As a student, one food that I love is sushi. It’s convenient, healthy, and refreshing on a hot summer day. However, it can sometimes be pricey or the quality of the fish could be lower than other restaurants.
While growing up in Vancouver, I have been fortunate enough to try many different restaurants and these are some of my favourites at a reasonable price point!
In my opinion, this sushi restaurant is incredibly worth it in terms of quality of food and portions. They currently have two locations in the Metro Vancouver Area, Burnaby and Port Moody. There are a few items I usually order at this restaurant. During lunch time, they have a Sashimi and Sushi Bento Box that comes with a variety of items including, sashimi, tempura, nigiri sushi, a spicy tuna roll and other appetisers. All of their fish is extremely fresh and melt in your mouth. This comes at a price point of approximately $25 but is enough to fill up almost two people.
Some other items on their menu that I recommend are the Aburi Oshi Sushi and the Aburi Popping Roll. These items are comparable to higher end restaurants such as Miku and Minami but at a cheaper price point. When my parents visit this restaurant, they always order the Salmon Kama (grilled salmon cheek). They enjoy the meatiness and barbeque flavour from the appetiser.
I would highly recommend coming here before 3pm for their Bento Boxes as they are the most value on the menu.
This is one of my favourite Sushi restaurants to go with a bunch of friends. Back when I was just a second year university student, this place used to be one of the go to spots for late night eats and beer. They have an amazing selection of different fish and appetizers. This restaurant is authentic and the sushi chefs and waitresses greet you in Japanese when you enter. Some of my favourite menu items consist of the Takowasa also known as raw octopus marinated in wasabi that you wrap in seaweed, and the Aburi Salmon Toro Nigiri which is seared salmon belly sushi. Their Aburi Salmon Toro Nigiri is extremely buttery and is so tender it melts in your mouth.
Some of my friends really enjoy their other menu items such as the Chicken Karaage or Sashimi and Negitoro Don. They also have daily specials available depending on their fish availability. This can be found secretly on the whiteboard towards the back of the restaurant.
I would recommend showing up and putting your name down early because this restaurant is always packed at night.
Last year was the first time I visited this place. This is my girlfriend’s favourite place to eat sushi. Their presentation for food is theatrical, with dry ice making the appearance of the sushi extremely amusing. All their food is extremely fresh and food is being served by this sweet lady. The service at this restaurant is amazing. Everytime we visit this restaurant, they remember our order and make sure everything is perfect. When we visit, we order the Spicy Salmon and Sushi Combo, Salmon Oshi, and Beef Tataki. This place is the first place that we tried Beef Tataki and we fell in love with it. It is extremely refreshing, kind of like a beef carpaccio, but with a light ponzu sauce over a bed of greens and onions. We have tried Beef Tataki at other restaurants but it is not the same.
The aesthetic at this restaurant is very pleasing with the dark walls and modern design. It almost seems like somewhere a community gathers for large potlucks. I would recommend this restaurant if you want to impress someone but are on a budget.
If you are on a budget and looking for an authentic omakase experience, this place is the right place. For around $75 per person, you get an exquisite 15 course tasting menu with some of the freshest seafood in BC. They also offer fresh seafood imported from Japan for an added price. Compared to other omakase restaurants, this is relatively cheap. I brought my girlfriend here for her birthday and they had an intimate dining experience with a total of four seats at the bar and an additional table for a larger party. Their appetizers are creative and I have never had anything like them before. This place was the first place I tried Chawanmushi (steamed egg in dashi broth) and it was delicious.
If you enjoy sushi in Vancouver, this is a staple sushi restaurant. It has been around for as long as I can remember. It is so iconic that whenever family and friends come from out of town, they always ask to visit this restaurant. Their menu is relatively cheap considering the quantity and quality of the food you get. Although inflation has hit most restaurants, the portions at Sushi Garden have pretty much stayed the same in comparison the previous years. The sashimi comes in large quantities and is cheaper than most sushi restaurants given the portion size. Other memorable items include the: Spicy Chopped Scallop Roll, Sashimi and Sushi Combo, Dyska Roll (shrimp tempura in an Alaska roll), and the House Roll.
As a sushi lover, these restaurants are close to my heart. They are places that I enjoy going frequently and don’t break the bank!
Now I am craving sushi, and have weeks to go before I am back in Vancouver.
Itosugi Kappo Cuisine looks like quite an extraordinary experience.
My two favourite sushi restaurants in Vancouver are Applause Japanese Restaurant on Oak St and Kibune Sushi in Kitslano.
Will have to give some of your favourites a try.