Here you will find a wide selection of the dim sum staples such as freshly steamed har gow (shrimp dumplings, pictured below), sticky rice wraps, and warm congee soup with classic add-ins (also pictured below). Or, if you like exploring deeper into deliciousness, go for more adventurous dim sum variations like chewy mushroom dumplings or crunchy bean curd and shrimp rolls.

The dining room is large and bright, with all the fixings necessary for a big Chinese wedding banquet (which do happen here quite often). You can expect a bit of a wait on Saturday mornings (as with most popular dim sum places), but with their decently priced menu and large selection of tasty dim sum, Fraser Court is a terrific place to take friends and family. Check out Fraser Court to sample some very competently prepared Chinese cuisine and experience a great Vancouver take on Chinese Canadian contemporary culture.

Har gow (shrimp dumplings) from Fraser Court dim sum seafood Chinese restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

More dumplings from Fraser Court dim sum Chinese food restaraunt in Vancouver BC Canada. Great seafood!

Bean curd and shrimp roll Chinese Dimsum from Fraser Court restaurant in east Vancouver BC Canada.

Chinese dim sum Sticky Rice from Fraser Court Seafood restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Chinese style Congee from Fraser Court Chinese restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

The good sized and pleasant dining room of Whole Vegetarian is where you’ll find truly delicious Chinese vegetarian dishes, from the crispy and munchable Chef’s Special Chow Mein with imitation seafood (that tastes like the real thing!) to the creative and adventurous Seaweed and Soft Bean Curd Rolls.

Following the principles of traditional Buddhist-style vegetarian cooking, no garlic or onion is used in any of the dishes, but after the first bite you’ll discover that these kitchen restrictions have no effect on the overall flavor of these delightful dishes. My favorites such as the Sweet and Sour Pineapple Delight (a vegan-friendly version of the conventional sweet and sour pork) are always super fresh and mighty flavorful.

This inspired vegetarian restaurant fits in perfectly with the eclectic mix of dining options along the increasingly hip and trendy Main Street. With Whole Vegetarian’s great selection of large and affordable family-style dishes (all less than $15), the restaurant squarely hits the mark for Vancouverites and lucky visitors in-the-know. Here the tasty and satisfying eats might even fool a meat-eater’s eyes, while appealing to appetites of all persuasions.

Sweet and Sour Pineapple Delight (vegan) from Whole Vegetarian Cuisine restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada (Main Street).

Chef's Special Chow Mein (vegan, with simulated seafood) from Whole Vegetarian Cuisine, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver BC Canada.

Another great Chinese vegetarian / vegan dish from Whole Vegetarian Chinese food restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver BC Canada.

About the Authors
Tony from RealMenEatGreen contributed to this article. Tony is a Vancouver based writer/blogger on masculinity, food, health, and man boobs.

This article was edited by Geoff from geoffmobile. Geoff also lives in Vancouver and leads a busy life as a software developer, video editor, and food enthusiast.

In the meantime you can read what Vancouver Foodster had to say (click here to read Vancouver Foodster’s review).

Authentic Italian Pizza from the Bibo Italian Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

But in the meantime, we still have Congee Noodle House. This voluminous dining room is brightly lit and is full of clean but well-used tables and an efficient and experienced kitchen and wait staff. Come here late (until 2:00 am most nights!) and enjoy some decent and tasty Chinese dishes. Our favorites are the various offerings of Chinese congee – a porridge-like boiled rice soup that can be served plain (as pictured below), when it is mostly flavorless but incredibly comforting, detoxifying and warm, or with delights added such as assorted seafood, Chinese mushroom, beef, pork, duck, or egg. For complementary dishes, check out the crispy tofu and the green beans with pork (also pictured below).

This restaurant is one of the few options in the neighborhood for nourishing food in the wee hours after midnight. Another good choice would be Foundation (2301 Main St) just a short walk down Main. But of course both Congee Noodle House and Foundation make great destinations for lunch or dinner too. Eat on, Vancouver!

Plain congee garnished with green onion from Congee Noodle House Chinese Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Spicy Green Beans with pork from Congee Noodle House, a great Chinese restaurant in Vancouver Canada.

Crispy tofu from Congee Noodle House in Vancouver BC Canada, a wonderful Chinese restaurant in Mt. Pleasant.

Most people order take out from here, but there are also some comfortable bar stools along the side counters which are perfect for a quick sit-down bite.

While most items are around $5 to $6, their biggest platter – the Shawarma Falafel (pictured below) – is just over $10 and features the works: a salad, hummus, tatziki, rice, tender Shawerma chicken, and several tasty falafels. Hot sauce is optional but highly recommended!

Falafel Shawerma platter from Aladdin Cafe in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

Close up of the chicken in the Middle-Eastern Chicken Shawerma Falafel platter from Aladdin Cafe.

Another photo of the Chicken Shawerma Falafel platter from Aladdin restaurant on Robson Street, Vancouver.

Pictured below is the enchilada platter I ordered, which is presented in a totally appetizing way that reminds me of a purposeful chaos or even a cacophony of delectable ingredients. Prices at the Naam are quite reasonable with most dishes in the $9 to $15 range.

Enchilada platter from the Naam vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Tempeh Reuben veggie burger platter from the Naam restaurant in Kitsilano Vancouver BC Canada.

Interior of the Naam vegetarian restaurant in Kitsilano Vancouver BC Canada (open 24 hours).

Kitsilano (map, 3005 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-734-3005), Broadway (map, 820 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-731-6333), and Denman (map, 1096 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-683-3333).

Banana Leaf’s website explains more about Malaysian Cuisine:

Malaysian fare isn’t about a singular distinctive taste, but about diversity, with a blend of culinary inspiration from India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Eurasia, and Malaysia’s indigenous population. It combines the best of South East Asia, from India’s roti canai, Singapore’s laksa, to China’s Hainanese chicken rice, creating a menu that is a delight to try.

Visitors have many good things to say about Banana Leaf. Rasputin45 writes on the restaurant review site Dinehere.ca:

Banana Leaf is good for almost any occasion. It’s probably our most reliable favorite, a great place to take out of town guests and go for a regular night out with your family as well. At roughly 12 – 20 dollars an entree, it’s a fantastic value as well, especially in the Kits zone of overpriced fare. Our favorites? roti canai, the rendang beef, the lamb dish, sambal green beans, Tofu in Assam sauce, and sayur Lemak.

Pictured below are some dishes I enjoyed when I visited their Kitsilano location earlier this year. A great appetizer or side dish is the Roti Canai, an Indian-influenced puffy bread served with a wonderful rich curry sauce. Also shown is a Malaysian vegetable curry dish (Sayur Lemak) as well as the Nasi Goreng: fried rice with beef, shrimp, egg, tomato, onion and green beans.

I’m looking forward to visiting Banana Leaf again sometime soon.

Roti Canai bread from Banana Leaf Malaysian restaurant in Kitsilano Vancouver BC Canada.

Sayur Lemak Malaysian Vegetable Curry from Banana Leaf restaurant in Kits Vancouver BC Canada.

Nasi Goreng from Banana Leaf Malaysian restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada - Malaysian fried rice with beef, shrimp, egg, tomato, onion and green beans.

Restaurant interior at Banana Leaf Malaysian Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

It’s amazingly open (and busy) 24 hours!

I really enjoyed the spicy green beans, the Seafood Congee, and the silverfish, which I show in the video below. Total price for a large and satisfying meal for two people came out to around $23 dollars, which is a pretty good deal.

Video from No. 9 Restaurant

Congee Soup from No.9 Restaurant in Richmond BC Canada

It’s a hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant on the edge of Yaletown that is popular for take-out but also has a few tables for eating in.

I ordered a bunch of my favorite items including the miso soup, ebi sunomono salad, chopped scallop roll, nigiri sushi (tamago, inari and ikura), and an unagi cone. My friend ordered the vegetarian bento box and an avocado roll.

Everything was really good, but one note is that the rice on the chopped scallop roll seemed not quite as fluffy as I usually like. But in general I have been happy with the quality of food at Yamato and the prices are quite reasonable for the downtown area (my meal including tax and tip came to $19).

I live in the area and Yamato is a place where I often bring my friends, who are visiting from other parts of the Lower Mainland.

I made a video of our food (that’s pretty appetizing I think) and you can watch it on Youtube (or on Blip.tv) or use the player below. Until next time, hope you enjoy the many amazing restaurants in Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver / BC Lower Mainland area.

Ebi Sunomono Salad from Yamato Sushi Japanese restaurant on Davie Street in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

Chopped Scallop roll and assorted sushi from Yamato Sushi Japanese restaurant on Davie Street in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.

The restaurant has very reasonable prices, and quite fresh ingredients. [On my visit in 2008] I enjoyed the Tako Sunomono (octopus, $3.25, pictured below), the Alaska Roll ($3.75, also pictured below), and the Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Roll ($3.95, pictured below). I also added two pieces of nigiri sushi, the Tamago (egg) and Inari (sweet bean curd wrapper), which were only $1 each.

The restaurant also caters to vegetarians, with a good selection of vegetarian rolls (also pictured below). For more info and another photo, view Part 1.

Update: Jan. 24th 2010. I visited Sushi California again and made a video of my visit. Watch on Youtube or use the player below.

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese sushi roll ($3.95) and Tamago and Inari nigiri sushi ($1 each)

Tako sunomono (octopus salad with rice noodles and sweet vinegar broth) – $3.25

Japanese Vegetarian sushi rolls at Sushi California

More of the sushi feast. Delicious Japanese food!! The total bill per person before tax and tip was only $12.95.

Visitors on yelp.ca write glowing reviews about Ma Dang Coul’s “truly homestyle cooking”, the “best kimchee in all of Vancouver”, and describe the restaurant and food as “inexpensive, tasty, warm and welcoming”. My friend who lives two blocks away goes there regularly, and I was really happy when he introduced me to Madangcoul.

I ordered a combination meal of a Korean tofu soup (pictured below) and Bulgogi pork (also pictured below). It was served with all the usual side dishes – my favorite being the caramelised sweet potato (pictured below), the seaweed, and the kim-chee. The combo came to around $15 which was quite reasonable for the amount of food. I’ll definitely go back to enjoy a comforting meal at Ma Dang Coul when I’m in the area!

Korean tofu soup from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Bulgogi Pork from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant on Denman Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Korean condiments (caramelized sweet potatoes) and chopsticks from Madangcoul Korean Restaurant.

Popular with the after-bar crowd, Tsui Hang is open very late at night (even until 3 or 4 in the morning – but be sure to call them to confirm) and gets busy with talkative night-clubbers recovering from an evening dancing and imbibing.

The airy dining room is well lit and nicely maintained with some beautiful oriental vases displayed high above the dining room floor. Upon overhearing me remarking to my friend on the vases, the waiter interjected that they are “not real”. But although the decorative vases may be imitations, the food at Tsui Hang is definitely the real thing. If you’re a fan of Chinese seafood dishes, you’ll appreciate the menu (which is quite extensive and has a variety of vegetarian items too).

We ordered the Sauteed Rock Cod Fillets ($14.50, pictured below) and the Mixed Seafood Chow Mein ($13.50, also pictured below). The food was really tasty, the fish tender and enveloped in a delectable and nuanced sauce – even receiving positive comments from my dining companion who is of Asian descent. We also ordered a bowl of steamed rice ($2.00) which was quite large and nicely accompanied the two dishes.

Looking for something quick and on-the-go? Tsui Hang also has a take out window facing Davie Street which offers specials like sweet and sour pork on rice and chow mein for around $5.00.

Sauteed Rock Cod Fillets ($14.50) from Tsui Hang Village Chinese Restaurant on Granville Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Mixed Seafood Chow Mein ($13.50) from Tsui Hang Village Restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada (Granville Entertainment district).

Another shot of the same Mixed Seafood Chow Mein dish from Tsui Hang Chienese Restaurant on Granville Street in Vancouver.

Their location in Burnaby (map, #201-4361 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, phone: 604-439-8882) is about a 5 minute walk from the Patterson Skytrain station.

Fish on Rice’s Vancouver restaurant (map, 1414 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, phone: 604-732-0112) is located at Broadway and Hemlock (one block from Granville), and has a patio.

“All you can eat” sushi is a very popular phenomenon in Vancouver, and Fish on Rice does it well. The Japanese buffet at Fish and Rice costs $11.95 for lunch (served from 11am to 2:30pm) or $20.95 for dinner (served between 4:30pm and 10:30pm). Their happy hour ($13.95) is between 4:30pm and 6pm.

At Fish on Rice, similar to other All You Can Eat places in town, you make your order by writing desired quantities next to items on a little piece of paper. Pass the paper to your server, and the food will start arriving as it’s ready. Take care: if you write an order that’s too large, the food will just keep coming! Or if you didn’t order enough, you can request more forms when you need them.

At the Burnaby location, there are many large private tatami booths with inset tables (where you take your shoes off to dine while sitting on cushions) – these are great for large groups or families. There are also a bunch of regular booths and tables for couples or smaller parties.

Below are some pictures of the delicious sushi and other Japanese items we ordered. Note that the restaurant serves all the popular kinds of sushi such as California Roll and BC Roll, but being sushi aficionados we ordered a bunch of less common items to explore the large and varied menu.

Nigiri Sushi pieces from Fish On Rice Japanese Cuisine Restaurant

Assorted Tuna and Salmon Sashimi from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (all you can eat) in Burnaby BC Canada.

Teriyaki Vegetables from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (AYCE sushi) in Burnaby BC Canada

Vegetarian Udon Noodles from Fish on Rice Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby BC Canada (All You Can Eat).

Inari (sweet bean curd wrapper) nigiri sushi (from Fish on Rice All You Can Japanese Cuisine in Burnaby)

Vegetable Tempura (pictured in front) plus other assorted Japanese dishes (from Fish on Rice Japanese All you can eat buffet restaurant).

My friend A.C. lives in the Port Moody area, and I asked him to give me a before-dinner tour of this quiet suburb of Vancouver.  We walked down by the railroad tracks north of the restaurant into Moody Centre, an eclectic and historic shopping district. Many small independent shops and several art galleries can be found, living up to Port Moody’s reputation as a city of arts and culture.

The city is also situated in a beautiful natural environment, perfect for outdoor activities. Visitor information about the city of Port Moody can be found on the official web site, which says:

Port Moody has something for every member of the family. With over 27 kilometres of waterfront, water sports such as boating, sailing and kayaking are popular. We also have trails from easy boardwalk strolls to strenuous mountain hikes.

Little Thailand Restaurant has been getting excellent reviews on the website Dinehere.ca, including mapia who writes (click here to read review):

We started with the fresh lemonade and loved the cool and sweet/tart taste. We ordered spring rolls, a small tom kah gai, and (the main event) chicken and prawn pad thai. Hubby (a pad thai virgin) enjoyed every bite. The soup was spicy and delicious. The spring rolls were crisp and not too greasy. The portions were plentiful enough to feed us both to the brim.

We also ordered the Pad Thai (pictured below, $12.95). It was a generous portion and had a great combination of flavors: sweet (as some sugar is added), spicy (chili pepper), salty (fish sauce), and slightly tart (lime juice). The large prawn placed on top was an appealing way to present the dish.

Another dish we ordered was an Indian-influenced Thai curry with chicken and potatoes ($12.95, pictured below) which went well with a bowl of rice ($2.00). For a refreshing drink, we tried the mango juice ($2.50) – a bit watery, but good nevertheless.

If you are lucky to live in the Port Moody area, I’d definitely recommend checking out Little Thailand Restaurant. But visitors to Greater Vancouver without a vehicle may find it difficult to get out to the area from downtown (it’s about a 30-45 minute drive). It is possible to take transit (via the skytrain to Lougheed Mall station and then the 97 B-Line bus up North Road).

Hopefully our local and provincial governments will make the Evergreen Line a reality. It’s the proposed Skytrain transit line which will link Vancouver and Burnaby with Port Moody and Coquitlam. According to the Provincial Government’s web site:

Construction of the Evergreen Line is anticipated to begin in late 2010 and be completed in 4 years.

The proposed Port Moody station on the Evergreen Line is very close to Little Thailand Restaurant.

Happy travels, and keep enjoying Greater Vancouver’s restaurants!

-Geoff Peters

Indian Thai Curry with Potatoes and Chicken ($12.95) from Little Thailand Restaurant in Port Moody, BC, Canada.

Pad Thai ($12.95) - a national dish of Thailand, served at Little Thailand Restaurant in Port Moody, BC, Canada.

Andale’s has been serving up quality Mexican and Spanish cuisine in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver for as long as I can remember. Fifteen years ago (when I was still a kid), I used to make trips here with my grandmother, a big fan of flamenco dancing. At that time Andale’s had regular live music and flamenco dance.

The flamenco shows took place after my bedtime in those days, but recently I attended a flamenco performance at the Vancouver Fringe Festival (an annual festival of independent theatre in Vancouver). I can understand how my grandmother was enthralled by the rhythm, motion, virtuosity, and inherent danger of the physically demanding dance. Check out this beautiful flamenco video by Polish guitarist Przemyslaw Haluszczak (musician’s bio):

While Andale’s may not be putting on flamenco shows these days, the restaurant is still the same as I remember it – decor complete with white stucco walls, sombreros hung cheerfully amongst pinatas and neon signs for Dos Equis, and colorful handmade blankets fashioned as tablecloths.

The menu has stayed relatively constant over the years with items such as the taco salad (enormous!), enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and fajitas. Vegetarian options are available, and there are plenty of non-vegetarian items as well.

Pictured below is the Seafood Quesadilla ($14.95), a large flour tortilla filled with chili, cheese, and assorted seafood, then grilled and served with ranchero sauce, sour cream, beans, and salad. It was a satisfying and generous meal.

If you head over to Food Vancouver, you can print out a coupon for Andale’s that will give you a half price entree (“buy one item, get 2nd one at half price”).

Seafood Quesadilla ($14.95) from Andale's Mexican and Spanish restaurant in Kitsilano, Vancouver BC Canada.

View from the back of a BC Ferry

BC Ferries take passengers around beautiful British Columbia (BC) Canada by sea. Start off in bustling and cosmopolitan Vancouver, and ride the ferry over to Vancouver Island. On the island you’ll find Victoria, the capital city of BC and a popular tourist destination.

Looking for a longer trip further off the beaten path? Visit the smaller towns on the Island such as Tofino, Ucluelet, Naniamo, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay, and more. The ferries will also take you to the serene and scenic Gulf Islands.

This summer I left the mainland quite a few times, and fortunately for me, there is food service available on board the ferries and in the terminal cafeterias.

Pictured below is some sushi and a ham sandwich (around $10) purchased from the Bread Garden cafeteria at the Swartz Bay Terminal. I bought it while I was waiting in line to go back to Vancouver (incidentally after playing a piano gig in Victoria with vocalist Peggy Hogan’s group – live recording here).

I am a little hesitant to admit that after my 4th ferry trip this summer I started developing a taste for – or rather, an addiction to – the Bread Garden sushi. It is now one of my favorite items offered by the BC Ferries food service – but sushi aficionados will tell you that is a far cry from what you can find in most land-based sushi restaurants in Vancouver or Victoria. One upside about the Bread Garden sushi is that a generous amount of wasabi and pickled ginger is provided, as well as chopsticks.

I put together a short travel video (accessible in the player below, or on Youtube) from a trip I took last year on BC Ferries from Vancouver to Victoria. The video shows some of the food and shopping available at the Tsawassen Terminal and sunset views of the Gulf Islands taken from the ferry itself.

The music in the video is my jazz band, the Geoff Peters Trio, performing live at Cactus Club in West Vancouver on New Years Eve 2007. I (Geoff Peters) was playing piano and joining me was Mark White (bass) and Brennan Saul (drums).

For more ferry food, check out my photo of the salmon entree from the on-board BC Ferries White Spot cafeteria, or the smoked salmon bagel I had at the BC Ferries Tsawassen Terminal (on the Vancouver side). Happy sailing!

BC Ferries Bread Garden Sushi (California roll, around $5)

Ham and swiss sandwich from the BC Ferries Cafeteria (around $5.00)

Toyama has been getting good reviews from visitors on the website DineHere.ca (click here to read), including galvinkuo2 who writes:

We really like this place and are considered regulars. Food is always fresh and very tasty. This is the best place for the price you can find in Downtown, too bad they don’t have all you can eat sashimi during lunch time, But Our suggestion is to go for a lunch all you can eat menu option. We always go for a lot of salmon sushi since this is the best place to get it. And of course the Oyster Motoyaki are “the must try” and the New stuff “BBQ Korean Pork” spicy and tasty!!

Pictured below are some of the items we ordered. I’m definitely going to go back to Toyama Sushi, maybe even on a regular basis!

Nigiri sushi from Toyama Japanese Restaurant

Sushi cones from Toyama Sushi - All You Can Eat Japanese restaurant downtown

Alaska roll and chopped scallop roll sushi

Assorted sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Chinese/Japanese food

Assorted Nigiri Sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Sushi restaurant downtown.

From a recent press release by H-Mart Online:

As you enter the store, your eyes are greeted with a foyer full of small electrics, including rice steamers and griddles. From there, you enter a world of household necessities including ‘Joy Gloves.’ Which brings up a point. Some product names just don’t come through translation to have the same impact in English as they did in their native country’s language.

[...] The prepared foods are tasty as well. The kim-chee from the refrigerator case is top notch, as are the fried beef and sesame chicken. In the freezers are everything from squid and octopus to red bean ice cream. Try some of the gyoza or steamed dumplings for a treat. There are also frozen ducks in the case labeled ‘duck, parts missing.’ It’s best to not think too hard about which parts are absent.

I really like their gyoza and kim-chee, as well as their prepackaged sushi which becomes discounted near the end of the day.

But a little-known feature of this grocery store is the food court that is at the north side facing Robson street. Here you can get a variety of popular Korean dishes such as the spicy tofu soup, spicy beef broth, seafood pancake, and many more (menu shown below).

I tried the Item #5 which is described as “Mixed Vegetables and Rice in a Stone Hot Pot” ($8.50, pictured below) – it is called Bibimbap in Korean.

The ingredients are arranged artfully on rice in a super-hot stone bowl, and it’s up to you to mix them up and wait a couple minutes for everything to cook.

In the photos below I’ve shown what the dish looks like before and after mixing the ingredients. It tasted fabulous – the combination of rice, egg, vegetables, and meat was quite filling and satisfying but also was non-greasy and seemed healthy.

The stone bowl remains piping hot for a long time; after resting my chopsticks on it for a minute the wood became almost too hot to touch. The dish is served with some kim-chee (spicy Korean pickled cabbage) and a warm soup broth with green onions.

After enjoying Item #5 for a second time, I’ve decided to make the H-Mart Korean Supermarket one of my regular dining spots. Visiting the food fair is like taking a mini vacation to Korea – most of the other patrons seem to be talking in Korean, and many of the signs are in both Korean and English.

Bibimbap Korean food ($8.50) from H-Mart Market in Vancouver BC Canada - before mixing the ingredients.

Korean Bibimbap dish after mixing the ingredients in the hot stone bowl.

H-Mart Korean Food Fair Menu, located on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver.

Beyond Robson has a review of the H-Mart food court from 2007.

I made a visit to Urban Sushi on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver and enjoyed their Chirashi Don sushi (pictured in video below, $11.95) which their menu describes as “various raw fishes on top of sushi rice”. My friend Yang ordered the Oshinko Roll (Japanese pickle) and the Dynamite Roll ($3.95).

The Chirashi Don sushi was really delicious and I had fun making a video of the food (which you can see on Youtube by clicking here or by using the player below).

Urban Sushi is located in the downtown Vancouver business district and is a short walk from Vancouver’s cruise ship terminal (Canada Place), the new Vancouver Trade and Convention centre, and the Granville Skytrain station. The room is pleasant and efficient with long tables and big windows overlooking the Louis Vuitton store across the street.

The restaurant offers sushi delivery/catering service (for orders $50 and up), to nearby offices and apartments. Check out their web site for more details.

Urban Sushi in downtown Vancouver BC Canada (Business district). Chirashi Don bowl sushi $11.95.

Recently opened in the former location of the Prima Taste Singaporean restaurant in Vancouver, Junsei River serves many of the favorite items you can expect to find at a Vancouver Japanese restaurant. Items include sushi, Teriyaki, tempura, sashimi, salads, and cones. The restaurant is a-la-carte, and the portions are of decent size and reasonably priced. Vancouver has such a high standard of sushi restaurants, and I found Junsei River to be in keeping with most downtown sushi places.

Running a restaurant must be a tough business, especially the first few months after a restaurant has opened. The restaurant needs to establish a regular clientele, a good reputation, and impress their guests so that they will keep coming back. I think it is better to give a brand new restaurant some time and a chance to figure things out before pronouncing it “good” or “bad”; unfortunately some of the reviews that I read on the community review dining guide site www.dinehere.ca are a tad negative!

But never fear, my experience at the restaurant was a good one. We went on a Saturday afternoon after visiting the Vancouver Public Library book sale, and sat at one of the tables near the large windows. The restaurant has some very appetizing photos of their food on the wall, and these helped me decide on a few items.

I ordered an Ebi Sunomono salad – my favorite – ($3.25, pictured below), which is a cold vermicelli noodle salad in a sweet tangy vinegar and sugar broth, topped with some generous butterflied prawns. It was definitely up to snuff, but I could have enjoyed a bit more noodle in the salad.

I then tried the Cone Combo ($6.25, also pictured below) which included a spicy salmon cone, an imitation crab meat cone, and a tuna cone. The cones are stuffed with sushi rice and topped with seafood wrapped in the slightly salty nori (roasted seaweed). I ate them so quickly I don’t even remember what they were like – my only memory is a brief moment of pleasure while the seaweed stuck to my tongue, the cold and yummy seafood, followed by the satisfying sticky rice.

To finish off this light lunch, I enjoyed the 1/2 Kishu Roll ($5.00, also pictured below), which tasted fresh and had a great combination of crab meat, egg (tamago), fish cake, cucumber, salmon, Japanese pickle, and masago (smelt roe).

I love big sushi rolls filled with lots of interesting ingredients. There are very few foods that that can make me feel as healthy and satisfied as sushi. However, if I was being picky, I would have noted that the rolls were not entirely tightly packed with filling, with a few “air holes” in the sushi next to the edge of the roll. This minor mistake didn’t stand in my way of enjoying the sushi rolls.

The service was fine, and the restaurant was not very busy. I’ll give Junsei River another visit sometime, as their location is really convenient for me.

There is also another new Japanese restaurant across the street from the Telus building just one block away, and I’m going to try that one too! Can Vancouverites ever get tired of sushi?

Ebi Sunomono Salad from Junsei River Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada ($3.25)

Cone combo (Japanese sushi food), from Junsei River Japanese Restaurant ($6.25)

1/2 Kishu Roll from Junsei River Japanese Restaurant (Vancouver), $5.00

Another shot of the Japanese Sushi Cone Combo from Junsei Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Another shot of the 1/2 Kishu Roll from Junsei River Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.

Where.ca writes (click here to read review):

Butterknife-tender roast lamb and crusty whole-wheat pizza are the specialties in this traditional Greco-Roman family restaurant.

Located in the heart of the trendy Kitsilano neighborhood, Simpatico is nestled amongst many interesting independent shops ranging from clothing and fashion to hobbies and pets. Simpatico is about 5 blocks up the hill from the popular Kits Beach (English Bay), which the Vancouver Parks Board describes as:

Kitsilano Beach: a happening place geared for the younger set (teens to thirties) with a lovely outlook spanning from open bay, to North Shore mountains to Stanley Park

At Simpatico Restaurant, we were greeted by a friendly server who guided us to a table with a blue checkered tablecloth by the window. The main dining room is bright and airy with several skylights, and a large number of healthy plants all around the room. The couple next to us were speaking Greek and there was a large well-dressed family group at another table who were having a great time.

My friend and I both ordered the same thing: the Lamb Souvlakia (pictured below) which came with Greek salad, rice, potatoes, and a skewer of premium lamb garnished with fresh herbs. The dish was a reasonable $13.99 and was quite a generous portion.

I’ll definitely be back to try their pizza, which the server said is one of their specialties.

Lamb Souvlakia ($13.99) from Simpatico Greek Restaurant in Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

A closeup shot of the Lamb Souvlaki from Simpatico Greek Restaurant in Kitsilano, Vancouver.

For more photos please view Part 3, Part 2, or Part 1.

“all you can eat”
sushi buffet

Here are the dishes and items featured in the video:

wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
green tea
chopsticks
ebi sunomono (shrimp and vermicelli salad)
tuna tataki (cooked on outside)
spinach gomae (with sesame paste)
miso soup
raw oysters (kaki pon)
assorted sashimi (raw fish)
tuna and salmon
spicy salmon sashimi
salmon teriyaki
agedashi tofu
oyster motoyaki (baked)
prawn tempura
nigiri sushi
maki sushi (rolls)
Alaska roll
California roll (very popular)
BC Roll (salmon + skin)
futomaki + seafood cones
yam tempura roll
chopped scallop cones
Abalone sushi (rare)

Click above to view Tomokazu Japanese Restaurant (Video) from Vancouver, BC, Canada

KimHo has some nice photos online, which you can view by clicking here, and writes, “Food was better than expected, despite my crazy comments about the rolls, sushi and sashimi”.

I had a huge feast: ordered the Sashimi Dinner ($18.95) and shared a spicy tuna roll and gyoza with a friend ($1.48 each). My total bill came to $21.91 before tax and tip, and I was really full. Two of my friends say they come here every week and always order the sushi boat (which looks incredible and costs around $40, but that’s for two people so again it’s a good deal).

This restaurant is extremely easy to get to, even from downtown Vancouver. Hop on the Skytrain and head out to the New Westminster station (about 25 minutes). Walk east down the stairs off the platform, and look across the street (8th street), and you’ll see it. The restaurant is quite large inside, tidy, and is complete with a small fountain and some private booths/tatami rooms.

Below are some pictures I took of the food, using my wide angle lens this time.

Sashimi dinner (also included ebi sunomono, tempura, miso soup, and dessert).

Japanese Gyoza and spicy tuna roll from Ki Sushi in New Westminister.

Ebi Sunomono salad and Miso Soup

Some more sushi rolls from Ki Sushi in New West.

Tempura from Ki Sushi in New Westminister BC Canada.

Spicy Tuna roll from Ki Sushi in New Westminster BC.

Another photo of the Sashimi Dinner from Ki Sushi (formerly Kirin Sushi) in New Westminster.

For more photos and info please view Part 3, Part 2, or Part 1.

Video from Sushi Town:

Uni sushi (sea urchin, $2.50), Ikura sushi (salmon roe, $1.80), Sashimi ($13.95) from Sushi Town restaurant in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Assorted Sashimi from Sushi Town ($13.95) in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Soft shell crab ($6.95) from Sushi Town in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Mangodise Roll ($4.95) and Spider Roll ($6.95) from Sushi Town in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Awesome Roll from Sushi Town ($6.95) in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Another pic of the Awesome Roll

Seafood Sunomono ($3.75) from Sushi Town in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Miso Soup from Sushi Town ($1.00). Had some egg in it!

The restaurant is run by mostly Japanese students who are very efficient at serving big lineups quickly. Fast food is the name of the game here – Ebi Ten seems to have taken a cue from McDonalds and if there is a big line, someone might take your order while you are still in line, so that when you get to the cashier your food will soon be ready.

Pictured below is some of the ready-made sushi that is available in the refrigerated display case at the entrance to the restaurant. A roll such as the ones pictured costs in the range of $1.75 to $3.00 depending on the type. I really like the Ebi Ten Roll (pictured below) and the Tuna Avocado Roll (also pictured below). Other fun treats to try are the Takoyaki, the battered and deep fried octopus balls which are served with a topping of mayonnaise (not pictured), and the green Seaweed Salad (pictured below) which has a delicate, slightly salty flavor and is a little bit chewy.

Ebi Ten Japanese Restaurant is within walking distance of the major theatres such as the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Playhouse, as well as the sports stadiums (GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium), making it a good place to go to grab a quick bite before a concert, theatre play, or game.

Don’t expect haute cuisine here – the food is simply cheap, fast, filling, and can satisfy a sushi or teriyaki craving.

For more photos and info please view: Part 1, Part 2.

Tuna and Avocado Roll Sushi from Ebi Ten Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver BC Canada.

Ebi Ten Roll (around $3) from Ebi Ten Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Seaweed Salad from Ebi Ten Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

hisashi_rocks, a reviewer on Menuism, writes (click here to read review):

They may not have the best sushi ever but they have the best affordable sushi in town. Some people probably prefer Sushi Garden to this one but not me. One of my favourites.

I visited on a friend’s recommendation and I was impressed by the generosity of the portions, especially the Sashimi for One Person, which was gigantic and good quality ($12, pictured below). Other dishes we ate are also pictured below. I’ll definitely visit Asakusa again soon.

Tako sunomono ($3.50) from Asakusa Japanese restaurant in Burnaby

Sushi from Asakusa Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby

Sashimi for One Person ($12.00) from Asakusa in Burnaby

More sushi from Asakusa Japanese Restaurant near Metrotown.

Miso soup ($1.00) and tea from Asakusa Japanese restaurant in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

eastvanstones, a reviewer on DineHere.ca writes (click here to read review):

The chicken enchiladas with verde sauce are exactly like they are in a local place in small town Mexico. Others have had the burritos and salads and are always happy.

The atmoshpere is good too with the cheesy Mexican soaps and gameshows on the TV, and the service is decent – the woman who runs the place is always smiling and happy, even though her English is limited.

Pictured below is the Chicken Enchilada that I ate (for around $9), which I thought was really tasty. I went with a large group of coworkers and we agreed that it was a satisfying Mexican lunch. The place is decorated in a simple style that reminds me of some of the inexpensive but honestly-good restaurants in Mexico I visited which were mainly frequented by locals.

Chicken Enchilada from Tacos Mexico Rico Mexican Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

dlxowhd, a reviewer on DineHere.ca writes (click here to read review):

simply put, this restaurant will give you the best bang for your buck.
just go and order sasimi and see it for yourself.
they are so huge that it makes you wonder how they make money.
this place is also very busy, therefore high turnover, so food (especially sushi and sasimi) is always fresh and tasty.
i love the ‘awesome’ roll and ‘red’ roll.. beef roll is also very good.
service is solid but can be improved.
i think waitresses are understaffed and they need to hire more waitresses..

For more photos and info, please view Part 2 or Part 1.

Dragon Roll ($5.50) and Red Roll ($4.95) from Sushi Town in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

House Roll ($4.95) from Sushi Town Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Awesome Roll sushi ($6.95) from the awesome Japanese restaurant Sushi Town in Burnaby, BC, Canada.

Seafood Sunomono salad ($3.75) from Sushi Town Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby BC Canada.

Miso Soup ($1.00) from Sushi Town in Burnaby BC Canada.

Rasputin45, a reviewer on Dinehere.ca writes (click here to read review):

Best rolls in town! We stop by here often when we are in the Main Street area. The seekh kebab (lamb sausage) roll is excellent and unlike anything else I have had in this city.

Mia Stainsby of the Vancouver Sun writes (click here to read article):

Predominantly takeout with lots of choices. Excellent value for tasty kebabs, tandoori dishes, curries, and wraps, all under $10.

You can view their menu and order online by clicking here. I tried some of their rolls, and I must say they are really delicious!!

Wraps from Tandoori Delight foods in Vancouver

More wraps from Tandoori Delight foods

Kababs from Tandoori Delight Foods

Indian food take out in Vancouver from Tandoori Delight Foods

I ordered one of their sushi combinations ($6.65, shown in video below) which included 4 pieces of Nigiri sushi, a California roll, and miso soup. It was presented nicely and tasted good.

For a direct link to the video I made, please click here. For some more photos please view Part 1.

Sushi combo ($6.65 including Miso Soup) from Yamato Sushi in Vancouver.

ak1951, a reviewer on DineHere.ca (click here to read review) writes:

Being a ‘peranakan’ and foodie, we were pleasantly surprised that the quality of food at this outlet surpassed that one could find in Singapore or Malaysia particularly, the prawn noodles, roti canai and the chilli crab.Therefore, I would strongly recommend anyone who wishes to relish authetic Malaysian food.

Restaurant is small and affords the staff and owner were very friendly and helpful.

The restaurant’s menu is available on their web site. We were a large group (7 people) and luckily the restaurant had room for us. Below are some pictures of the food we ordered. The first dish pictured is the Nasi Jambori ($14.90) which their menu describes as:

A must try! A merriment of three unique flavours! Sampler of chicken curry, beef rendang, prawn sambal on a platter with egg, side salad, pappadum cracker & jambori rice.

Prices are reasonable, with most dishes in the $9 to $12 range.

For a friend on a Gluten Free diet, the restaurant unfortunately only had one choice on the menu that she could eat. I was really satisfied with my Nasi Jambori.

My coworkers and I agree that the flavors of the dishes were excellent and that we’d like to visit Jonker St. Restaurant again!

Nasi Jambori from Jonker Street Malaysian Restaurant - Sampler of chicken curry, beef rendang, prawn sambal on a platter with egg, side salad, pappadum cracker & jambori rice. $14.90

Food from Jonker Street Malaysian Restaurant in downtown Vancouver

Curry from Jonker Street Malaysian Restaurant in Vancouver.

More Malaysian food.

Malaysian food in Vancouver

Even more Malaysian food

Malaysian Curry from Jonker Street Restaurant, Vancouver

The mall closes at 9pm most weekdays, and if you head down to the food court at around 7:30pm or 8pm you can fill up on some really cheap food, such as the “buy one get one free sushi” (pictured below) or a heaping plate of Chinese fast food for $5.  The sushi pictured in the video below was $10 for everything, including all-you-can-drink Miso Soup.

The food court has sleek, modern decor with cool lighting and funky chairs.

Ebi (shrimp) sushi, salmon, tuna, and unagi (BBQ eel) from Pacific Centre mall food court.

The food court has sleek, modern decor with cool lighting and neat chairs.

California Roll from Pacific Centre food court in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

My family always goes there for big get-togethers and it is always a marvellous feast that satisfies everyone. This time, I brought my video camera along and took a video of the dishes as they arrived (see player below, or click here to view on Youtube). Because of the low light the video is kind of grainy, but you can get the idea!

Prices are affordable, within the $15 to $25 per person for a large banquet (or slighly more depending on how many crabs and seafood items you order).

Below I’ve also included photos of the crab and chicken hot pot that I took in my previous visit (see Part 1 of my review).

Chinese style hot and spicy crab from Ridge Garden Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Chicken and black fungus hot pot from Ridge Garden Chinese restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada

The restaurant has some great lunch specials which are $8.00 plus tax and tip, and include a salad, spring roll (with sweet plum dipping sauce), and a main course (such as a Thai curry dish) served with rice. Pictured below is the dish I ate, the pork with red curry paste, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, basil and coconut milk. It was really delicious!

The restaurant offers vegetarian versions of some of their curries, with Tofu instead of the meat, and they were also able to accomodate the special dietary needs of a person in our group requiring gluten-free foods. (For more information about Special Dietary Needs and restaurants in Vancouver be sure to check out Food Vancouver).

For more info please view Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1. Their menu is also available on their website.

Also check out this video made by the restaurant that describes how to make Thai Curry at home.

Pork with red curry paste, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, basil and coconut milk from Urban Thai Bistro in Vancouver.

My friend and I are definite sushi aficionados, having tried many awesome sushi restaurants in Vancouver. We were originally in the area to try the Japanese food at Toshi’s at Main and 16th, which has a great reputation. Unfortunately due to its popularity there was a huge lineup outside Toshi’s. My friend’s friend (who lives in the neighborhood) gave us a hot tip that there is a sushi place near Toshi’s just a few blocks north on Main Street. We walked around and the only one we saw was Nikkyu, so that had to be the place. We were in for a real treat!

As a food photographer I always appreciate restaurants which put extra care and detail into their presentation of the food. Attractive and creative presentation is something I only expect at high-end restaurants, where the portions can be tiny and the food becomes more like edible art.

Many Japanese restaurants in town go for quantity over quality, and while I do enjoy all-you-can-eat and gigantic roll places, I don’t mind splurging for aesthetics once in a while.

But I was pleasantly surprised by Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant when the food arrived – the obviously very fresh sushi was presented in a simply beautiful fashion, with no grain of rice out of place, and the sprinkling of masago on the rolls put the finishing touch on some miniature masterpieces (pictured below).

Here’s what we ordered (all pictured below): 4 Saba Sushi ($4.60), Mango Smoked Salmon California Roll ($5.95), Chopped Scallop Roll ($3.85), House Roll ($4.75), Q.E. Park Roll ($7.50) and 6 pieces Salmon Sashimi ($7.95). Looking at these photos makes me hungry again!

Beautiful sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Sushi rolls from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.

Saba sushi (Mackerel) from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.

Salmon sashimi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant.

Chopped scallop sushi and saba sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.

More delicious sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

I went for lunch at their location at Georgia and Seymour in downtown Vancouver, and enjoyed the Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla with Caesar Salad (pictured below, $10.99 before tax). The restaurant gets quite busy at lunch, and I think the chef didn’t have very much time for presenting the dish, because it wasn’t impeccably styled like you might find at a high-end restaurant. But the quesadillas tasted great, really satisfying, and I liked the home-made black bean salsa that they used (which had some corn niblets).

The chicken, chipotle mayo, black bean salsa and cheese were accompanied by an amazing sour cream cilantro sauce and some ordinary salsa. It was good value to get a half Caesar salad included in the price. I’ll definitely go back and order this again!

The restaurant is conveniently located within walking distance of Vancouver’s sports stadiums (GM Place Stadium and BC Place Stadium), as well as the Vancouver main library downtown and the Queen Elizabeth theatre. It is accessible by either the Stadium skytrain station or the Granville skytrain station.

White Spot is open for breakfast starting at 6:30am, and is popular for brunch and dinner as well.

For more info, check out my previous reviews: Part 4 – Kitsilano Location, Part 3 – BC Ferries, Part 2 – Salmon Burger, Part 1 – Chicken Gai Yang.

Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla & Caesar ($10.99) from White Spot restaurant in Vancouver.

At Calhoun’s, pick out an entree from the deli-style refrigerated display case, and then pay first before eating. If they’re not too busy they’ll bring the food out to your table once they heat it up, or else they’ll put it on the counter beside the espresso machine.

Calhouns also offers a catering service (more details) to the Vancouver area. My office uses them sometimes for catering lunch meetings.

Calhouns has a bakery on site, and their sourdough bread is incredibly fresh. They make some of the best sandwiches in town, and I usually order the Shrimp Sandwich with Avocado ($7.50, also pictured below).  Every month I look forward to eating the shrimp sandwich after an evening of performing music with the Sybaritic String Band. Calhoun’s has live jazz music on Tuesday and Sunday evenings, and Latin dancing on Thursday nights.

Located near the University of British Columbia, Calhoun’s is a popular hangout and studying place for UBC students. They have Wifi internet access available.

For another photo of the shrimp sandwich, please view Part 1.

Perogies with bacon, sour cream and salsa ($7.00) from Calhoun's Bakery and Cafe in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Shrimp Sandwich ($8.00) from Calhoun's Bakery and Cafe in Vancouver BC Canada.

The restaurant has several locations around the Vancouver area, including the Kitsilano location (which I visited), Surrey and Delta, Richmond, Burnaby, Langley, Aldergrove, Coquitlam, and more (even Victoria and Naniamo too). View their web site for a list of their other locations.

White Spot is a great place to go for a relaxing breakfast or brunch, or a casual dinner or lunch too. I had a gift certificate coupon that I had won in a 5k race, so was able to get one of their Legendary Burger Platters for free, which normally costs $8.99 (and comes with fries and coleslaw). My friend ate the burger platter with fries and I ordered another Legendary Burger platter with a Caesar Salad, which was $9.98 (pictured below). Yum! Be sure to ask for lettuce and tomato on your burger if you like it, as the toppings are no extra charge.

For more photos from White Spot please view my previous reviews: Part 3 – BC Ferries, Part 2 – Salmon Burger, Part 1 – Chicken Gai Yang.

Legendary Burger Platter (with Caesar salad, $9.98) from White Spot restaurant in Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The supermarket is well known for their exotic seafood and vegetable selections. Frommers writes that Tnt Market is “where strange and ungainly comestibles lurk: fire-dragon fruit, lily root, and enoki mushrooms”. But never fear, there are plenty of palatable items lurking here, which even those with Westernized tastes can enjoy.

I especially like the steamed dim-sum and buns, such as the BBQ Pork Bun (Cha Siu Bow), as well as the egg custard tarts. I also really like their Chinese BBQ Chicken which comes pre-cooked and sliced into bite sized pieces – a tray of chicken costs around $6 and makes a great takeout item to serve at home with some steamed rice and veggies.

T&T Supermarket also sells pre-prepared sushi trays such as the one pictured below (around $5.00). The sushi is tasty, and while a dedicated sushi restaurant might do better, T&T’s sushi is quite good value for the money. (The supermarket has some eat-in tables for hungry shoppers who can’t wait till getting home to start munching away.) After around 6:30pm the sushi items start being discounted by a few dollars every hour until they’re all gone.

I also tried their Vietnamese Salad Rolls served with peanut sauce (also pictured below, around $5.00) which I thought were a little bland. The Vietnamese restaurant in the food fair at Tinseltown Mall (just across the street) serves much tastier and fresher salad rolls, at about the same price.

Take out sushi tray from T&T Market in Vancouver, $5.00 (California roll, Salmon Nigiri Sushi, and Unagi sushi)

Vietnamese Salad Rolls ($5.00) from Tnt Super market in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

I can see why he likes it: the prices at Mr. Sushi are reasonable, the quality quite high, and the service friendly. The menu has both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, with some really creative rolls as well as the standard Japanese food you can expect to find around town.

I started the meal off with some Japanese green tea, along with a bowl of steaming Miso Soup ($1.00, pictured below) and a cold Ebi Sunomono Salad ($3.50, also pictured below).

Jason Chin writes on EatVancouver.net (click here to read review):

I asked about the absolute best item on the menu and was eventually steered towards the apparently very popular Crazy Boy Roll ($5.95). A bit of an unorthodox roll, the crazy boy is crab, cucumber and avocado roll served tempura style (battered and deep fried). It is then sliced lengthwise and served like boat with optional hot sauce (siracha).

The Crazy Boy Roll appealed to me as well, and I gave it a try ($5.95, pictured below). Mine had the siracha hot sauce, and it was very hot! I would recommend it without the hot sauce unless you are familiar with the siracha sauce and know what you are getting into. (I actually have a bottle of the siracha sauce at home and I like putting it on my kraft dinner sometimes, along with black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and ketchup. But I digress!)

I also ordered a 1/2 Spider Roll ($5.95, also pictured below), which thankfully doesn’t feature a real spider, but instead a variety of soft shell crab. It was very easy to eat and tantalized my taste buds terrifically!

This satisfying meal came to $16.40 before tax and tip.

Being somewhat arithmetically challenged, I used GeoTip, my handy Cell Phone Tip Calculator program (free download click here), and I figured out that I should pay a total of about $20 (with 5% tax and 15% tip).

Of course if you feeling a little less adventurous or are on a budget, there are plenty of combinations at Mr Sushi which are in the $8 – 12 range for a complete dinner.

Ebi sunomono salad ($3.50) at Mr. Sushi Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.

Crazy Boy Roll ($5.95) from Mr. Sushi Japanese restaurant in downtown Vancouver.

1/2 Spider Roll (Soft Shell Crab, $5.95) from Mr. Sushi Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, Canada.

Miso soup ($1.00) and Green Tea (included with meal) from Mr. Sushi Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.