Japan. In Whistler, anything can happen, including sudden turns of the weather—but in this case, it’s a touch of the old world with the new, and a noisy neighboring table of Chinese tourists. A customer was complaining about the service and not getting what he ordered.

It had me wondering what I got myself into. The waitress’ unease disappeared when she approached me, and I could sense that she had a long day. The complementary green tea was served without any delay and it wasn’t hard for me to choose what I wanted—the SASSs roll ($14.95), a spicy tuna roll ($5.25), and a spicy scallop roll ($8.25) as my first round.

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05.01.11
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Yokohama Blues

Yokohama Japanese Restaurant
980 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 384-5433

2016 Update: This operation has since closed and become Xiang Rui Chinese Restaurant.

The Yokohama Japanese Restaurant has been around since ‘79, but that doesn’t mean anything in terms of quality. Especially in regards to the quintessential ingredient that’s used in Asian cuisine—rice.

At dinnertime, their “Regular Sushi” was priced at $13.95, $2 more than what’s listed on their lunch menu. Let’s hope that wasn’t a misprint. Both came with a bowl of shabu soup. The soup arrived quickly, and I gulped the flavourful broth down in nearly no time. When I was examining the ingredients in this soup, I wondered about the other flavours. The carrot slivers tasted like they came from the outer skin than the core, and the mushrooms were nothing special. Normally, I’d expect to have shitake than white, so I was left with mixed feelings when the bowl sat empty.

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05.21.10
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Sushi Plus or Minus?

Sushi Plus Restaurant
766 Yates Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 386-3116

J: Sushi Plus is a cozy little Japanese restaurant conveniently located in the vicinity of the Odeon Theatre. My initial experience was a pleasant one. Here was this Japanese restaurant actually run by a Japanese family.

E: James expounded strange wonders and the thrill of going to this place for the first time and all I did was pull a Mr.Spock. And I can’t say I was too thrilled at the presentation. The meal was mildly tasty, but it was more reminiscent of what a street vendor would do. And I had the authentic experience too while in Japan.

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