I keep returning to Samurai Sushi (web site, map, 1108 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-609-0078) for good sized portions of Japanese food at reasonable prices. For more info please view Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, or Part 1.

Pictured below is the 1/2 order of Futomaki ($4.25), as well as some shots of the Combo C ($12.95) which includes 5 pieces of Sashimi, 3 pieces of Nigiri sushi, some tempura, and chicken or beef teriyaki. The Combo C is a huge amount of food, and I always order it if I’m feeling especially hungry and want something fairly conventional.

When I’m feeling a little more adventurous, I like trying some of their specialty rolls such as the SSSR Roll (made with smoked salmon and shrimp, $4.50) or the gigantic Special House Roll (jam packed with tuna, salmon, avocado, tamago, kani, and masago, $5.25 for 1/2 order). The restaurant also has some good choices for vegetarians such as the various veggie rolls, and the tofu teriyaki.

1/2 order of Futomaki Sushi ($4.25) from Samurai Japanese Restaurant

Nigiri Sushi and sashimi, part of the Combo C at Samurai Japanese Restaurant.

Chicken teriyaki and rice (part of Combo C from Samurai Japanese restaurant)

Tempura (part of Combo C from Samurai Japanese restaurant)

Samurai Sushi Japanese Restaurant (web site, map, 1108 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-609-0078) is a good choice for decent quality, affordable sushi in the downtown West End neighborhood. The restaurant is fairly small and does not take reservations, so if you go during peak times you might have to wait a few minutes to get a table. But a policy of no reservations seems to be the norm for some of the more popular and reasonably priced restaurants in the area, such as the Greek restaurant Stepho’s, just a few doors down Davie. Pictured below are some of the items we ate, including the Tuna and Salmon sashimi ($9.95), the Toro Sashimi ($10.50), half order of House Roll sushi ($5.25), chopped scallop roll ($3.90), and some nigiri sushi pieces ($0.99 cents a piece for Inari and Saba, and $1.95 per piece of Ikura salmon roe).

cvancouver writes (click here for their review):

Every sushi roll is over sized and jam packed. Party trays (from $20-$35) are enough to feed 4 average person. Compared to many eat-in restaurants, I find Sashimi to be quite the “bang for your buck.”

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

(above) Tuna and salmon sashimi at Samurai Sushi in Vancouver, $9.95

(above) Toro Sashimi, full order, $10.50, from Samurai Japanese Restaurant

(above) Half order of House Roll Sushi ($5.25) from Samurai Sushi

(above) Ikura sushi ($1.95 each) and chopped scallop roll ($3.90)

(above) Saba nigiri sushi (Mackerel, $0.99 each), Inari sushi (sweet bean curd wrapper, $0.99) and Ikura sushi from Samurai Japanese Sushi restaurant.

Shanghai 1949 (facebook, 1215 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone 604-699-8878) is a modern Chinese bistro located in Vancouver’s downtown West End neighborhood. It was almost 10pm on a warm Monday evening and I happened to be meandering around downtown with a friend, taking in the sights and sounds of citizens at leisure (the next day being Canada Day). The modern decor of this restaurant always intrigued me and we decided to pop in for a quick bite.

The 1949 Spring Rolls ($4.00, pictured below) were quite frankly the best spring rolls I have ever had. I believe they were made with pork, and were incredibly juicy.

The restaurant was all out of Cod fish, but instead the chef prepared a special Malaysian-inspired spicy Tai (snapper) fish, which was bursting with flavor and was quite a generous portion ($12, also pictured below). We also ordered a plate of steamed white rice ($2). Not bad for a late night snack, and I’ll definitely be back to try some of their other selections.

(above) Spring Rolls from Shanghai 1949 Chinese Restaurant ($4.00)

(above) Chef’s special Tai fish (also known as Snapper, $12) from Shanghai 1949 Restaurant in downtown Vancouver.