In a city boasting hundreds of sushi eateries, how do you choose where to go? Here are a few moderately priced joints loved by neighborhood locals. Perfect for a simple mid-week sushi fix.
Mount Pleasant:
Toshi’s – If you can bear the wait, the droves of regulars who return to Toshi’s will tell you that the food is well worth it. Well-priced, good quality eats in a very cozy little spot.
Zipang – Intimate room with a homey, retro feel. Sushi is solid. Extensive menu extends beyond your typical sushi takeout options – always a treat to try out okonomiyaki and takoyaki when it’s offered!
Kerrisdale:
Tokyo Thyme – Fresh, innovative sushi and cooked items. Our favourite: a take on the sunomono salad, reinvented as a delightfully refreshing roll.
Ajisai – Top notch sushi, and while the incredibly extensive menu may look daunting at first, a closer read reveals many are simply slight variations of one item, providing you with almost every possible combination in a roll or cone that you may or may not have wished for. Standout items are the special inari and sushi cones, as we witnessed order after order being expertly plated up on a busy Friday evening.
Downtown:
Sushi Mart – Fish is always fresh with daily features on the menu. Service is efficient. Dine at the large communal table and bond with your table mates over a thermos of self-serve green tea.
Commercial Drive:
Kishimoto – Skip past the several sushi takeaways sprinkled along the Drive in between dollar pizza joints, and head straight to this unexpectedly elegant sit-down restaurant. The food: a slightly more elegant approach to izakaya in both flavours and presentation.